k12 Start - Arizona Virtual Academy

Arizona Virtual Academy
The AZVA HS
Handbook
2012 - 2013
F
http://www.k12.com/azva
Table of Contents
1. General Education
a. Office Hours
b. CCAT (Cyber Cats All Together) Time
c. Outings
d. High School Clubs
e. Attendance Policy
f. Summary of the Arizona Department of Education attendance rules
g. Illness/Extended Inability to Participate
h. Final Exams
i. Vacation Policy
j. Process for Withdrawal and Expulsion of Truant or Excessively Absent Students
2. Testing
a. Arizona State Law
b. AIMS and Stanford 10
c. Scantron
3. Grades
a. Grade Determination
b. Grading Scale
c. Class Rank and Honor Roll Determination
d. Evidence of Mastery
e. Late Work Policy
f. STARS: Academic Progress and Probation Policy
g. Guidelines for Integrity in Assessments and Assignments
h. Plagiarism
i. Source Citation
j. Academic Integrity
i. Consequences
1. First Offense
2. Second Offense
3. Third Offense
k. Report Cards
l. Student Records
m. Appeal of Final Semester Grades and Awarding of Credit
n. Grade Promotion and Awarding of Credit
o. Graduation Requirements
4. Technology Policies
a. Instant Messaging Policy
b. Student Internet Safety
c. Network Etiquette
d. Internet Service Provider (ISP) Reimbursement Policy
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
e. Monitoring
f. AZVA Indemnification Provision
g. Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Behavior Expectations
a. Read the Code
b. AZVA Student Code of Conduct and Acceptable Use Guidelines
i. Failure to Follow these Guidelines
ii. Accountability
iii. Inappropriate Behavior
Optimizing the High School Experience
a. Course Materials
b. Getting Started With High School at AZVA
c. HS Intake Fall 2011
i. Intake Checklist
d. Student Actions to Ensure Success
e. Creating a Calendar
f. Time Management
Parent Section
a. Review Teacher Credentials
b. Parent Actions to Help Ensure Student Success
c. Checking Student Progress
d. Family Directory
e. Complaint Response Procedure
Special Programs
a. Special Education
b. Special Needs Students at AZVA Response to Intervention (RTI)
c. Child Find
d. Related Services
Glossary
Introduction
This AZVA Handbook sets forth some general guidance for parents and students enrolled in the Arizona Virtual
Academy (AZVA) high school program. AZVA is a charter school and is subject to the rules and regulations of
the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools. The State Board for Charter School's guidelines are available
online at http://www.asbcs.az.gov/. The AZVA charter contract is available from the AZVA office.
AZVA Mission Statement
AZVA is a partnership of families and teachers that empowers students in a flexible learning environment with
a challenging curriculum. We are a community of pioneering educators providing an innovative use of
technology, helping to educate well-rounded, well-educated, and confident adults.
Getting Started
Whether you are first starting with AZVA or just reading through this guide as a refresher before beginning the
new school year, the sheer volume of the material can often be daunting. That is why AZVA, in partnership
with k12, has created a variety of terrific support websites to help you so you can quickly become familiar with
AZVA and its programs.; this list can be found at http://azva.k12start.com.
If you are having trouble getting started, you can always contact your student’s Counselor Tech (all homeroom
kmails are noted with the word “homeroom” in the subject line; homeroom teachers will also identify
themselves as such when calling) and he or she will be happy to answer any questions you may have. With all
these great resources at your disposable, you will be navigating the AZVA pages like an old pro in no time
quickly customizing the program to best suit your needs as a learning coach.
Calendars
Admission and Entrance Requirements
AZVA students must reside in Arizona in order to be eligible to enroll in AZVA. Additionally, at least 80% of our
new students for 2012-2013 must have been enrolled in and attended a public school (including charters)
during the 2011-2012 school year. Up to 20% of our 2012-2013 new-student population may be comprised of
students who did not attend a public school during the 2011-2012 school year.
Pursuant to ARS 15-808 I, AZVA teachers and administrators confer with parents of students whose academic
achievement declines while attending AZVA. AZVA evaluates progress within the Learning Management
System and standardized test scores to determine academic achievement. If a student’s academic
achievement declines while attending AZVA, the school’s administration meets with the parents to discuss
whether the student should continue to participate in AZVA.
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General Education
Office Hours Schedule for 2012-2013
Fall 2012 Master Schedule
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
8 am
9 am
Math Office Hours
Foreign Language
Office Hours
Foreign Language
Office Hours
Math Office Hours
Math Office Hours
Math Office Hours
History Office Hours
History Office Hours
10am
11am
12pm
CCAT Time
2pm
3 pm
History Office Hours
Electives Office Hours
Electives Office Hours
History Office Hours
History Office Hours
Math Office Hours
Math Office Hours
Math Hours
Math Office Hours
Math Office Hours
Math Hours
Electives Office Hours Electives Office Hours
Electives Hours
Electives Hours
Electives Office Hours Electives Office Hours
Electives Hours
Electives Hours
Foreign Language
Office Hours
Foreign Language
Office Hours
NHS
Meeting/Remediation
Science Office Hours
English Office Hours
English Office Hours
English Office Hours
Science Office Hours
English Office Hours
English Office Hours
English Office Hours
Science Office Hours
Science Office Hours
Science Office Hours
Open Remediation
Science Office Hours
Science Office Hours
Electives Office Hours
Electives Office Hours
1 pm
History Office Hours
Student
Electives Office Hours
Government/Remediati
on
Student
Electives Office Hours
Government/Remediati
on
English Office Hours
Foreign Language
Office Hours
Foreign Language
Office Hours
General
CLUB/Remediation
Meeting
Time/Remediation
Science Office Hours
General
CLUB/Remediation
Science Office Hours
Meeting
Time/Remediation
4 pm
Teachers hold regular, scheduled office hours. The office hours schedule is posted here. This is a time when
students and teachers meet for additional instruction, reviews, or question and answer sessions. Teachers
may occasionally schedule extra live sessions at times that are not already reserved in the schedule above in
order to meet the needs of their students. All sessions will be scheduled in the ClassConnect area of the OLS.
MathOnDemand is a tutoring lab that students can access for extra assistance in their math courses. Students
are encouraged to attend when experiencing a challenge in math. Hours are from 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.,
Monday – Thursday. All students taking a math course will see the ClassConnect invitation to the
MathOnDemand Lab in the OLS. Announcements are also posted in all math courses.
Students who are failing courses will be required to attend live office hours weekly. If a student does not
attend as required and continues to fail his or her courses, he or she will be considered for withdrawal due to
academic decline.
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CCAT (Cyber Cats All Together) Time
AZVA staff members want our students to feel actively engaged in the events and exciting online experiences
that take place at the high school level. CCAT, a universal time set aside each week for all AZVA high school
students to meet together, is scheduled for each Monday at 11:00 AM. CCAT should be treated like any other
class; therefore, students need to attend and participate in this unique weekly experience.
During CCAT students will engage in a variety of activities. Every meeting will include weekly updates, student
government updates, club presentations, school information presentations, trivia games as well as
opportunities for students to share their own talents. Attendance will be taken and used for documentation
purposes.
Outings
To assist parents in providing social experiences for their students, AZVA hosts monthly regional outings
throughout the state. These outings may be attended by any student, regardless of the area in which a family
resides. It is AZVA’s goal to provide quality and educational outings that also promote a social atmosphere.
High School Clubs
It is AZVA’s goal to foster a sense of community for our families during the school year. In an effort to help
families build more meaningful relationships, AZVA offers in-person and online clubs based on students’ and
families’ interests. Clubs meet online and/or at specific locations throughout the state. AZVA teachers
facilitate clubs in which students may participate.
Further information about clubs can be obtained by contacting the teacher sponsor(s) as well as checking the
school announcements for updates and activities.
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Attendance Policy
All Arizona Virtual Academy high school students are enrolled solely as on a full time basis. Students must
enroll in a minimum of five (5) courses each semester, with a typical course load equaling six (6) courses per
semester. All students must enroll in at least 5 classes total each semester to equal five (5) courses, and five
(5) credits, each school year.
AZVA requires that all students attend school a minimum of 25 hours per week and 900 hours per academic
year. Requirements are aligned to The Arizona Department of Education requirements for all Arizona high
school students. This means our students must work in their courses for at least 25 hours per week or
approximately five hours per week per course. Students taking six (6) courses should complete a minimum of
30 hours per week.
AZVA reports weekly attendance to the state, beginning with the first day of our school year. If a student can
only attend school for 20 hours during a week, he or she is behind five (5) hours for that week. If the student
attends school for 30 hours the following week, AZVA can credit the additional attendance time towards the
prior week’s attendance. Students should try to stay consistent in their weekly schooling hours, but flexibility
does exist for our families as long as students maintain at least the average attendance hours.
In addition, students should adhere to the school’s instructional calendar, but students may “swap” vacation
days or holidays.
Student attendance hours will be tracked according to the school’s excessive absence and truancy policy. A
student may be withdrawn if he or she is below 90% of the required attendance hours. Students must be
withdrawn if they miss ten (10) consecutive days of school (consecutive calendar days.) Arizona statute
requires AZVA to withdraw the student on the 10th consecutive day of absence.
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Summary of the Arizona Department of Education attendance rules
Instructional time is calculated each week
Students must “attend” school a specific number of hours each week, based on grade level
Students should adhere to the AZVA instructional calendar; however, students may school on noninstructional days or swap vacation days during a semester as long as they are schooling adequate
hours and completing all coursework. Students who swap instructional days beyond the MondayFriday school week should consult with their teachers to ensure no deadlines are missed.
Student absences will be calculated for each week day where a student attends school fewer hours
than required
Students must adhere to the AZVA instructional calendar; attendance will not be tallied on noninstructional days.
All instructional time may be credited for “attendance”; students do not need to be online to count
that time for attendance. However, students should be logging into their classes every day even when
they are working offline in order to avoid a discrepancy between user activity hours and logged
attendance hours. Offline hours will vary by course, but they must make up no more than 10% of total
hours logged for attendance. Discrepancies of more than 10% may be investigated to ensure that
students are not logging false attendance.
We will continue to take a stand against this antiquated legislation. In the meantime, it is critical that
both parents and students understand and adhere to these regulations. Please contact AZ Parents for
Education www.azparents.org for additional information regarding efforts to eliminate these
burdensome rules. If you have further questions regarding this issue, please contact the AZVA office at
(602) 476-1320.
Illness/Extended Inability to Participate
If an unexpected situation should arise and there is an extended leave of three days or more needed from
courses, students must follow these steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Determine if Internet access is available (through libraries, family, friends, etc.).
Contact teachers and the guidance counselor to explain the situation.
Report the problem to the learning coach.
Discuss class alternatives with the instructor and learning coach.
Final Exams
Students must take final exams at the end of both fall and spring semesters. Excused absences are not
allowed for these exams. In order to protect test confidentiality, all exams must be taken on assigned days.
Students who cheat and/or plagiarize in any way on a final exam or final project shall not be allowed to
resubmit it for credit.
Vacation policy
The Arizona Virtual Academy is a public school. Students must attend at least 90% of the possible instructional
hours for the school year AND must not miss school for 10 consecutive days. If a family needs to plan a
vacation, this vacation must not include more than 10% of the possible instructional hours and must not last
more than 10 consecutive days. Assignments due during a family-scheduled vacation must be completed prior
to the vacation, so it is the student’s responsibility to contact his or her teachers prior to this absence. There
are no exceptions to this policy. Assignments that are completed late due to a family-scheduled vacation
during school are subject to the late work policy.
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Process for Withdrawal and Expulsion of Truant or Excessively Absent Students
1. Student attendance will be monitored regularly.
2. Students who miss 5 or more consecutive days or who have logged less than the 90% of the required
hours will be notified. Students are considered excessively absent when they have missed 10
consecutive instructional days and/or their cumulative attendance is 90% or less than what is
mandated by the state. AZVA policy states that we may withdraw any student who does not meet
these attendance requirements.
Once a student has been withdrawn from AZVA, he or she will receive a letter from K12 detailing all materials
that must be returned.
State Testing
Arizona State Law
Pursuant to A.R.S. 15-808 B, AZVA must notify students and parents of mandatory state testing requirements.
If AZVA fails to test 95% of its students, the students who did not test become ineligible to continue
enrollment in AZVA.
AIMS and Stanford 10
High school testing requirements are dependent upon the cohort year. The cohort year is determined by the
first time a student attends 9th grade. If a student attended 9th grade in 2009-2010, he or she is considered
cohort year 2013. If a student is attending 9th grade for the first time in the 2012-2013 school year, he or she is
considered cohort year 2016.
AZVA 9th grade students in cohort year 2016 must take the 9th grade Stanford 10 test on Thursday, April 11th,
2013.
AZVA encourages 9th grade students in cohort year 2016 who are enrolled in a high school biology course to
take the AIMS HS Science test on April 10, 2013.
AZVA high school students in cohort year 2015 must complete AIMS HS Writing Test on Monday, February 25,
2013, the AIMS HS Reading test on Tuesday, February 26, 2013, the AIMS HS Math test on Tuesday, April 9,
2013 as well as the AIMS HS Science test on Wednesday, April 10, 2013.
AZVA high school students in cohort year 2014 or beyond who need to pass the AIMS-HS test to receive a
diploma have two opportunities a year to take the test. Fall testing occurs on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 for
the AIMS HS Writing test, Wednesday, October 24, 2012 for the AIMS HS Reading test, and Thursday, October
25, 2012 for the AIMS HS Mathematics test. Spring testing occurs on Monday, February 25, 2012 for the AIMS
HS Writing test, on Tuesday, February 26, 2012 for the AIMS HS Reading test, the AIMS HS Math test on
Tuesday, April 9, 2012 as well as the AIMS HS Science test on Wednesday, April 10, 2012.
Scantron
All 9th and 10th graders are expected to complete Scantron testing at the beginning of each school year (or
upon enrollment) and at the end of the school year. Two tests are required: reading and writing. Links, logins,
and other Scantron information will be communicated to students by their counselor tech or intake
coordinators.
Students who do not complete required testing (Stanford 10, AIMS, Scantron) will be locked out of courses
and/or will have grades/transcripts withheld until compliance with school policy.
Grades
Grade Determination
AZVA High School grades are determined by the sum total of points a student earns on all graded assignments
and tests.
Points earned by student/ Total points possible = Grade
Example: In his or her math class, the student earns 563 points out of a total of 700 possible points. The grade
would be 80%.
563/700 = 80%
Grading Scale
A = 90-100%
B = 80-89%
C = 70-79%
D = 60-69%
F = 0 – 59%
Class Rank and Honor Roll Determination
Class rank is determined by rank ordering the cumulative grade point average of all students within a grade
level. The following values are assigned to semester grades in each course:
A=4
B=3
C=2
D=1
F=0
Advanced Placement/Honors courses carry the following weighted value*.
A=5
B=4
C=3
D=2
F=0
Students earning a semester grade point average of 3.0 or higher are eligible for the Honor Roll.
*Students enrolled in Honors or AP courses must receive a grade of A, B or C to remain in the same level of
course for the following semester. Students who do not receive a grade of A, B or C will be placed in the
Comprehensive or Core level of the course for the following semester.
Evidence of Mastery
Grades are determined based on how well a student performs on graded activities within each course. Graded
activities include but are not limited to:
Practice Lessons
Threaded Discussions
Web Explorations
Labs
Journal Entries
Class Discussions
Quizzes
Tests
Some assignments are teacher graded, and others are computer graded. During the semester, students and
parents can always view grades in the grade book for each course. It is important to note that these grades
are updated every time an assignment is graded.
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Warning: If a deadline has passed and the teacher has not entered a zero for that assignment, the student’s
grade may be temporarily inflated. Zeros are typically entered by Tuesday for work not received by the
Sunday night deadline.
Late Work Policy
Graded assignments – whether teacher or computer scored – are listed on the course calendar. These
assignments must be completed and submitted no later than midnight the Sunday following the due
date for that assignment to receive full credit for the work. Any work that is assigned for during the
week that is not received by Sunday will be considered missing and assigned a zero.
Students will have approximately 4 weeks to earn 70% credit on late assignments after the Sunday due
date. Once the grading deadline has passed, the zero will remain, and the student may not make up
the assignments. Below are the grading periods and the due dates for any late work. Late work
submitted by the grading due date will be eligible to receive up to 70% credit.
Graded assignments – whether teacher or computer scored – are listed on course calendars. While
AZVA is a flexible learning environment, students are expected to stay current with their studies in
order to master the material in their courses.
Please check your course syllabi for department late policies.
Under extreme circumstances, teachers may grant due date extensions on assignments. Families
should never assume that they will automatically grant these requests. Due date extensions must be
requested before the due date of the assignment during the school week. Requests received on or
past the due date, or on a non-school day will not be granted.
Assignments not received by the scheduled late date will receive a grade of zero, with no exceptions.
In case of computer- or internet-issues, students are required to contact their classroom teachers
immediately to communicate the issue, so please have a hardcopy of all teachers’ names and phone
numbers.
Please be aware that because of the point values assigned to teacher-scored assignments, it is
mathematically impossible to pass a course without completing them.
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Academic Progress and Probation Policy
AZVA makes every effort to work with all students to insure their success in their high school
courses. However, we recognize that not all students are successful in the online environment for a variety of
reasons. AZVA has designed the Academic Progress and Probation Policy to ensure that students are
achieving satisfactory academic progress towards graduation in the most appropriate school
environment. This program ensures that students are given the support to be as successful as
possible. However, if students are not making satisfactory academic progress, we will encourage them to
locate an alternate school placement.
During the course of a semester, student progress is monitored by the administration, guidance counselors,
counselor techs, and teachers. If a student exhibits signs of academic risk over the course of a semester, we
will meet with the learning coach and student and devise strategies to assist the student. If the student’s
academic progress does not improve throughout the semester and the student fails more than 50% of their
high school courses in any given semester, the AZVA HS academic team will place the student on academic
probation status. The academic probation program provides additional support and mentoring to students to
improve their academic progress throughout the following semester.
1. The student will participate weekly in the StARS course to design weekly goals and reflections which will
be monitored by the StARS Coordinator.
2. The student must attend weekly CCAT meetings in the StARS coordinator’s Elluminate room where
strategies for success will be discussed for each given week. If a student cannot attend the live session,
the recording will be posted in the StARS course for viewing at a later time that same week. Live
sessions are strongly encouraged as students will be supported by break-out sessions with their school
counselor each week for additional support following the live CCAT session.
3. The student will have the option to have a peer mentor through the Student Ambassador Program for
additional tips and assistance.
4. The student and learning coach will respond in a timely manner to all K-mail and/or phone
communications from teachers and the StARS coordinator. Failure to communicate could potentially
result in being locked out of the student’s courses until communication is re-established with the AZVA
staff.
5. The student is strongly encouraged to attend at least 1 hour of office hours per week in each academic
class for clarification, instruction, and support.
6. The student must demonstrate matching attendance in the LMS and OLS. If these do not match, the
OLS attendance may be removed and the student may be withdrawn due to truancy. In addition, not
only will false attendance be cause for withdrawal or truancy, but it will also count as a violation of
AZVA’s academic probation policy.
7. The student must strive to maintain a grade of 60% or above in all courses.
8. Verified violations of cheating and/or plagiarism will not be excused or tolerated at AZVA. Students will
receive a zero on the assignment and the violation will be counted as an infraction of AZVA’s academic
probation policy.
9. Students must pass a minimum of 4 out of 6 courses in order to graduate from the StARS program. If a
student does not graduate from StARS after a total of 2 semesters, he or she will not be allowed to reenroll in AZVA.
Academic Decline Student Action Plan
When students are failing one or more courses, AZVA guidelines mandate that they must attend weekly
teaching sessions with their teacher(s) to help improve their grades and receive additional help on a weekly
basis until their course grades are at least 60% (passing). Students must also demonstrate improvement in the
grades of each of their failing courses on a week to week basis. We want students to be successful at AZVA;
these extra sessions with teachers will help ensure that they are given additional help to complete their
academic assignments.
Students whose semester grade average falls below 60% will be on an academic action plan for the remainder
of the semester. During this time, they are required to attend and actively participate in weekly teaching
sessions for all of the courses they are failing and increase their grades in each failing course every week.
Students must attend these sessions, submit their weekly assignments, raise their grade, and remain up to
date with their attendance while on the academic action plan.
Students who do not comply with this action plan and attend all teaching sessions, or bring all of their grades
up to passing (in which case they would no longer be required to attend sessions, although they would still be
encouraged to do so) may be withdrawn from AZVA for academic decline. Every week, school administration
will review student grades and Class Connect attendance to ensure that students remain in compliance with
this action plan. If, upon review, they are out of compliance, students will be considered for withdrawal.
Students who are withdrawn for academic decline may appeal the decision at a scheduled, in person meeting
with a school administrator at the AZVA office in Phoenix.
We want all of our students to be successful at AZVA and will do all we can to help you with lessons and
courses. However, we expect students to actively participate in school and their education by attending live
sessions, turning in assignments, and asking for help when necessary. This plan is designed to assist students
with that goal, and, if followed, students can experience academic success, pass their classes, and earn course
credits.
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Guidelines for Integrity in Assessments and Assignments
Assessments, such as quizzes, and tests, are a critical part of any academic program. They offer important
information about the student’s progress toward mastery. This information is helpful only if accurate. It can be
accurate only if the assessment represents the student’s work and only his or her work.
Unless otherwise instructed by the teacher or by a specific assessment, the student is expected to honor the
following principles while taking assessments:
The student:
and the student alone will take the assessment (in other words, the student will take the assessment
independent of any assistance).
will not copy or redistribute any part of the assessment in any way—electronically, verbally, or on
paper.
will treat the assessment as “closed book”—meaning that he or she may not use any textbooks,
references, or other materials (printed or electronic) during the assessment—unless the teacher or the
specific assessment otherwise instructs (for example, the student is specifically told to refer to certain
pages in a book as part of the assessment).
will treat the assessment as “single browser”—meaning that during the assessment you may not log in
a second time to your course, or open your course or related materials on another browser on another
computer.
answers will represent his or her work and only his or her work, free of any outside assistance. The
student will not plagiarize in any way.
will not confer with other students, family members, or acquaintances, either in person or through
electronic communication, during the assessment.
The student will be asked to submit written assignments for teachers to grade. The student’s written work
should be completely free of plagiarism. Plagiarism is copying another person’s work without providing direct
reference to the author, original print material or website. Put simply, always give credit where it is due. The
student must ask his or her teacher if he or she has questions regarding citing sources. Remember that AZVA
utilizes web tools to check for student plagiarism.
Unless the teacher or the assessment’s specific directions state exceptions, the student is expected to follow
these principles while taking assessments and completing written assignments. Only by honoring these
principles can the student assure both academic and personal integrity.
© 2008 K12 Inc.
All rights reserved. Page 1 of 1 Copying or distributing without K12’s written consent is prohibited.
Plagiarism
The definition of plagiarism is copying or imitating the language, ideas, and thoughts of another writer and
passing them off as the student’s own original work. Specific examples of plagiarism that will not tolerated are
Copying, paraphrasing or summarizing another person’s work without citing that source.
Using material, including photographs, from the internet or any other source and representing as the
student’s own, even if he or she has changed some of the words.
Having someone else write the assignment or rephrase any portion of that assignment.
Directly copying or rephrasing student aids (Cliff Notes, for example), critical sources, or reference
materials in part or whole without acknowledging those sources.
Source Citation
Many courses require written work where students need to cite sources. Any direct quotations from a
textbook can simply be cited as (Author, page number). Any quotations from outside sources require full
citations, including author, title, publisher, date of publication, and page number. If a student cites
information found on a website, he or she must provide the complete web page or site title, URL, author (if
known), page number (if applicable), publication date of the site (if available), and date of access.
Students are responsible for their own work on unit tests and final exams. Students are not allowed to use
notes, quizzes, or textbooks on unit tests or on the final exams. Students are not permitted to share work
with other students on unit tests or final exams. If a student does not complete his or her own work or shares
work with others on unit tests and/or final exams, he or she will not receive credit for the work and is at risk of
suspension or expulsion from AZVA.
Students must cite sources in all assignments, tests, and exams. Students do not receive credit for work that
does not appropriately cite sources.
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Academic Integrity
All assignments are assumed to be the student’s original work. Therefore, if the student utilizes any ideas that
are not his or her original thoughts, the student must cite his or her sources using MLA format. A student who
fails to abide by these standards will be reported to the high school assistant principal and will be subject to
disciplinary action.
Consequences
First offense – The student and parent will receive a kmail and/or call from the classroom teacher. The
student will not receive credit for the plagiarized assignment unless the following steps are completed:
1. The student will be required to review the plagiarism recorded lesson and complete the plagiarism
worksheet (provided by the teacher).
2. When the student has complied, he or she will be allowed to redo and resubmit the assignment for
credit.
Second offense – The student and parent will receive a call from the High School Principal or Assistant
Principal. The student will not be allowed to rewrite the assignment and a grade of zero will be posted for the
assignment.
Third offense – Expulsion.
Please note that because AZVA considers plagiarism a serious offense, these consequences apply to all
instances of plagiarism in a student’s high school career here at AZVA, regardless of grade level or subject.
These consequences do not “start over” each new semester or school year; all instances are documented for
the entirety of a student’s tenure at AZVA.
Report Cards
Fall semester report cards are issued in January, and spring semester report cards are issued in June.
Student Records
Student records are maintained at the AZVA office. Please contact the AZVA office to obtain a copy of student
records. A copying fee may be assessed. If families change their address, telephone, or place of employment,
they must notify the school immediately by contacting [email protected] with the new information.
Parents are responsible for keeping contact information current within the My Info section of the Learning
Management System.
Appeal of Final Semester Grades and Awarding of Credit
Students and parents may appeal a student’s final grade or the school’s decision to award credit for a course
up to 30 days after the end of a semester. Appeals will not be considered later than 30 days after the end of a
semester.
Grade Promotion and Awarding of Credit
Students are promoted based on the number of credits earned. Credit is not awarded for courses in which a
student earns an F or fails to log 90% (65 hours) of the required attendance. Students may repeat a course in
which they have earned an F. If the student passes the course on the second attempt they will receive that
grade but the previous failed course will remain on the transcript. Credit is granted for courses in which the
student completes the attendance requirement and earns an A, B, C or D. Students may repeat courses for a
higher grade if they choose to do so. If this occurs, credit will only be granted once for that class and the other
course will receive credit for an elective class. Students enrolling in a course 30 days after the official school
semester start date are on audit status and not eligible to earn credit. Grade-level classification is based on the
number of credits earned and is reviewed at the end of each semester.
0 – 5 credits
9th grade
6 -11 credits
10th grade
12-17 credits
11th grade
17- 22 credits
12th grade
Graduation Requirements
AZVA students must complete 22 credits to be eligible for graduation. Students must earn the following
credits to graduate:
English
4 credits
Math
4 credits
Science
3 credits
Social studies
3 credits (including 1 credit of World History, 1 credit of US History, and ½
credit of American Government and ½ credit of Economics)
Fine Arts
1 credit
Foreign Language
2 credits (of the same foreign language)*
Electives
5 credits
*AZVA requirement
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Technology Policies
Instant Messaging Policy
AZVA teachers and counselors are available through instant messages (IM) from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. AZVA
teachers will not be available to send and receive student instant messages before 8:00 a.m. or after 5:00
p.m. The subject matter of teacher/student instant messages will be limited to discussions about school
policies and academic issues. Students and families are encouraged to use instant messenger to contact their
teachers, but it is not required. K-mail is the preferred means for contacting teachers.
Student Internet Safety
Students must not reveal on the Internet personal information about themselves or other persons. For
example, a student should not reveal his/her name, home address, telephone number, or display
photographs of him/herself or others to persons outside of the AZVA.
Students cannot agree to meet in person anyone they have met only on the Internet and who is not
affiliated with the AZVA. First meetings with AZVA affiliated students should be at school-sponsored
events.
Network Etiquette
AZVA students are expected to follow the rules of network etiquette or “netiquette”. The word "netiquette"
refers to common-sense guidelines for conversing with others online. Students are encouraged to abide by
these standards:
Establish Instant message user names and e-mail addresses that are appropriate for the school setting.
Avoid sarcasm, jargon, and slang. Swear words are unacceptable.
Avoid using abbreviations or inappropriate contractions. When students type these abbreviations they
are telling everyone that they cannot type well enough to use complete words. For example:
Appropriate
Inappropriate
“you”
“u”
“your”
“ur”
“see you later”
“cya”
Never use derogatory comments, including those regarding race, age, gender, sexual orientation,
religion, ability, political persuasion, body type, physical or mental health, or access issues.
Focus your responses on the questions or issues being discussed, not on the individuals involved.
Be constructive with your criticism, not hurtful.
Review your messages before sending them. Remove easily misinterpreted language and proofread for
typos.
Respect other people’s privacy. Do not broadcast online discussions, and never reveal other people's email addresses.
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Internet Service Provider (ISP) Reimbursement Policy
The Arizona Virtual Academy has a new policy regarding the provision of internet subsidies and student
computers.
For the 2012-2013 school year, students enrolled in the Arizona Virtual Academy who are eligible for
free/reduced lunch as determined by the National School Lunch Program standardized form are eligible to
receive an internet service provider subsidy of $12.95 per month. Students meeting these requirements are
eligible to receive an internet service provider subsidy if the students
participate in the Online School (grades K-8) or Learning Management System (high school) for sixty
(60) calendar days,
are enrolled in AZVA on the last day of the school year,
participate in all required standardized testing,
meet academic progress guidelines described in the Arizona Virtual Academy Hand Book, and
demonstrate an average of 6 hours of attendance per instructional day (kindergarten students must
demonstrate an average of 3 hours of attendance per day).
Students who have a current Individualized Education Plan that requires assistive technology will receive an
internet service provider subsidy of $12.95 per month.
Subsidies are limited to one per family. Students enrolled prior to the 15th of each month will be eligible for
the subsidy for that month. Students enrolling after the 15th of the month will qualify for the subsidy
beginning the first day of the following month. Subsidies are mailed to students’ parents after the end of the
school year.
Students enrolled in the Arizona Virtual Academy who are eligible for free/reduced lunch as determined by
the National School Lunch Program standardized form may request a student computer and printer that will
be provided on loan to the student while enrolled in AZVA. Students who have a current Individualized
Education Plan that require assistive technology may request a student computer and printer that will be
provided on loan to the student while enrolled in AZVA. Please direct questions on this policy to
[email protected]
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Monitoring
AZVA reserves the right to review any material transmitted using AZVA instructional computing resources or
posted to an AZVA instructional computing resource to determine the appropriateness of such material. AZVA
may review this material at any time, with or without notice. E-mail transmitted via AZVA instructional
computing resources is not private and may be monitored.
AZVA Indemnification Provision
AZVA assumes no responsibility for information obtained via the Internet, which may be illegal, defamatory,
inaccurate or offensive. AZVA assumes no responsibility for any claims, losses, damages, costs, or other
obligations arising from the use of instructional computing resources. AZVA also denies any responsibility for
the accuracy or quality of the information obtained through user access. Any statement, accessible on the
computer network or the Internet, is understood to be the author’s individual point of view and not that of
AZVA, its affiliates, or its employees. AZVA assumes no responsibility for damages to the user’s computer
system.
Nothing in this policy negates any obligation the student and parent have to use the instructional computing
recourses as required in the Use of Instructional Property Agreement
("Agreement") the parent or guardian signed as part of the student's enrollment packet. In the event that this
Code conflicts with the Agreement, the terms of the Agreement shall prevail."
FAMILY EDUCATION RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT (FERPA)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) gives parents and students over 18 years of age
(“eligible students”) certain rights regarding the student’s education records. These rights are
(1) The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the School
receives a request for access.
To request an inspection and review, the parent or eligible student should submit a written request to the
Program Director that identifies the record (s) they wish to inspect. The Program Director makes
arrangements for access and notifies the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the
records may be inspected.
(2) The right to request an amendment of the student’s education records that the parent or eligible student
believes is inaccurate.
Parents or eligible students may ask the School to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate. They
should write the Program Director, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify
why it is inaccurate. If the School decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible
student, the School notifies the parent or eligible student of the decision and advises them of their right to
a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures
is provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.
(3) The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s
education records, except to the extent that FERPA allows disclosure without consent.
One exception, which permits the School to disclose information without consent, is when the School
discloses information to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person
employed by or contracted to provide services to or designated by the contractor to provide services to
the School as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or
medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the Board of Directors of the
School; a person or company with whom the School has contracted to perform a special task (such as an
attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); or a parent or student serving on an official
committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing
his or her tasks.
A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in
order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.
Upon request, the School discloses education records without consent to officials of another school district
in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
(4) The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the
School to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers
FERPA are:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Ave., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20202-4605
(5) FERPA requires that the School, with certain exceptions, obtain a parent’s or eligible student’s written
consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from a child’s education records.
However, the School may disclose “directory information” without written consent, unless you, the parent
or eligible student, have advised the School in writing that you do not want all or part of the directory
information disclosed. The method for objecting to disclosure of directory information is specified below.
The primary purpose of directory information is to allow the School to include the following information
from education records in certain school publications or disclose it to certain parties. Examples include
shipment of computer and school materials to and from student’s home,
entry of student enrollment information into a computer database for use by school officials,
honor roll or other recognition lists,
sports activity sheets, such as for wrestling, showing weight and height of team members, and
school yearbook.
Directory information, which is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of
privacy if released, can be disclosed to outside organizations without a parent’s prior written consent. In
addition, federal laws requires the School to provide military recruiters, upon request, with three directory
information categories – names, addresses and telephone listings – unless parents or eligible students
have advised the School in writing that they do not want their student’s information disclosed without
prior written consent.
The School has designated the following information as directory information:
name
address
telephone number
e-mail address
photo
athletic information
honor roll status
grade level
activities and clubs
awards
If there are certain items the school has chosen to designate as directory information that you do not want
disclosed from your child’s education records, without your prior written consent, please send an e-mail
identifying the information you do not want disclosed, your student’s name, and the name of the virtual
academy or affiliate school where your student is enrolled to: [email protected]. This e-mail
must be sent within 30 days of enrolling in AZVA.
Notice of these rights is available, upon request, on audiotape, in Braille, and in languages other than
English. You may contact the Arizona Department of Education at 602-542-3111.
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“I Understand” Statements
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I understand that I am required to have access to a computer with a working microphone and internet
access at all times during my student’s enrollment in the Arizona Virtual Academy. I understand that I
am responsible for personal computer repairs. I also understand that I am responsible for submitting
work on time even if I am experiencing computer difficulties.
Behavior Expectations
Read the Code
Prior to the start date for each school year, students must read the Student Code of Conduct and Acceptable
Use Guidelines and agree to abide by its terms.
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AZVA Student Code of Conduct and Acceptable Use Guidelines
This document describes the policies and guidelines for the use of the AZVA High School and exists to ensure
that all AZVA students are aware of and understand their responsibilities when accessing and using AZVA
resources.
AZVA reserves the right to update or alter this agreement at any time. Such revisions may substantially alter
access to AZVA instructional computing resources. AZVA instructional computing resources include any
computer, software, or transmission system that is owned, operated, or leased by AZVA.
Students enrolled in AZVA should be aware of the following guidelines and expectations. Any activity that is
not listed here, which violates local, state, or federal laws, is considered a violation of the Student Code of
Conduct and Acceptable Use Guidelines.
Failure to follow these guidelines could result in the
removal of student access to AZVA instructional computing resources, which could result in his/her
inability to complete learning activities,
suspension or expulsion from AZVA, and
involvement with law enforcement agencies and possible legal action.
Accountability
Posting anonymous messages is not permitted unless authorized by the course’s online teacher.
Impersonating another person is also strictly prohibited.
Students must use only their own user names and passwords, and must not share these with anyone.
Students must log into ClassConnect sessions not scheduled via the ClassConnect link within the OLS
with first name and last initial only.
Students may not interfere with other users’ ability to access AZVA or disclose anyone’s password to
others or allow them to use another user’s account. Students are responsible for all activity that is
associated with their usernames and passwords.
Students should change their password(s) frequently, at least once per semester or course is
encouraged.
Students must not publicly post their personal contact information (address and phone number) or
anyone else’s.
Students must not publicly post any messages that were sent to them privately.
Students must not download, transmit or post material that is intended for personal gain or profit,
non-AZVA commercial activities, non-AZVA product advertising, or political lobbying on an AZVA
owned instructional computing resource.
Students may not use AZVA instructional computing resources to sell or purchase any illegal items or
substances.
It is not allowed to upload or post any software on AZVA instructional computing resources that are
not specifically required and approved for student assignments.
Students may not post any MP3 files, compressed video, or other non-instructional files to any AZVA
server.
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Inappropriate Behavior
Inappropriate behavior includes
insults or attacks of any kind against another person,
use of obscene, degrading, or profane language,
harassment (continually posting unwelcome messages to another person) or use of threats,
posting material that is obscene or defamatory or which is intended to annoy, harass or intimidate
another person. This includes distributing “spam” mail, chain e-mail, viruses, or other intentionally
destructive content.
Optimizing the High
School Experience
Course Materials
Students are provided with materials and tools to use with the high school courses. Parents and students are
advised to take care of the materials. Materials are to be returned at the end of the school year (except for
consumable materials and optional materials families purchase on their own). One of the tools that students
will see and use frequently is a web-based Elluminate program. This is a real-time interaction that helps
engage students in hands-on learning.
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Getting Started With High School at AZVA
Student and parent usernames and passwords are unique and must not be shared with anyone. Each will
have separate usernames and passwords, one for the learning coach and one for the student.
Attending an orientation session is a key to success with the high school program. Course Teachers offer live
orientations during the first week of school. You will be notified of these orientations via K-mail. Should you
miss any of the live course orientations, you will be able to access a recorded version located in the class
connect section of each course. If you have trouble locating the recording, please contact your course
teacher. You should attend or view the course orientations before getting started in each course. Students
should log in daily to all of their courses and complete the assignments listed on the course’s calendar. It is
recommended that students study at least one hour, per course, per day. All work listed for the week is due
by Sunday night. Work submitted after the Sunday night deadline is subject to the late policy.
HS Intake 2012-2013
New students to AZVA will be placed into an Intake Homeroom by grade level. Each homeroom is assigned a
paraprofessional, aka Intake Specialist.
During the Intake process, the Intake Specialist will be students’ first point of contact and their Homeroom
teacher for the duration of their time in Intake. Once a student has completed his or her Intake Checklist (see
below), he or she will be removed from the Intake Homeroom and assigned to a permanent homeroom. From
that point on the new student will report to his or her regular counselor tech, who will serve as the student’s
main point of contact for the remainder of the semester.
Intake Specialists will send a welcome K-mail, make a welcome call to explain the Intake process, answer any
questions, and monitor/track completion of Intake items for each student in their homeroom. Follow up calls,
K-mails, and conferences will be held for any students that have not completed their Intake items within 10
days. Any students who are unresponsive or unable to contact within 10 days after the start of school will be
submitted for withdrawal per school attendance/enrollment policies.
Once the student has completed all of the items on the Intake Checklist, the Intake Specialist will conduct an
exit interview to insure that the student is proficient in accessing courses and course features in the LMS. This
interview will also ensure that the student/LC understands how to log attendance, and that the student is
making progress in his/her courses. This interview will either be held by phone or in the Intake Specialist’s
Elluminate classroom.
Intake Checklist
In order to be released from Intake, students and LCs must complete the following items:
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Attend 1 Student Orientation and 1 Parent Orientation
Create Learning Coach and Student Accounts
Demonstrate understanding of K-mail by sending or replying to at least one K-mail
Parent/Learning Coach and student need to sign AZVA Student/Parent Handbook Agreement form,
scan and K-mail it to their Intake Specialist
Complete Math and Reading Scantron Tests (9th/10th graders only)
Complete the Online Learning Course
Attend course teachers’ live orientations first week of school or K-mail teachers and ask for course
orientation recordings for any that were missed
Check course announcements to see what assignments are due each week
Attend weekly CCAT/Homeroom session (link will be provided in the ClassConnect area of the OLS)
Complete 45 day screening call with their Intake Specialist
Attendance must be up to date in the parent account and progress must be made in all courses
Student and Learning Coach must complete Exit Interview with their Intake Specialist
Student Actions to Ensure Success
1. Follow the daily assignments in the announcements section of each course.
2. On the first day of school, make sure you can access all your courses and send/receive K-mail
3. Contact your guidance counselor to make sure you’re all set up and to schedule any necessary
meetings.
4. Log into your courses in the Learning Management System every day and spend 60 minutes in each
class reading and completing the daily assigned coursework.
5. Organize yourself each week by determining what you need to complete for each course and setting
up a plan to complete the assignments by their deadlines. Use the course tools (announcements,
calendar, grade book) to help set up your personal plan.
6. Check your grade book tab in each course to make sure that you have been included. Contact your
teacher if your name does not appear.
7. Log into your k-mail daily to read and respond to k-mail from your teachers and other high school staff.
8. Attend course Office Hours as often as you can to ask questions, discuss course topics, and reinforce
online learning.
9. Communicate regularly with your teachers and guidance counselor. Ask questions often!
10. Work with your learning coach/parent at home- having a cheerleader or a support system at home
helps when the going gets tough!
11. Connect with other students through homeroom, clubs, outings, the online community center, and
other activities. Build a support network!
Participation
Participation for all courses at AZVA is part of the course grade. However, participation is calculated
differently in different courses; participation will look different in a math, science, English, history, and/or
elective course. Students can locate the participation requirement for each class under Course Home or by
contacting the teacher.
Creating a Calendar
AZVA has provided a suggested calendar based on each classes course syllabus. The calendars are specific to
each course and cannot be adjusted to individual paces. To stay on track, students are advised to check this
suggested calendar provided for each class and the course announcements daily. The calendar can be found
on the course page under the “Calendar” link on the left hand side of the page.
Time Management
In an online course, time management is critical to success because most activities can be accomplished
asynchronously (this means that the students do not have to be online at the same time as the instructor or
other students). As with any traditional course, there is a risk of receiving a lower grade if a student falls
behind. If your student struggles with time management, then he or she should contact his or her guidance
counselor for assistance.
A proven way to manage time is to create a schedule of daily activities and stick to it. Below is an example of
managing and planning a busy schedule (students are not required to follow this but instead encouraged to
create a schedule that works for each individual). By incorporating time management techniques, students
can be involved in extracurricular activities and still perform well in school.
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Sample High School Time Management Schedule
Monday
8:00 – 8:30
Check e-mail
8:30 – 9:30
Art Lesson
9:30 - 10:30
Algebra lesson
10:30 – 10:45
CCAT Time
10:45 - 11:45
English lesson
11:45 - 12:30
Lunch
12:30 - 1:30
Earth Science lesson
1:30 - 1:45
Break
1:45 - 2:00
Attend English teacher’s office hours
2:00 - 3:00
World History lesson
3:30 - 4:30
Karate class
4:30 - 6:30
Free time, dinner
6:30 – 7:00
Check discussion board postings and responses
7:00 – 8:00
Spanish lesson
8:00 -
Free time, send e-mail, etc.
Parent section
Review Teacher Credentials
Pursuant to A.R.S. 15-183 F., parents may review resumes of Arizona Virtual Academy teachers by calling the
school office at (602) 476-1320.
Parent Actions to Help Ensure Student Success
1. Attend an orientation session for a general overview of the high school program. These dates and
times will be communicated via kmail.
2. Log into the Learning Management System with your child so that you can learn the systems together.
3. Help your student organize and prepare for this virtual setting. Arrange a designated an area where
the student has space to work. Also make sure that the computer and scanner/printer/fax machine
are all in good working order. Help your student create a personal calendar each week to ensure that
he or she has a plan to complete those weekly assignments. Monitor each week the student’s
organization plan until your student has his or her routine in working order and is experiencing
academic success.
4. Log into both the Parent and Student Account Daily to read/check K-mails.
5. Log into the parent account regularly to Log student attendance each day in the Learning Management
System. Don’t forget to include time spent off line that entails academics, such as reading a novel,
visiting a museum, or watching a history documentary. (These are just a few examples)
6. Stay in regular communication with your student’s counselor tech.
7. Take advantage of parent trainings, meetings, and informative sessions.
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Checking Student Progress
There are tools within the Learning Management System environment that allow parent/learning coaches and
students to quickly check student’s work, determine missing assignments, view midterm and final deadlines
and grades, and access cumulative reports. Directions for accessing the report information is provided in the
“Learning Online Course” assigned to each student.
Family Directory
Building school community is important at AZVA. One of the tools available to families is the school directory.
Families who choose to do so may have their directory information listed. The family directory is a searchable
data base that helps connect AZVA families with others in their area. Please contact your guidance counselor
for more information.
Complaint Response Procedure
The Arizona Virtual Academy is dedicated to establishing student/family satisfaction. The following procedure
is in place to ensure that designated employees address student/family grievances in a timely manner. AZVA
prohibits discrimination against students/families on the basis of disability, race, creed, color, gender, national
origin, or religion.
The student and parent(s), custodian(s) or legal guardian(s), must address in writing any concern or grievance
to the program director. The program director shall respond within ten (10) working days.
If the concern or grievance is not resolved by the program director, the parent(s), custodian(s) or legal
guardian(s) may, within ten (10) working days of the program director’s response, request in writing a meeting
(via phone or in person) with the program director to discuss the concern or grievance. He/she shall
investigate and respond within ten (10) working days.
If the family’s concern is not resolved at the meeting with the program director, the family may file a
complaint with the AZVA governing body. The AZVA governing body may address the complaint directly, or
the family may file a complaint with the State Board for Charter Schools. AZVA has 30 days to respond in
writing to a formal complaint filed with the State Board for Charter Schools.
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Special Programs
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Special Education
Special education services are available to students identified with a disability by a multi-disciplinary team. A
multi-disciplinary team consists of teachers, the parent/guardian and oftentimes a school psychologist,
therapist and the student. AZVA follows the requirements of IDEA 2004 and the laws of Arizona.
Documentation of the disability must be provided; such as medical records, prior educational records and/or a
psychological evaluation. For new referrals AZVA uses Response to Intervention (RTI) school-wide as a first
level support; to assist in the identification of educational needs; and to document the student is unable to
learn with scientifically based interventions.
Students in need of adapted learning support services are those whose complex learning needs impact their
academic achievement and their ability to make sufficient progress in the general education setting. Services
offered may include: adaptations and modifications to the general education curriculum, specialized
instructional strategies, and adjustments in pacing. The student’s home is the regular classroom. Services are
provided by consultation with a highly qualified special education teacher via phone, e-mail and the
ClassConnect online classroom.
What to expect:
Every special education student will be assigned a special education teacher in addition to his or her
regular course teachers. The learning coach/parent or guardian and student are expected to meet
regularly with the special education teacher in the ClassConnect online classroom and by conference
call.
The special education teacher provides the learning coach/parent or guardian assistance to modify and
adapt the learning environment as well as curriculum paths for success.
The special education teacher provides direct instruction to the student in the ClassConnect online
classroom on a regular basis.
The special education teacher, the regular education teacher, and the learning coach/parent or
guardian will meet together for a 3-way conference by phone or ClassConnect online session a
minimum of once a semester.
The special education teacher is available as a resource for instructional strategies, adaptations and
modifications to the curriculum.
The special education teacher will provide a progress report at the end of each semester, noting the
progress on the student’s IEP goals.
Special Education students are required to meet the same attendance policies as their peers. The
home environment, one-on-one instruction, and flexible schedule create a learning environment which
meets the student’s specific needs.
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Special needs Students at AZVA Response to Intervention (RtI)
AZVA uses Response to Intervention (RtI) school-wide as a first level support, to assist in the identification of
educational needs, and to provide scientifically based interventions for struggling students.
Students in need of extra assistance are identified by placement tests, prior state test results, parent input and
progress in the curriculum. Students may be identified at any time during the school year. Highly-qualified
teams provide instructional and behavioral strategies. Interventions may include teaching and behavior
modification strategies, and attendance in ClassConnect office hours.
If you believe your child has a learning problem, the first step is to request an RtI consultation with your child’s
assigned guidance counselor. If you have further questions contact Carrie Marino, AZVA High School RtI
Coordinator via kmail, [email protected], or 623-643-8977.
Child Find
AzEIP (Arizona Early Identification Program for Infants and Toddlers) is a program that identifies children who
have special needs, provides a Service Coordinator, offers screening/evaluation services and helps families to
find services. It is funded by and based on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part C. The
law grants primary responsibility for planning and implementation to a single state agency named by the
Governor. In Arizona, this is the Department of Economic Security (DES). The law requires the lead agency to
obtain interagency agreements covering the fiscal and programmatic responsibilities for Part C. The Governor
appoints an Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC) to advise and assist the lead agency in carrying out its
responsibilities. Early Intervention is simply a name for services which are provided for children (birth to threeyears-old who have developmental delays or established conditions known to be associated with
developmental delays) and their families. Services include but are not limited to audiology, family counseling
and home visits, nursing services, nutrition, occupational and physical therapy, psychological services, special
instruction, transportation, speech and language pathology, vision services, and others. These services are
designed to help children become ready to learn.
AzEIP’s mission is to optimize the developmental potential of Arizona children, birth to three-years-old, who
have developmental delays or established conditions known to be associated with developmental delays, and
their families. This is accomplished through the development and implementation of a comprehensive,
coordinated, community-based service delivery system that is family-focused and culturally appropriate.
AzEIP has established a public awareness program focusing on early identification of eligible infants and
toddlers. AzEIP must inform the public and primary referral sources about the program and the child find
system, including how to make referrals and how to gain access to evaluation and services. AzEIP established a
comprehensive child find system with an effective method for hospitals, physicians, parents, day-care
programs and other providers to refer children to the early intervention system for evaluation and
assessment.
You may call the school office, 866-339-4946 if you require further information or assistance. Additionally, you
may refer children for evaluation to the State online at https://www.azdes.gov/azeip/ or if you live in the
Phoenix area call 480-295-4925.
Related Services
Related services may include occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and/or physical therapy
when it is necessary for the child to make adequate progress in the general curriculum.
Related services, placement and goals are determined by the IEP team. Options for related services should be
discussed with the special education staff before the family decides to enroll with AZVA. Related services are
provided by independent contractors across the state of Arizona. It is important to note that students are
expected to keep appointments since missed appointments may result in the contractor refusing to provide
services.
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Glossary
Asynchronous: Instruction that does not require students and teachers to be in a common place at the same
time. Discussion boards are an example of an asynchronous type of instruction.
AZVA: Acronym for Arizona Virtual Academy.
Elluminate: The online synchronous meeting platform where live class instruction and reviews take place for
each course.
Guidance Counselor: The students’ contact for school-wide issues. The guidance counselor oversees
attendance and provides support to students and families.
K12: AZVA’S primary curriculum provider.
LMS: Learning Management System. The platform used for AZVA courses and instruction.
Learning coach: A responsible adult who assists students and monitors their progress.
Office hours: A regular time set by teachers each week during which they are available to answer questions or
assist students.
Power Speak: foreign language curriculum provider.
Synchronous: Instruction that requires students and teachers to be in a common location at the same time.
Elluminate sessions are examples of synchronous interaction.
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