At Elwood Community Schools, we understand that the world of traditional education is ever-changing. We continue to provide a virtual option for students for the school year 2022-2023 who thrive in this style of learning.
WELCOME TO
ELWOOD JUNIOR-SENIOR VIRTUAL ACADEMY
Who May Participate
• Students hoping to engage in a more technological and self-paced program.
• Students who do not meet the standards of behavioral expectations of the traditional brick and mortar school setting.
• Students’ needs regarding a non-traditional schedule for necessary employment.
• Students placed on Homebound instruction
• Current homeschooled students wishing to remain home but receive instruction through the Elwood Virtual Academy.
• Students’ medical needs placing them on an extended medical leave from school.
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Design and Overall Course Layout
Virtual Academy is only offered to students in grades 9-12. Students will have access to their 100% online courses at the place and time of their choice while having support from instructors and counselors. All courses are provided through the program called Edmentum. All coursework is aligned to Indiana State Standards. The required number of credits for HS graduation at Elwood Jr/Sr High School is 40 credits.
Meetings
All students/parents wishing to enroll in the Elwood Virtual Academy need to complete an application enrollment form and meet with an administrator and school counselor in order to gain approval for entrance into the program.
Some students may be placed in the Elwood Virtual Academy by an administrator based on issues with behavioral expectations. A conference between the family and school officials will be conducted prior to this decision being made. Our focus is on success. Students work toward personal achievement and proficiency.
Students with IEPs
Traditional homebound instruction students will be offered entrance into the Elwood Virtual Academy with online support from the special education staff. Students with IEPs are allowed to enter the Elwood Virtual Academy. Services, goals, compliance dates, and all other related services will be discussed during the initial enrollment conference alongside the special education staff.
Support Services
Student support is vital to positive academic outcomes, especially for online students. Parents and students alike will have ready access to educators by phone, email, and online conferences.
Socialization Opportunities
As a member of the Elwood Virtual Academy, students are not permitted to attend field trips, club meetings, or convocations of any kind during the school day (the only exception to this being graduation practice and breakfast for seniors). Students are able to participate in after-school activities such as clubs and dances, and sports-related activities based on school and IHSAA guidelines, however, these will be on campus and students must remain academically eligible in order to participate.
All socialization opportunities are subject to administrative decisions. Students enrolled in the Elwood Virtual Academy by the school due to failure to meet behavioral expectations will not have the opportunity to participate in school-related functions unless otherwise determined by an administrator.
College and Career Readiness
The mission of Elwood Jr/Sr High School is to prepare students for success in college and careers. Every student will be required to not only fulfill college and career coursework set forth by the state of Indiana, but students in grades 11-12 also have the ability to attend Hinds Career Center for part of the academic day. Hinds Career Center students must attend classes on-site. There will be no virtual options for that curriculum. Students also will have access to counselors who will help them with college and career planning.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the admission requirements?
Students must be in grades 9-12.
Can students living outside of the Elwood school district apply?
Yes, students living outside the Elwood Community School district can apply. They must enroll at Elwood Jr/Sr High School and be approved by the corporation first before they may enroll in the Virtual Academy. All applications are subject to administrator approval. Students can access coursework 24 hours a day and complete their studies virtually.
What are the requirements for joining?
Students wishing to enroll must complete an application enrollment form. A meeting with an administrator including one or more of the requirements for enrollment listed on the main page. A student’s family must have full internet capabilities from their current house. Internet access assistance is no longer available through Elwood Community Schools.
How are students evaluated?
Students will be assessed using Edmentum, our online classwork provider. The Elwood Virtual Academy adheres to Indiana state testing and assessment schedules. Elwood students are required to complete those tests in the same manner as students at traditional high schools. Specific testing dates and locations will be provided to students as applicable. The requirements vary based on grade level and specific student needs.
Are AP or honors courses available?
AP and Honors courses are not available virtually at this time. How much does the Virtual Academy cost? Elwood Virtual Academy is operated by the Elwood school district. It is an online program of our public school district, and it is tuition-free.
Will students be provided with a Chromebook?
A Chromebook can/will be issued to any VA student living within the Elwood school district boundary who would like one. Students not living within the Elwood school district are subject to an administrative decision for Chromebook availability.
Can students participate in school functions, clubs, music, art, sports, and career/technical programs?
Students choosing to voluntarily enroll in the VA may have the opportunity to attend Hinds Career Center classes in person. They also may take part in all social events (prom, homecoming, etc.) and extracurricular opportunities offered by the Elwood school district outside of the school day unless otherwise noted by an administrator. VA students wishing to participate in these programs/activities must provide their own transportation and adhere to all school, program, and IHSAA rules.
Extra-curricular Activities: Students may have the opportunity to participate in clubs by reaching out to the sponsor to see if they can participate virtually or not.
Athletics: Students enrolled in the VA have the opportunity to participate in all Elwood-sponsored and IHSAA-sponsored sports with full compliance of traditional IHSAA rules. To remain athletically eligible, the IHSAA requires students to be enrolled and working in at least 5 classes per semester. Per IHSAA guidelines, a student enrolled in 5 classes must be passing all 5 classes in order to retain athletic eligibility. Students enrolled and working in 6 classes must be passing at least 5, and students enrolled in 7 or more classes and working must be passing at least 5 to remain eligible. There are no exceptions to this policy.
Band/Choir: Band and Choir are co-curricular classes requiring in-person participation. Permission to participate virtually would be at the discretion of the band and choir director.
Drama: Drama participation is an after-school in-person activity, and therefore subject to sponsor approval.
***Students placed in the VA due to behavioral reasons will not have the opportunity to participate in extra-curricular activities sponsored by the school.
Is there an attendance requirement?
Yes, students must report their attendance daily through the use of Google Classroom.
Will students participate in graduation?
VA students who have completed all requirements may take part in the Elwood High School graduation ceremony.
Can I start anytime during the school year?
It depends upon circumstances, like any enrolling student, enrollment can/may happen at any time however transferring credits or grades may not transition accordingly with the student and a meeting will be established to ensure they stay on track. Current Elwood students can only enroll at the beginning of a semester, within the first 10 days of the semester beginning. Students make a semester-long commitment.
If placed in or voluntarily choosing to be placed in the Elwood Virtual Academy, am I stuck there?
No, A student placed in the VA due to behavioral issues or other placement reasons may have the opportunity at the beginning of each semester to join the traditional brick and mortar school setting. This is based on administrative final decisions.
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Registration for first semester of 2024 will open in July.