Virtual High School
Dear Virtual High School Candidates,
Tappan Zee High School is at the forefront of educational change in offering you the opportunity to take online classes through Virtual High School, a collaborative of more than 200 high schools from across the country and even around the world. VHS offers an opportunity to experience learning in a whole new way -- via the Internet.
VHS can offer you a great opportunity to pursue an area of particular interest to you, one that is not covered by our school’s curriculum. (We do not allow you to take classes our school already offers.) Our membership nearly doubles our course offerings.
As exciting as all of this is, VHS is not for everyone. Before you apply, you need to make sure that you fully understand what VHS is and what it involves, so that you can be sure that VHS is right for you.
VHS classes are exciting, innovative and interesting. You will have a lot of freedom to get your work done where you want and when you want. But this freedom can be a challenge. You will have to motivate yourself and discipline yourself. Your teacher is not going to stand in front of you and tell you to get your work done. If you fall behind, you might find yourself facing a weekend worth of work or even a bad grade. You should consider taking a VHS class only if you know you are an extremely self-motivated, self-disciplined learner who is a proficient user of technology.
To be a successful VHS student, you should have a strong interest in, and commitment to, the course of study; self-discipline; and responsibility. You do not have to be a "computer whiz" to take a VHS course, but you need to be willing and able to learn new things about the use of computers in learning. In the event that more than twenty-five students apply for each semester of VHS classes, first priority will be given to seniors first, then juniors, sophomores and freshmen. Furthermore, applicants should have a GPA of 85 or better.
This packet contains more information about VHS. Please read this information before completing the attached application.
HOW VHS WORKS – SOME RULES, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
You may only take classes that are not offered by our school, even if you are not able to fit the TZHS course into your schedule.
You should also note:
· a VHS course may not replace any TZHS graduation requirement;
· a VHS course may not constitute one of the six required courses in a student’s schedule;
· only one VHS course may be taken per semester by any student; and
· students must adhere to all rules, regulations, and prerequisites established by VHS.
Each class has its own password-protected, secure Web page. You will receive a username and password to access your class. You VHS teacher and VHS classmates may live across the country, or even around the world, but all of you will gather online to discuss coursework and to complete assignments (both individual and group assignments). You may work on your class at any time of the day or night (the classes are asynchronous; you don’t have to be online at the same time as your teacher or classmates are online).
VHS classes are set up in weeks. All one-semester classes last for fifteen weeks (and may end sooner than our TZHS semesters do). Classes begin at the same time as the TZHS semesters but end about a month earlier than TZHS semesters end. Classes continue during our school vacations. AP classes are year-long and have longer semesters.
Every Wednesday a new week begins; that week ends on the following Tuesday. During that period you need to get the week’s work done. That work might consist of discussions, written assignments, group work, projects and more, depending on the way your teacher has constructed his/her class. The best way to get the work done is to do some work every day because if you fall behind- it is extremely difficult to get caught up.
You will receive a grade for your VHS class which will be counted in your G.P.A. and will appear on your transcript.
You may take a class labeled “honors,” but be aware that while the grade you receive will be averaged into your GPA, TZHS will not weight VHS courses as the level of rigor of many VHS course is not equivalent to the level of rigor of our honors classes here at TZHS. You will, however, have the chance to apply for honors credit/weight consideration: At the end of the semester, you may submit to me a portfolio of your printed work. I will consult with the team leader in that particular department; together, we will make a decision about whether the work you’ve done is truly at what our school considers “honor-level” work.
Students who take Advanced Placement classes will automatically be awarded weighing of their grade and will be required to take the A.P. exam in May.
As the Site Coordinator of VHS at TZHS, a significant part of my job is to help you in whatever way I can – by communicating with you, your teacher, VHS and others. You will not have to report to me on a daily basis, nor are you required to go to a set location to work on your class each day. VHS may be listed on your schedule as meeting during a certain period, including 10 (after school), but you will actually work on VHS during the day if you have a study hall and/or at night when you are home.
I strongly recommend that you have at least a lunch period and even a study hall built into your schedule, time you can dedicate in school to working on your VHS class. VHS classes are demanding and we want to ensure that you have the necessary time to dedicate to the class.
I will often communicate with you -- in person as well as via e-mail. You are encouraged to speak to me in person as well as to send e-mails to me. Every two weeks I receive a grade report from your teacher. I can also access your classes to check on your work. I will communicate regularly with your teachers, on your behalf and to find out how you are doing in the class.
If you are sure that VHS is right for you, please complete the form below and return it to me by Friday, May 6, 2016. I will be able to officially register you through VHS no earlier than noon on May 11, 2016 Since some classes could fill up immediately, I want to be able to register you as soon as registration opens; that’s why I ask you for second and third choices. You will receive an email confirming the class(es) you have been enrolled in and those that you have been placed on a wait list. (As I wrote above, that will be based upon how many applications I receive, with priority given to seniors first.)
If you have any questions about VHS, you can seek answers in at least two ways: by going to the VHS website (www.govhs.org ) or by seeing me. The demonstration course offered on the VHS website will give you a pretty good idea of how an online course works. VHS also offers an orientation, which allows you to get a feel for the online learning experience before your class actually begins. Students who register for a class must commit themselves to taking that class. We do not want to “waste” the limited number of seats we as a school are offered. For these reasons, dropping courses is highly discouraged. Sign up for VHS only if you have every intention of taking a class. If you should drop a class after the VHS drop-add period ends, be aware that “drop” may appear on your TZHS transcript.
If at this point you think that VHS is right for you, please complete the attached application and return to me by Friday, May 6, 2016.
Thank you,
Ms. Premus
VHS Site Coordinator
Room 315
Applicant’s Name Grade in September 2016: ___
Guidance Counselor: Mr. Altman Ms. Ferrante Ms. Holzer
Ms. Keane Mr. Weissberg
E-mail address – please provide the email address you access daily and one to which I can send you mail. PLEASE, write very clearly, as I will often communicate with you via e-mail)
______@ ______. ______
Please complete your course selections in preference order, #1 being your first choice. Occasionally, VHS classes fill up instantly – as soon as registration opens – and others are cancelled. Knowing alternative choices can speedy your enrollment in other VHS courses.
Course Title(in preference order) / Please indicate when the course is being offered; F = Fall Semester
S = Spring Semester
Y = Full Year / Signature of one teacher from the department in which the VHS class you hope to take belongs.
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2.
3.
Please briefly explain what makes you a good candidate for Virtual High School (VHS)?
______
______
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Please sign below – and have one of your parents/guardians sign -- to verify that you understand, and agree to abide by, the terms specified in this packet.
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(your signature) (parent signature) (date)
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