From Our Friends at the Washington County News:
On July 13, 2020, the Washington County School Board met in regular session in the School Board Room to discuss how students would return to classes for the 2020-2021 school year.
Washington County, Florida Superintendent of Schools Joe Taylor, currently in a battle for reelection to the position, announced the commencement of classes on August 12, 2020.
Five separate and individual, customizable and somewhat confusing options are available to school children, including Regular Zoned School, Washington Virtual K12, Washington Virtual Franchise, an Innovative Learning Environment, Home School and Florida Virtual Full Time.
Regular Zoned School include Kate Smith Elementary School, Roulhac. Middle School, Chipley High School, WAVE, Vernon Elementary School, Vernon Middle School, and Vernon High School.
To attend a Regular Zoned School students will need to have a birth certificate, shot record, residency verification or out of county request.
The student will receive face-to-face instruction by a Florida Certified Teacher. Students will follow the Washington County School District calendar.
The Regular Zoned School includes transportation, which is provided, scheduling and requirements are maintained by the School and students are provided a free breakfast and free lunch.
The noted disadvantage of the Regular Zoned School is that transportation for the student is necessary. After completing grades Kindergarten through twelfth grade students are eligible for a Standard Diploma, and to enroll a child in a Regular Zoned School contact the School Guidance Counselor.
The second option is the Washington Virtual K12 program, for which is necessary a birth certificate, shot records and residency verification.
The Washington Virtual K12 instruction includes both virtual learning and use of traditional text books.
The virtual side will be taught by a Florida Certified Teacher and students taking advantage of this option must be registered online by August 26, 2020 and paper work is due by September 4 for the first semester.
For the second semester students must be registered online by January 18, 2021 and the paper work is due by January 29, 2021.
Washington Virtual K12 will follow the Washington County School District calendar and the advantage of this option is that student will remain a Washington County School District student, all materials are provided by the district, including the laptop computers and other devices needed by the student.
Noted disadvantages are there are registration deadlines and there is no meal option provided, but if this option is chosen, students are still eligible for a Standard Diploma. To enroll, parents must contact Beth Arnold at 850-638-6222.
The third option is the Washington Virtual Franchise, and in order for students to use this option they will have to provide a birth certificate, shot record and residency verification.
The Washington Virtual Franchise is virtual learning only, with no text books used. The virtual learning is done by a Florida Certified Teacher and for students to use this option they must be registered online by August 26, 2020 and paper work is due by September 4 for the first semester.
For the second semester students must be registered online by January 18, 2021 and the paper work is due by January 29, 2021. Washington Virtual Franchise will follow the Washington County School District calendar.
Noted advantages are that the student will remain a Washington County School District student and there is a 28 day window to drop/add corse work.
Noted disadvantages are that all instruction is provided online only, there are registration deadlines and there is not meal option provided.
Students using the Washington Virtual Franchise option will be eligible for a Standard Diploma and to enroll in the Washing Virtual Franchise option, parents should contact Beth Arnold at 850-638-6222.
Students can participate in the Innovative Learning Environment, but Taylor says that in order for students to use this option they must have enrollment at home zoned school but a separate section.
The Innovative Learning Environment is an internet option with the option to use school based resources such as iREady and Ixl.
Some classes may have Zoom options and the Innovative Learning Environment is taught by Florida Certified Teachers, with no registration deadlines.
The Innovative Learning Environment will follow the Washington County School District calendar, and noted Advantages of the Innovative Learning Environment are that students may re-enroll back at home zoned school during the semester, district teacher will maintain interactive communication with student and family as well as Virtual teacher, and breakfast and lunch may be picked up at school.
Noted disadvantages are students will be required to come to their home zoned school to take progress monitoring and state test (safety precaution will be taken to maintain minimal contact with others), but students using the Innovative Learning Environment will still be eligible to earn a Standard Diploma. To enroll in this option, parents should contact Beth Arnold at 850-638-6222.
Students could also participate in a homeschooling option.
To use this option the student must be a Washington County Resident and be registered at the district office.
With this option the parents choose the curriculum, Students use FLVS Flex to earn credits and may take state standardized testing at home zoned school, and a Florida-Certified Teacher is not required for this option.
There are no registration deadlines for the Home School options and there is no set calendar annual evaluations are due each year based on enrollment date.
Noted advantages are parent selects pace and courses, students may transfer to/from public school within semester, but noted disadvantages of this option is there is no one overseeing all state requirements and there is no meal option provided.
Students who enroll in Home School are not eligible for a Standard Diploma, and to register for this option, parents should call Beth Arnold at 850-638-6222.
The sixth option is Florida Virtual Full Time, and to use this option, students must meet deadline request enrollment varies for each semester, and this is an all virtual option.
All classes with the Florida Virtual Full Time option are taught by a Florida Certified Teacher, the registration deadline is July 31, 2020 and is tentative and scheduled to change according to the website.
The Florida Virtual Full Time calendar runs August 2020 through June 2021, and noted advantages of this option are that students are working in a Florida Public School with no walls and students have a 28 day window to drop/add courses.
Noted disadvantages of this option are that not all students are accepted for enrollment, there are registration deadlines, students are not Washington County District School students and there is no meal option provided.
Students enrolled in Floria Virtual Full Time are eligible for a Standard Diploma, and to register as a student in this option, please visit www.FLVS.net.
