The programs, now in the fourth year, offer middle and high school students expanded class offerings and the chance to earn college credit. The two programs, called N.C. Virtual Public School and Learn and Earn, work individually or hand-in-hand, said Tonya Gent, the district’s distance learning coordinator.

“It allows them to take their high school classes earlier, then they can go over to college and take online classes or face-to-face classes and graduate on time,” Gent said. “Some of the students graduate from high school on time and they actually have some college credit under their belt.”

For the rest of the article, go to Distance learning programs increasingly popular

RALEIGH — Instant messages, loud music, and spitballs have no place in the classroom, but North Carolina’s rural school districts could benefit from a different type of disruption. That’s the conclusion the John Locke Foundation’s top education expert reaches in a new Spotlight report.

Virtual charter schools, expanded online course offerings, and new off-site high school campuses are among the examples of “disruptive innovation” recommended in the new report. Those changes also could lead to substantial savings for taxpayers.

For the rest of the article, go to Rural N.C. School Districts Could Use More Disruption

North Carolina currently offers more online courses and degree programs than any other state. Citizens of any age and in any location can use this one-stop online shop to pursue educational opportunities. The Web portal allows users to find the best opportunities that suit their needs as well as the ability to register for classes and identify financial aid resources.

For the rest of the article, go to Dalton Promotes On Line Learning

The school will begin virtual public high school next year, where RSHS Principal Cory Satterfield explained they’ll be able to take classes they wouldn’t have before, because schools can’t afford to hire a teacher to teach a course with only four or five students.

“We just want to offer as many opportunities to our students as possible, and stretch the amount of courses they have available,” Satterfield said. “What better way, during tough economic times, can you get college credits for free? The UNC-G and RCC are both offering students high school and college credits, and most of these classes transfer to any school in North Carolina.

“Now, the Virtual Public High School will allow students to take classes that might not be offered otherwise. This is the way of the future. A lot of colleges are going to this, and why not be able to take the classes right here at Richmond Senior with a facilitator in the room to give students guidance.”

For the rest of the article, go to Virtual classes open up choices

What Richmond County Schools and other systems perceived to be a cheap, efficient way of offering courses to high school students turned out to take a bigger than anticipated chunk out of this year’s state funding, to the tune of more than $300,000.

Next year, when federal stimulus dollars cease to reach Richmond County, the price is expected to more than double.

North Carolina Virtual Public School is a program to offer courses that might not have a high demand to high school students, and allow those who flunked a course to recover it without going back through it for a whole semester.

It was marketed by the state as a free alternative to hiring additional classroom teachers for subjects perhaps a dozen students would sign up for, while preparing students for the type of classes they will take in college. Now, the free part has been removed.

For the rest of the article, go to Schools feel sticker shock over ‘free’ program

North Carolina’s virtual high school is surging in popularity, broadening opportunities for students in the state’s far reaches to control how, where and what they learn.

This fall, more than 15,000 students are taking classes online through the N.C. Virtual Public School, up from 8,800 last spring. Administrators expect to enroll 20,000 students in spring classes.

Online instruction has become even more important this year, because tight school budgets have led to disappearing high school courses. In some districts, online courses have helped blunt the impact of budget cuts, allowing students to take classes their districts can no longer afford.

The program can give children in Burgaw and Indian Trail some of the same opportunities as students in the big-city districts of Raleigh and Charlotte-Mecklenburg

For the rest of the article, go to Virtual course growth very real

The expansion will increase the school’s capacity from 780 to 1,020. The school has been at about 105 percent capacity the past couple of school years.

In the 2009-10 school year, the school had 827 students, and in the previous year it had 824 students.

The new wing will have four labs and one technology room for virtual learning, in addition to standard classrooms.

The labs are in pairs on either side of the hall with a small common room in between each set for teachers to prepare materials.

The cafeteria will be about 2,000 square feet bigger.

For the rest of the article, go to Farmville Central construction nearly complete

Linking up to the state network creates access to The North Carolina Virtual Public High School, which already offers 72 courses including Advanced Placement and world language classes.

The widespread reach of fiber across North Carolina to even the most rural schools holds the promise of creating a level playing field for students, according to Bob Byrd WNC EdNet project manager.

“That’s our big push now, to narrow that digital divide,” said Byrd.

Moreover, fiberoptic technology makes professional training more readily available for teachers. Once colleges are hooked up to the statewide K-12 network, student-teachers at Western Carolina University or other colleges may observe teachers in actual classrooms without interrupting lessons.

For the rest of the article, go to WNC schools hooked up with fiber

Poole has been in education for more than 30 years, and has been teaching at JHS two years. She spent 10 years working with the Cumberland County Schools Web Academy, which laid the foundation for the North Carolina Virtual Public School, the state online program.

While teaching at Seventy First Senior High School in Fayetteville, she helped start its mentoring program.

“There was no formal system to observe and support new teachers,” she said. “I saw there was a need and talked to the principal about creating something.”

She wanted to be a mentor because she remembers what it was like when she was a new teacher in the 1970s.

“There were five of us and we had to support each other — we were like five little monkeys clinging together in a cage,” she said.

She said mentoring is very rewarding.

For the rest of the article, go to Mentor Teacher of the Year is ‘Mama Poole’

Craven County Schools leaders want to set a goal of increasing the number of students who enroll in Advanced Placement courses that give students a shot at earning college credit while in high school.

The district is limited in how many AP courses it can offer by the number of students who sign up for them, said Annette Brown, assistant superintendent for curriculum and accountability.

And while Brown said the district gives students the opportunity to take online courses for college credit, several board members said taking a class online is not the same as taking it face-to-face.

“I’m not convinced that the online classes offer the same opportunities,” board member Kim Smith said at the Craven County Board of Education’s Tuesday meeting.

For the res of the article, go to Leaders want higher goal for advanced course slots