Catholic high school returns to Pueblo

Catholic high school education has returned to Pueblo after a 41-year absence.

St. Therese Catholic School started an online high school program in the fall, building on the school’s 11-year-old pre-school-eighth-grade program.

“We’ve had a number of people over the years that have been looking for an alternative for their kids at the high school level,” said John Brainard, St. Therese principal. “They want their child to continue to be in a faith-filled environment.”

This fall, Brainard decided to pilot an online high school program at the St. Therese building.

The program is the first Catholic high school in the city since the Diocese of Pueblo closed all Catholic schools in 1971.

St. John Neumann, a private pre-school-eighth-grade Catholic school, was opened in 1977 and St. Therese, also a pre-school-eighth-grade school, opened in 2000.

Based on parent request, Brainard said he decided to expand the St. Therese program to high school by implementing an on-site, online curriculum for students in grades 9-12.

Currently, there are four students enrolled in the high school program, three freshmen and a junior.

The students take classes at St. Therese through the accredited online Catholic Schools K-12 Virtual program.

“This is really an online version of our school here,” Brainard said of the Internet program.

‘E-credit` offers another chance

The e-credit recovery classes are standards-based classes, so student who can pass the pre-tests at the start of each unit can skip that material and finish the course faster. That is a plus for Silver Creek senior Brandon Cabael, who tested out of most of his English class.

“It`s motivating, and I want to graduate on time,” he said. “I want to get on with my life.”

The e-credit recovery program is the first step in district plans to begin offering an online high school program for juniors and seniors in the fall.

“We hope to have the high school program up and running by the start of the 2011-12 school year,” Nader-French said.

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New year, new school? Virtual schools ease transition

Educators say many families switching their kids’ schools mid-year are turning to virtual schools like Connections Academy, for a variety of reasons.

First, more families than ever have embraced virtual education in general: Some 2 million American K-12 students now get some or all of their education virtually, according to research firm Ambient Insight. Second, the format of virtual schools eases a student’s adjustment period – and physical transitions for both student and family. Finally, family finances sometimes come into play. Virtual public schools – like all public schools – are tuition free and virtual private schools like National Connections Academy cost a fraction of traditional “bricks and mortar” private schools. Yet they deliver the academic rigor and highly personalized educations that are hallmarks of independent schools. So families with children enrolled in traditional private schools who are struggling to meet hefty tuition obligations often find they can save significant money and still get an independent school-caliber education.

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St. Vrain gives online students a little credit

“This is truly a semester’s worth of work,” said Cruz, who took the course as part of the district’s e-learning task force.

Although final grades are not yet complete, e-learning coordinator Nawal Nader-French said Thursday that her preliminary data are promising: Most of the students who completed the course passed it, she said.

“That online approach works for some kids,” Cruz said.

The e-credit recovery program is just the first step in St. Vrain’s venture into online learning. Next school year, the district will offer an online high school for juniors and seniors.

Statewide, about 13,000 students enrolled in online schools in 2009-10, according to the Colorado Department of Education. More than 11,000 of those students attended an online school outside of their home school districts, the department reported.

It’s not clear how many come from the St. Vrain Valley School District, because the state Department of Education reports only how many students enroll outside of their home districts.

According to district planner Scott Toillion, 60 students who left St. Vrain at the beginning of this school year reported they were going to attend an online school.

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Boulder Valley’s first online school opens

So as a senior, she enrolled in the Boulder Valley School District’s first-ever online high school, Boulder Universal. The move has made it easier for her to fit in school between traveling to and from Nashville, late-night performances and daytime songwriting sessions.

“It’s going really well,” she said. “I have a lot of super late nights. I’m traveling all the time. This way, I can do things on my own schedule. It’s just like regular school, just set up differently.”

Perry is one of about 100 full-time students at Boulder Universal, which opened in August.

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Is Online High School Right for You?

Have you ever sat in class, bored to tears because the pace of the lessons is too slow?

Have you ever had to choose between going to class and going to work to earn money to support your family?

Have you ever had to miss class to pursue your passions, whether it be competitive sports, theater and the arts, or volunteer work?

If you said “yes” to any of the questions above, online high school may be the right choice as you consider your options for getting your diploma.

Earning a high school diploma online has emerged as a valuable education choice for many Colorado students and their families seeking an alternative to the traditional high school setting, whether because a need for more challenging classes, family circumstances or the need for flexibility. For many students, virtual high schools have meant the difference between giving up on school altogether and earning a high school diploma.

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Creating your ideal classroom? Virtual school Connections Academy shows you how

Colorado Connections Academy

Provost Academy Stands Out Among Online High Schools for Focus on Student Success

Denver, CO – June 14, 2010 – When parents and students are considering online high schools, they’ll find a number of choices, both private and public. The private schools may stress their high-quality curriculum but often charge high tuition. Public online schools are free but may not provide the best academics or student support. Is there a third choice? Yes. A new education option that combines the best of all online school options is now being offered in Colorado.

At Provost Academy, Student Success is Key

Provost Academy is a free public online Colorado high school whose mission is to ensure that students are successful in their courses and that they master the knowledge necessary to provide them the greatest opportunities in their careers or college studies. For students and families who are seeking a challenging curriculum in a non-traditional, flexible environment, this new online high school may be the perfect choice.

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Provost Academy Launches Colorado’s Online High School

Provost Academy, a tuition-free public online high school, announced today it is opening its virtual doors to Colorado students. Backed by EdisonLearning’s experience in preparing more than 1 million students for college and the workforce, Provost Academy provides students personalized learning plans adapted to meet their schedule and specific academic needs.

As a new state-authorized public online school, Provost Academy Colorado is free of charge to residents of Colorado. Students work toward their regular public high school diploma – recognized by colleges and employers – as they would in a traditional school, but in the convenient, safe environment of their own home through computer-based educational programs.

Provost Academy Colorado offers more than 100 highly engaging online classes, including A.P. and honors courses with a particular emphasis on high demand subjects, such as science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The school also provides students free computers and internet access while they are enrolled in the school.

“Colorado high school students deserve alternative high-quality educational opportunities that get them to graduation, whether they are an overachieving student seeking a greater challenge, an underperforming student needing remediation or a student balancing school with work, sports, health or other of life’s challenges,” said Jeffrey Popiel, President & CEO of Geotech Environmental Equipment in Denver and chairman of the Provost Academy Colorado board. “Provost Academy’s pro-learning, pro-student, pro-success focus will help all of these students achieve their goals.”

In contrast to other online learning programs, Provost Academy Colorado uses a proprietary modular curriculum design, developed with Dr. Paul Kim, Assistant Dean of Stanford University’s School of Education. Courses can be customized to fit a student’s individual needs, with content based on testing and discussions with academic advisors and instructors. Further, parents and students can easily monitor learning progress, assignments, and grades at a glance on their own personal home page. For those needing additional help, Provost Academy also offers on-demand tutors that keep students on track and on pace for progress.

“Online learning goes beyond the computer and the internet connection to bring students, parents and educators together in a community that is focused to drive academic success,” said Jeff Wahl, President & CEO of EdisonLearning. “Our organization has been a leader in new and innovative approaches to learning, and we welcome the opportunity to provide parents a new choice for their children’s educational future at Provost Academy Colorado.”

Video: Colorado Virtual Academy

Colorado Virtual Academy

Colorado Virtual Academy