Piloting The Future of Education: Online Courses at NHS

By Anna Hodge

With the world in an Internet frenzy, Newtown High School will join the trend by implementing online/virtual courses in the upcoming school year.

The courses come from a policy, drafted by the NHS leadership team this past spring, to help students earn credit to graduate, maintain academic standing, and supply students with special courses not found within the school.

Currently, OdysseyWare is the primary online education program available through the school for students to earn credit recovery. According to NHS Principal, Charles Dumais, students are not only limited to this program. They must, however, receive approval from the school for other educational online programs, as not all programs are accredited.

The soon-to-be piloted online system will allow the school to cater to students whose academic needs cannot be fulfilled through the current courses that are offered. The policy regarding the online courses, found on the NHS blog, states: “Virtual/online courses will be part of this district’s educational program delivery system to increase accessibility and flexibility in the delivery of instruction.”

This flexibility will allow the school district to meet the “varied needs” of students which Dumais recognized. He added, “We are trying to create opportunities for students to take greater advantage of what is available.”

Online advanced placement courses are already in place at NHS, allowing students to take courses virtually if such courses do not fit into their schedule or are not offered within the school.

Similar to the advanced placement courses, students have the potential to earn college credit through the online programs. Whether or not a course counts towards a student’s college career, however, is up to the discretion of the university.

Eligibility requirements for student use of the online program, which are fully highlighted in the policy online, include applying for permission to use the site, written permission from the principal, as well as prerequisites and teacher/counselor recommendations to confirm the student has the maturity level to use the online program.

According to the policy, students can earn credit for the online courses they take if the course is not offered within the school, if a student has failed a course and hopes to restore credit in that academic area, or if a student has been expelled “from the regular school setting, and the student has been offered an alternative educational opportunity.”

In addition to marking new advancements in the high school’s attempts to reach its students’ academic needs, the online programs also highlight the latest ventures that are being made in online education.

“In addition to the wonderful and important things that students learn in school, there are tons of opportunities to individualize one’s learning experience through online offerings,” Dumais said.

To learn more about the online courses as well as the eligibility requirements for student use of the program, visit dumais.us/newtown/blog.