DoDEA Virtual High School Frequently Asked Questions
- Who will be eligible to attend the DoDEA Virtual High School (DVHS)?
- Can home schooling students living in the U.S. attend the DoDEA Virtual High School?
- I am assigned overseas. There is a DoDEA school nearby but I home school my child. Can my child attend the DoDEA Virtual High School?
- I'm assigned to a remote location overseas where there is no DoD school. Can my child attend the DoDEA Virtual High School?
- What is the relationship of the Virtual High School to other DoDEA high schools?
- Can a student take a class through the Virtual High School to avoid a local teacher that he/she doesn't like?
- Will Virtual High School courses be as rigorous as courses in current DoDEA high schools?
- Are Virtual School courses equivalent to face-to-face courses (e.g. credit, standards, scope and sequence)?
- Are all courses taught from the same location?
- Can students work on coursework whenever they choose?
- What are the student characteristics for success in an online course?
- How can Virtual High School students get help if they have questions or challenges?
- Can special needs students participate in the Virtual High School Program?
- Are Virtual High School courses only for gifted and talented students?
- Will Virtual High School students have access to a school counselor?
- How will Virtual High School students interact with peers? Isn't that a part of the high school experience?
- Will DoDEA provide computers outside of the school setting?
- How will students acquire textbooks and other course materials?
- What happens if a student is enrolled in a DoDEA Virtual High School class and transfers to a public or private school in the U.S.?
- What are the advantages of attending the DoDEA Virtual High School?
- How do you make a course request for the DoDEA Virtual High School?
Question: Who will be eligible to attend the DoDEA Virtual High School (DVHS)?
Answer: Eligibility requirements are the same as for any DoDEA school. Priority for enrollment is based upon categories of eligibility. Please see the DoDEA website for more information at http://dodea.edu/education/virtualSchool.cfm.
Question: Can home schooling students living in the U.S. attend the DoDEA Virtual High School?
Answer: Only those students residing on installations where DoDEA operates a High School (Fort Campbell, Fort Knox, Camp Lejeune and Quantico) may request enrollment in the DoDEA Virtual High School to supplement their program.
Question: I am assigned overseas. There is a DoDEA school nearby but I home school my child. Can my child attend the DoDEA Virtual High School?
Answer: Enrollment in DVHS may be available if the local school cannot accommodate the particular course requests. However, the Virtual High School supplements local high school coursework. The Virtual High School is not intended to replace or even compete with the face-to-face learning experience of a traditional brick and mortar high school.
Question: I'm assigned to a remote location overseas where there is no DoD school. Can my child attend the DoDEA Virtual High School?
Answer: Yes, as long as your child meets the eligibility for the Non-DoD Schools Program (NDSP) program, your child is eligible to attend the DoDEA Virtual High School.
Question: I'm assigned to an installation in the U.S. where there aren't any DoD Schools so my child attends the local public school. Can my child attend the DoDEA Virtual High School?
Answer: No, your child is not eligible to attend the DoDEA Virtual High School. Authority for the education of home school students within the continental U.S. (CONUS) resides with the local educational agencies.
Question: What is the relationship of the Virtual High School to other DoDEA high schools?
Answer: The intent of the Virtual High School is to supplement local high school coursework. Virtual School is not intended to replace or even compete with the face-to-face learning experience of a traditional brick and mortar high school. The Virtual High School will complement traditional high school attendance. With more than 40 classes being offered in the Fall of 2010 and more classes being added over the school year, the Virtual High School will allow students opportunities to take many classes they might otherwise have missed.
Question: Can a student take a class through the Virtual High School to avoid a local teacher that he/she doesn't like?
Answer: No. If a class is offered, a student must take the class locally unless there is a schedule conflict or other extenuating circumstance. Approval for enrollment is required by the Virtual High School Principal.
Question: Will Virtual High School courses be as rigorous as courses in current DoDEA high schools?
Answer: The DoDEA Virtual School courses are customized, standards-based courses specifically designed to meet DoDEA graduation requirements of 26 credits for a standard or Honors diploma. The Virtual High School courses are consistent with these curriculum standards, delivery of instruction and performance expectations for DoDEA high school courses.
Question: Are Virtual School courses equivalent to face-to-face courses (e.g. credit, standards, scope and sequence)?
Answer: The intent of the DoDEA Virtual High School is to expand access to education and provide curricular options similar to programs delivered within DoDEA schools. DVHS courses will address the same standards, performance expectations and provide advantages of creating a systemic approach to curriculum and instruction that also has the benefit of brick and mortar instruction.
Question: Are all courses taught from the same location?
Answer: The Virtual High School will operate from three hubs to accommodate worldwide delivery to the students it will serve. The first two hubs have been established in Wiesbaden, Germany and at Camp Humphreys in Korea. The third hub will be located at Quantico Marine Corps Base. These locations - within the different time zones - allow for synchronous interaction to support learning.
Question: Can students work on coursework whenever they choose?
Answer: Although the DoDEA Virtual High School affords the opportunity for flexible scheduling, to ensure success, students should have a designated time period in which to complete coursework. Student may also be able to complete assignments wherever and whenever they have Internet access but ongoing and routine participation is crucial. While some learning will be able to take place at any time the student chooses (reading, research, etc.) some of the requirements include participating in live, on-line discussions via web conferencing, in addition to video and/or audio chats.
Question: What are the student characteristics for success in an online course?
Answer: To be successful in the Virtual School Program, students must be more proactive than they must be in many brick and mortar classrooms. The virtual environment encourages students to be self-starters but also provides assistance from teachers, local facilitators and technical support technicians.
DVHS students are required to complete a student orientation that is intended to introduce prospective students to online learning opportunities offered through DoDEA Virtual High School. The goal of the orientation is to increase student readiness and self-confidence while enrolled in a virtual learning program.
Question: How can Virtual High School students get help if they have questions or challenges?
Answer: DVHS students are encouraged to establish a strong rapport with online instructors to help address course questions or challenges. Each DVHS student has a variety of ways in which to contact his/her course instructor when questions arise about course content or if one-on-one assistance is needed. Listed within each course is the course instructor's email address and office phone number. The Jabber Moment IM tool is also available for synchronous chat communication.
A local facilitator is also assigned for each student to provide routine monitoring and to help address on-site issues or with contacting technical support technicians regarding access issues. The local facilitator's role is critical for helping students to develop time-management skills, ensure successful completion, and address academic integrity issues.
Students participating through the NDSP program will work with a facilitator assigned to them at time of admission.
Question: Can special needs students participate in the Virtual High School Program?
Answer: The DVHS is open to all students who meet DoDEA eligibility requirements. Special educators work collaboratively with online instructors and share the responsibility for assisting students with identified disabilities to be successful in the online environment. All students can learn when instruction is geared to their strengths and are given sufficient opportunity to learn.
Question: Are Virtual High School courses only for gifted and talented students?
Answer: Virtual School courses are for all levels of students, from those who are in gifted and talented programs to those who have identified special needs.
Question: Will Virtual High School students have access to a school counselor?
Answer: Yes. Local school counselors serve as the primary contact for students concurrently enrolled in DoDEA schools. The Virtual High School counselor will work in conjunction with local school counselors and is available for students and parents who may have specific questions about the program. Contact information for the Virtual High School counselor is provided via the DVHS website at
http://www.virtual-hs.dodea.edu. Students participating through the NDSP program will work with a counselor assigned to them at time of admission.
Question: How will Virtual High School students interact with peers? Isn't that a part of the high school experience?
Answer: Interaction with peers is definitely a part of the online high school experience. Depending on the course requirements, students can expect to interact in discussion boards, blogs, wikis, and web conferencing to collaborate, share ideas, and learn from each other.
Question: Will DoDEA provide computers outside of the school setting?
Answer: Students participating in DVHS coursework at DoDEA schools will have access to school computers and equipment. Students are responsible for developing a plan to access computers (whether at home or at a public place like a library) to complete coursework outside of the school day. Students participating through the NDSP program will coordinate access needs with a counselor assigned to them at time of admission.
Question: How will students acquire textbooks and other course materials?
Answer: To ensure a successful online learning experience, students enrolled in DVHS coursework through DoDEA schools should acquire Gaggle email accounts for communicating with the instructors. Course materials such as textbooks and lab materials should be obtained prior to the first day of instruction from their local schools.
NDSP students should consult with their local Area NDSP Program Offices to acquire course materials. Additional information can be found on the DVHS website at http://www.virtual-hs.dodea.edu on the Curriculum/Course Offering link.
Question: What happens if a student is enrolled in a DoDEA Virtual High School class and transfers to a public or private school in the U.S.?
Answer: Early withdrawals for reasons other than Permanent Change of Station (PCS) or emergency leave are discouraged and may adversely affect a student's grades. DoDEA policy dictates that PCS students cannot receive full semester/course credit prior to a minimum of 20 school days before the last day of school. If a student will be withdrawn or transferred before the end of the school year, parents should:
Notify the school/NDSP office as soon as the PCS date is know but no later than 10 school days prior to the last day of attendance. Local school/NDSP staff will notify the Virtual High School.
Ensure that the student has notified the online teacher and coordinated completion of required assignments prior to departure.
Question: What are the advantages of attending the DoDEA Virtual High School?
Answer: Some of the advantages of DoDEA's Virtual High School include: increasing education options for eligible military-connected students, assisting transitioning students by allowing them to take the classes they need, regardless of their location, and enhancing curriculum by providing additional resources to fill gaps, addressing needs for advanced academic coursework such as AP courses, and providing flexible in scheduling.
Question: How do you make a course request for the DoDEA Virtual High School?
Answer: Students interested in enrolling in DVHS courses should consult with their DoDEA high school counselor or NonDOD School Program (NDSP) Area Office to designate course requests. These requests will be forwarded to DVHS staff to place enrolled students in courses among the three hubs located in Germany, Korea, and the U.S.
Priority for courses is based on DoDEA's eligibility categories. For additional information on the categories, visit DoDEA's website at: www.dodea.edu. edu/education/virtualSchool.cfm.
Confirmation of enrollment will be sent to the school facilitator DoDEA/NDSP Area Office who will then notify students when they have been enrolled in DVHS.
Students will not be considered to be enrolled in their requested courses until the student's home school or NDSP facilitator receives a confirmation roster from the Virtual High School staff.
