Pupil Services Winter 2019 News
Why do students enroll in the RVA? What type of students are in the RVA?
These questions are frequently asked to me and the simple answer to the first question is: “for many reasons” and the simple answer to the second question is “all types.”
The overall goal of the RVA pupil services staff is to ensure that our students and families are receiving the best educational experience possible for them. Our shared consortium students have very diverse backgrounds, experiences and needs. As they enroll in the RVA from a consortium school, they really get “the best of both worlds” between the virtual school and the brick and mortar school.
Our consortium students are increasing their attendance in classes in the brick and mortar schools and are also participating in more school sponsored activities, such as WIAA sports, band, choir, art classes, theater, technical ed classes and youth apprenticeships. I feel this is a great thing in that our students and families are realizing that enrolling in the RVA does not need to be an all or nothing decision. The RVA wants our students to continue to feel connected to their resident district, and by participating in these opportunities, the students have positive experiences in both school settings.
The recent addition of the RVA Learning Centers has also had a positive impact on our RVA families. Consortium schools utilizing a Learning Center have a dedicated space for RVA students to go to, again, for a variety of reasons. Some students attending classes in building may have a gap between classes and then go to the Learning Center to work on their RVA classes. Some students attend the Learning Center as they transition into the RVA and some attend the Learning Centers as they transition back to the brick and mortar school. Some RVA families go to the Learning Center as a gathering place where RVA students can get together for enrichment activities. Having these Learning Centers available allows for more hands on support for our students which is greatly appreciated by all!
In order to assist in the success of our students, the RVA pupil services staff has been focused on increasing communications with consortium pupil services staff. This includes the following:
Contacting school counselors when an enrollment application is received
Inviting resident staff to orientations
Communications on students on academic probation
Coordination of scheduling in-building classes
Review of transcripts and graduation requirements
Coordination with ADs for WIAA sports participation
Working with resident staff on students being remanded back
Upcoming Pupil Services Activities
ACT Testing February 19-21st. We will be sending out materials for ACT testing to our consortium schools during the first week of February.
Individual Student Planning Conferences will be occurring in February and March with our Juniors. We are really looking forward to meeting with these students and their parents to discuss their goals for after high school and develop an educational plan to assist them in obtaining these goals.
Seniors should be contacting their resident counselors to review transcripts and discuss graduation ceremonies, scholarships, etc. If students are participating in their resident district’s graduation ceremony, they should be ordering caps and gowns through their resident school.
RVA Graduation Ceremony is May 31st, 2019
2nd Annual Pupil Services Meeting for our consortium partners will be taking place in June, 2019. Look for a Save the Date notification in the near future! If you have any topics you would like us to discuss at this meeting, please let me know.
If you have suggestions, questions, recommendations or concerns regarding our shared students, never hesitate to contact us. We truly appreciate working with our consortium school counterparts!
Sincerely,
Kathy Alexander
Director of Pupil Services