KCSD Online Secondary
Information and a video for families of 7-12 students
Sept. 1, 2020
Dear families of KCSD Online junior high and high school students,
Thank you for your patience while we build KCSD Online. When we started this project, we knew there was a need for a 100% online option for families who were not ready to send their students back to school anytime soon. As the project developed, we began to see just how big the need for this option was. Today, about 250 families have opted to join KCSD Online. It’s a rewarding challenge to develop this option for you, but creating a new school program from scratch is taking some time.
So where are we now? This week, your resident school should reach out to you and develop your student’s schedule. Basically, this will be a conversation about which core classes your student should take and asking about elective options. Our online curriculum provider, Edgenuity, offers multiple electives at each grade level and students will have some flexibility in what they choose to take.
For core classes, there may be a choice between standard curriculum and “honors” or college prep. The college prep option will require more reading and work by your student, so keep this in mind when you make your selections. All Edgenuity courses are full academic classes aligned to Oregon standards, and students should expect to work between 5-6 hours per day, Monday through Friday, to stay on track.
Meanwhile, the district is working to train our KCSD Online teachers in the Edgenuity software. Edgenuity requires teachers be trained so they understand how the curriculum and Edgenuity system work. About 35 district teachers have been enlisted to support KCSD Online students. These teachers are licensed to support each content area and will make regular contact, twice a week, with students on their caseload.
Remember, KCSD Online teachers work throughout our district, and they may, or may not, be teachers at your student’s resident school. KCSD Online is a self-directed and self-paced program where our teachers support the fully online curriculum. Students must take the lead in managing their own learning and use the Edgenuity tools to stay on track for graduation.
So what’s next? It is our intent to have KCSD Online students enrolled in their Edgenuity coursework and academically engaged during the week of Sept. 8. However, we are currently at the mercy of Edgenuity’s tech support team and are waiting for some required software updates. Regardless, your student will have their assigned schedule and will be contacted by their assigned teachers between Sept. 8 and Sept. 11. It is our intent to introduce students to their Edgenuity account and curriculum at this time.
Again, thank you for your patience with us as we complete the final phases of KCSD Online.
Sincerely,
Jeff Bullock
Secondary Curriculum Director
Klamath County School District