Students in the Monroe County Community School Corporation will have the option of continuing remote learning for the 2021-22 school year through the “I Am MCCSC Online” program.
What is the timeline for this program?
- May 14: Applications are due. They can be filled out online. Once it’s received, teachers and school counselors from this school year will provide feedback.
- May 17–19: If interest is high, MCCSC will implement a lottery system to decide which students get into the program.
- May 28: Families will be notified of their students’ learning modes.
- TBD: A mandatory orientation for parents will take place. Assistant Superintendent Markay Winston said parents must understand the expectations for online students to comply with MCCSC and state educational standards.
- 4: The online program begins.
How many slots are there for the online program?
At Tuesday night’s school board meeting, Winston said there is no set number of slots available. If needed, those with health considerations will be prioritized.
What are the expectations for online learning?
Firstly, Winston said students will not be allowed to switch between online and in-person learning throughout the school year. It was allowed this school year, and teachers reported that students struggled with the back and forth.
However, exceptions can be made for unexpected circumstances, such as an in-person student needing to quarantine.
Secondly, participation in online classes and out-of-class schoolwork is essential, Winston said.
“We did have some students who simply checked out and were not participating as actively as we wanted,” she said of this year. “And so our social workers, our counselors, our administrators, our teachers bent over backwards really trying to engage those students.”
Winston presented some attributes that she said made students successful online this year. They include being self-motivated, organized, able to manage time, interested in learning online, able to work independently and follow a structured schedule.
Thirdly, parents will be required to attend a meeting about MCCSC and Indiana expectations for online students.
What will online classes and teaching be like next year?
With the online program next year, MCCSC teachers will no longer have to teach the same class in-person and online at the same time. Most elementary teachers will be designated as online or in-person only.
Some middle and elementary schools classes may have students from different schools, depending on demand.
How will students’ performance in online school this year affect their chances of getting into next year’s online program?
School board member Brandon Shurr asked if students would be denied from the online program for next year if they underperformed in the remote format this year. Winston said she didn’t anticipate that happening, and if a student is struggling the district may work with parents and school officials to create an individualized plan.
