As schools are finalizing their back-to-school protocol, some parents are choosing alternative options such as online school. The decision for most parents who are considering online schooling in the Fall is motivated by two separate circumstances. Some parents would prefer to enroll their child in online schooling due to the fear of potential exposure to the virus for their child while they are at school while other parents/students would just prefer to enroll in online school due to the stringent social distancing requirements that are being implemented: LINK .
Here are some tips for parents considering online schooling for this academic year:
- Investigate Different Online Schooling Options
Depending on the online school you choose, the methodology of study will vary. The most common methodologies include video-based lessons with flexible schedules or live classes with fixed schedules. Parents will want to find an intuitive platform that will be easy to use while providing a learning style that meshes with their student’s individual needs. Parents will also want to investigate the level of support from teacher and tutors that is available on each platform they are considering. At Silicon Valley High School, we provide a dedicated teacher for each course that is available to answer student questions in addition to an extensive base of credentialed high school teachers who are available for direct videoconference tutoring.
- Consider Your Educational Goals and Learning Preferences
Some parents might see online schooling this fall as a temporary measure and plan to re-enroll their children in their traditional high school once the pandemic has ended. In this case, we recommend you enroll your children into an accredited online school that offers supplemental courses in addition to a full-time program. Here at Silicon Valley Highs School, we offer accredited courses for just $125 each. Our courses can allow you to stay on track for graduation as the credits you earn with us can be easily transferred your regular school.
Other parents might see this as an opportunity to try out a full-time online schooling model. In this case is very important to do proper research on the different online methodologies. As we mentioned above our video-based lessons offer great flexibility and resonate with many students.
Our self-paced, video-based courses allow the student to stay on track for graduation (or jump ahead) while enjoying a good school/life balance. The most common alternative online schooling option is based around teaching via live classes with mandatory attendance. This model does not allow any kind of flexibility and it is believed to have the same drawbacks as traditional schooling without any additional benefits.
When choosing a school, it is important to consider the type of accreditation that the school possesses. If you don’t choose the correct school, you may have trouble transferring your credits back to you traditional brick and mortar school if you decide to return or you may even have difficulty getting colleges to recognize the online courses you took! One of the major benefits of Silicon Valley Highs School is that we are not only an accredited high school, but that all of our courses are both NCAA approved and UC a-g approved where applicable. This allows students to be confident that courses they take with us will both keep them on track for graduation AND be recognized by major college institutes when they apply for admission.
- Enjoy this moment
This is a historic moment for all of us and a particularly unique time for our high schoolers. We are confident that our online schooling program can offer them some continuity and flexibility during this unprecedented and tumultuous time. We encourage everyone to enjoy this time at home with your children and consider online schooling options as a solution during the upcoming school year. If you have any questions about online schooling, please do not hesitate to message us on Facebook or reach out to us through our website at any time!