Minnesota Online High Schools

Video: BlueSky Online School Students Discuss Their Experiences Attending MN’s First Virtual High School

admin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 04:41:02 +0000

Gym class online? Schools stretch with new offerings

admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 04:53:31 +0000

The courses, in subjects from animal science to journalism, are springing up in an era when new technology permeates schools. Web-based college courses are increasingly common, and more K-12 students are enrolling full time in online schools. Even in traditional classrooms, many teachers post assignments, notes and videos on class websites.

“If these resources are available [online], it then begs the question, ‘Does the student really need to come to class, for this part of the class?’ Maybe not,” said Steve Massey, principal of Forest Lake Area High School, which has launched several hybrid courses. “There’s no doubt students are living in an online world.”

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Online school offers an alternative to traditional classroom

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 06:07:13 +0000

School bells are soon to ring and students will head back into the classroom, teachers greeting them face-to-face.

While computers have become integral components in the classroom, they have not served as a primary educational medium.

Until now.

BlueSky Online School is Minnesota’s first virtual school, the statewide public school serving approximately 700 students in grades 7-12. And that number is likely to swell to 900 as the year moves forward; enrollees are accepted throughout the year.

Like the conventional classroom, there are teachers at the helm, Menahga science instructor and Park Rapids resident David Bjorklund among them.

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InnerPass Enables Students, Teacher at Leading Virtual High School

admin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 03:45:14 +0000

InnerPass provides easy-to-use tools, including screen-sharing and “persistent” meeting rooms, which reduce the cost of online instruction, expand access to education and training opportunities, and bring client organizations to the leading edge of educational and training technology.

“The Minnesota Virtual High School is a great partnership for us, because it helped us further integrate with our Distance Learning clients,” says Steve Parsloe, CEO and President of InnerPass, “Especially in the case of the MVHS, we were able to pass along the benefits of collaborative technology to both students and teachers, creating both increased efficiency and cost savings.”

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Video: Online Learning: Helping Dreams Become Reality for Competitive Athletes

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 02:55:28 +0000

MTS Minnesota Connections Academy

Wolf Creek Online High School offered Visiting Artist Course for credit this summer

admin — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 04:33:40 +0000

This summer, Wolf Creek Online High School was awarded a K-12 Arts Challenge Grant through the Minnesota State Arts Board. Visiting artist was Jennifer Kunin, a paper arts specialist. Eight students participated in the weekly class making paper by hand, creating linoleum cuts for printmaking, assembling and binding their own books, and designing a collaborative project that involved staff, students, and community members of Wolf Creek. Students not only had a chance to work with a resident artist but they also got to know one another better through weekly meetings and working as a group. To top it off, most days the class worked outside in the beautiful summer weather.

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Online Courses Offer Options, Support for Homeschooling Families

admin — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 02:46:22 +0000

As more and more families seek alternatives to traditional school, we’re seeing an increase in students blending homeschool and online education. Every family and situation is different, but regardless of the circumstance, a tough decision has to be made when homeschooled students enter their high school years. In the past, the choices have typically been a) continue homeschooling through high school or b) start at/return to a traditional brick & mortar school.

Now, thanks to public online schools, like Insight Schools, families have a choice that offers different options for student-centered learning that didn’t exist just a few years ago – eliminating the either/or choice of the past. Insight Schools and other online education providers are allowing students to enroll full-time as well as part-time. A full-time option allows students to take a full course-load in the environment they’re accustomed to and still have their parent by their side, while part-time enrollment gives them the option of taking a class or two while still receiving instruction from their parents for their remaining courses.

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School Board discusses online education

admin — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 07:06:30 +0000

The Frazee-Vergas School Board briefly discussed providing online educational services at its meeting Monday, Aug. 9.

Board member Dwight Cook said the online service would provide the district with an additional funding source.

Cook suggested meeting with staff, explaining the process to them as well as developing a pay system for those who teach the online classes.

Math teacher Jerry Bellefeuille, one of two public members who were allowed to speak at the board meeting, noted he was told teachers would learn more about the online programming after school starts.

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Online school to host social event in Rochester

admin — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 04:06:31 +0000

iQ Academy Minnesota, an online program of the Fergus Falls, Minn., school district, will host a social event at Mayo Field in Rochester, 403 E. Center St., from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday.

The event is for students of iQ Academy and prospective students. Staff members will be available to answer questions about the virtual school.

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Virtual schools ‘clicking’ for many students this school year

admin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 07:18:17 +0000

More than 2 million children in kindergarten through 12th grade are learning online, and their ranks are growing by almost 20 percent each year, according to research by Ambient Insight. Currently, 45 states have significant supplemental online learning programs, or full-time programs, in which students take most or all of their courses online.

“One reason families are turning to full-time virtual schools is that parents are seeking a more personalized education for their children, where students’ studies are tailored to their abilities and interests, and they can work at their own pace,” says Dr. Steven Guttentag, executive vice president and chief education officer for Connections Academy, a leading virtual school provider that offers both public and private virtual school programs. “Of course most importantly, they work. Students are achieving at high levels and matriculating into some of our nation’s best universities.”

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