Note: This post is sponsored by, and written in collaboration with Leavenworth Virtual School (USD 453).
Parents are their child’s best teachers. These days, a number of families are opting to maximize this philosophical belief through a homeschool or virtually supported learning environment for their child, as opposed to a more traditional classroom experience. The Leavenworth Virtual School (LVS), a public virtual school for grades K-8, welcomes the opportunity to offer this educational alternative, tuition-free, to interested Kansas-based residents that desire this option for their children.
Many parents are choosing online schooling for their young children, and for many various reasons. Check out the top 4 benefits below, and think about how this educational alternative could be the best choice for your family.
Teacher Support
Options like LVS are staffed by a dedicated, state-certified teaching staff that serves as educational facilitators. Each enrolled household is assigned one facilitator who provides academic support upon request throughout the school year. Facilitators are available for on-site tutoring at the Leavenworth campus, or can schedule weekly home visits to locations within 45 miles.
- Tuition-Free
Appropriate grade level curriculum is ordered for each student at no cost. In the case of LVS, hardback educational resources, provided through Calvert Education, are delivered to the home of each student. Facilitators can also help to recommend appropriate curricular supplements for students that desire to be challenged above grade level.
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Flexibility
Families agree to ensure that students meet minimal screen time requirements and complete “check-points” on a daily and weekly basis. This helps to ensure that students stay on the right track. However, families do have scheduling flexibility if they desire to personalize a school calendar that works best for them – time constraints of a brick and mortar school are not a hindrance to a virtual school student. This is especially important when you have a student that is heavily involved with sports or other extracurricular activities.
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Community Network
There is a strong community network for you to explore to enhance your virtual experience. In the case of LVS, they host monthly events for homeschooling families to get together for social interaction and group experiences. These events most often take place in the form of “Fun Fridays,” with structured P.E. and Art activities, and field trips to regional points of interest. While attendance at these events is not a requirement, many students enjoy getting to see their facilitators in person and also enjoy social time spent with other students enrolled in the program. The program’s goal is to provide as much, or as little, educational and social support that a family feels is most appropriate for the academic success of their student.
Now, more than ever, parents have more choices and more involvement in their children’s education. Many of them are choosing to harness the latest technology and combine it with the convenience, flexibility, and control of a virtual environment.
With the official start of the school year just around the corner, it is still a good time to learn more about the Leavenworth Virtual School for those that are considering a tuition-free, home-based educational experience for their child(ren).
