‘We’re in good shape,” said Superintendent B.J. Hollensteiner. She’d like to think it will stay that way indefinitely, though it’s not likely. But for now things are looking up.

Hollensteiner said the district will make no cuts in staffing, programs or school days in its proposed budget for the 2012-13 school year. The budget must be approved by the school board no later than June 30.

North Bend had an increase in enrollment this year both within the public schools and at North Bend’s online charter school, Oregon Virtual Academy, which has slightly increased the district’s allocated funding.

‘We opened some classrooms this fall that we didn’t expect to open,” Hollensteiner said.

That, coupled with a consistently conservative budget and some clever uses of money the district received from a recent building sale has left the school district in a happy place, Hollensteiner said.
For the rest of the article, go to North Bend teachers land more prep time

The OCA is hosting an information session in Lake Oswego on Thursday, May 17, at 6:30 p.m. at the Fairfield Inn & Suites, located at 6100 S.W. Meadows Road.

For the rest of the article, go to Virtual school alternative for some

The commission, which will be able to authorize 10 charter schools in the next decade, hosted sessions around the state to gather feedback about regional gaps in education programs that charter schools potentially could fill.

Commissioners will consider that input as they review applications from groups that want to start charter schools.

About 20 people attended the daytime input session in Augusta, which followed others in Portland and Bangor. Two more are scheduled to take place in Machias and Presque Isle next month.

At the Portland session, according to the Maine Department of Education, people asked for schools offering learning that is project-based, proficiency-based, hands-on or interdisciplinary; focused on music and mathematics, music and language or science, technology, engineering and mathematics; or available online.

For the rest of the article, go to Need seen for virtual charter schools

Initially, the district will purchase online curriculum, but Hillsboro teachers can modify it to meet their needs and district standards, Harrington said. The district will be creating its own online curriculum in the future.

“It gives kids the opportunity to tie into their home school,” Harrington said.

The district has already invited students who are homeschooled and those taking online classes through other districts, such as Oregon Connections Academy, to learn more about Hillsboro Online Academy.

Homeschooled students and kids attending schools in other districts who enroll at the Academy bring additional state funds to the district.

So far, Harrington has not established an enrollment deadline but is considering May or June.

“I think flexibility is one of the key things for this program,” she said.

For the rest of the article, go to Hillsboro Online Academy continues to enroll students for its fall opening

“Our goal is to help schools and districts to improve student achievement. The Plato Virtual Academy is an important step forward in doing that,” said Jamie Candee, Plato Learning vice president of product and marketing. “We are here to partner–not compete–with educators to meet the needs of 21st century learners.”

For the rest of the article, go to Plato Launches Virtual Academy

The Jan. 18 surge from rain-swollen Thomas Creek swept into the headquarters of the online charter school, which likely will take a month or more to be repaired, said Todd Miller, ORCA’s executive director.

In the meantime, ORCA is camped out in a classroom at Centennial, 38875 N.W. First Ave., trying to juggle work spaces for nearly a dozen people. Many of the school’s materials were put into storage, but the files for the 2,500-plus students the school serves statewide had to be on hand for immediate access.

For the rest of the article, go to Online school cleans up after flood

Mid-valley charter and alternative high schools did not fare as well. Just 15 of the 88 students at the alternative Albany Options School received a regular diploma last year, for a four-year cohort rate of 17 percent. That’s up from 11 percent last year. Twenty-three students were recorded as dropouts. Another 29 received GEDs and 21 chose to continue their education at the options school.

At Oregon Connections Academy, the statewide online charter school headquartered in Scio, 99 of 292 students received a regular diploma last year, for a rate of just under 34 percent.  Another 28 received GEDs, 44 chose to continue enrollment and 121 dropped out.

For the rest of the article, go to Mid-valley grad rates beat state average

“I have always enjoyed giving tours of the bakery and explaining how the process works,” Schlatter said. “I hope the students will gain an understanding of how much time and work goes into a loaf of bread. I try to explain there is a science to baking bread and different methods can create their own unique flavors and textures. If all goes well, the kids will have fun while learning.”

Three years ago Schlatter decided to school his children at home, enrolling them in Oregon Connections Academy, and he said it has been a perfect fit for his family.

For the rest of the article, go to Oregon Connections Academy offers its students a sweet trip

But the school board was torn, Tuesday night, over whether to stick with the suggested name, NW Online Academy, or localize it as Hillsboro Online Academy. They weren’t budging on “online academy.”

They debated the merits of both. The NW version would have broader reach and might draw in students who aren’t interested in Hillsboro School District, such as some of the 497 homeschooled kids in the district. But a few board members said it was boring and generic.

For the rest of the article, go to Hillsboro School Board torn on future virtual school name

The work session, which begins at 6 p.m., is for discussion only. No decisions will be made.

The board is considering the name Northwest Online Academy for its virtual school, which is expected to open next September. The school is part of the district’s move toward offering its students learning options.

For the rest of the article, go to Hillsboro School Board will consider names for its future online school