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Information F.A.Q.
Information F.A.Q. | Denair Charter Academy - F.A.Q. | | Print | |
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HOW DO I LEARN AT DENAIR CHARTER ACADEMY?
A pupil at Denair Charter Academy does not attend daily classes, but does all of their schoolwork at home. The program provides personalized instruction through Individual Learning Plans (ILP) so the student can receive meaningful individual attention. The pupil meets with an instructor on a one-to-one basis, or in a small group, at prearranged times. The instructor assigns the pupil schoolwork that is to be completed by the pupil on his/her own time. The instructor at each meeting evaluates the completed work. The pupil is expected to complete a minimum of 6 hours of schoolwork each school day. This will average 30 hours per week or 120 hours per month. If a pupil wishes to make up missed classes or enters late in the semester, they will have to spend more than 30 hours per week in order to stay on track and meet graduation requirements.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO ENROLL?
Denair Charter Academy is intended for students who are seeking an alternative to traditional teaching and evaluation methods. Interested pupils can only be enrolled with the consent of the parent, the pupil and the Denair Charter Academy.
HOW OFTEN ARE THE STUDENT/TEACHER APPOINTMENTS?
The pupil will meet weekly with the instructor. It is the responsibility to of the parents(s) to ensure the pupil attends these appointments. Pupils may be required to attend more often, or for longer periods of time, as the situation warrants. Taking tests, computer assignments, tutoring, and correcting schoolwork will require the pupil to come to DCA at other times during the school week. Parents will be notified if a pupil fails to attend the regularly scheduled weekly meeting.
REMINDER #1: A pupil who misses two appointments in succession, two appointments in an attendance month, or has four (4) absences during one semester may be dropped from Denair Charter Academy and subject to referral to another educational setting. Parent/student/teacher appointments are required when this portion of the agreement is violated. Parents are responsible for communicating with the instructor if they will not be able to attend or to arrange for an alternative day or time to meet.
There are no excused absences at Denair Charter Academy. Pupils are expected to keep all appointments. If an emergency or illness does occur, it is the responsibility of the parent to telephone the Denair Charter Academy instructor at 3 hours before the appointment, so an alternate appointment may be arranged.
HOW DO I GET TO THE APPOINTMENTS?
It is the responsibility of the parent to provide transportation to the appointment. Parents should consider alternate means of transportation such as: Dial-A-Ride bicycling, riding with friends/ relatives, ride sharing, or walking. If there is likely to be a transportation problem, the parent should not consider enrolling the pupil at Denair Charter Academy.
HOW WILL I BE ABLE TO DO THE WORK ON MY OWN?
As provided by the instructor, pupils are given specific Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) to achieve educational goals. Pupils are to do their own schoolwork. Pupils read the assigned work, answer all the questions as assigned by the instructor, and study sufficiently to pass assessments. When the pupil comes in for his/her weekly meeting, the instructor will review any unanswered questions. If a pupil becomes confused between appointments, he/she can telephone the instructor at school for assistance and clarification.
The instructor can provide instruction and encouragement, but the pupil must be self-disciplined and motivated to do the work on her/his own time not during the assigned meeting time.
Pupils may have to come to school at additional arranged times to complete test, grade completed schoolwork, tutoring and/or work on school computers. This may include weekends.
WHAT IF I LOSE MY BOOKS?
If you damage or lose any books, you will be expected to pay the full replacement price. Be sure to sign your name in the front of each book. The books are your responsibility and should be protected at all times. Books are to be returned to Denair Charter Academy.
HOW WILL I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I MUST DO
BEFORE THE NEXT APPOINTMENT?
A part of the learning experience is planning and time management. The instructor and the pupil will work out an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) for the pupil to accomplish the semester’s work. During appointments the instructor will review the pupil’s progress. The pupil will have to develop a good time management plan and stick to it. Pupils should ask their instructor for help as needed.
HOW DO PARENTS KNOW HOW WELL THEIR PUPIL IS DOING?
Parents should review all student work and assignments. A weekly Review of Progress is available upon request from the instructor. Whenever possible, the parent should come to the appointment with the pupil.
Deficiency notices and report cards will be mailed home throughout the school year.
WHAT IS AN ASSIGNMENT SHEET?
Information on the Homework Assignment Sheet indicates how much work and what the pupil is expected to accomplish during that assignment period.
The hours pupils are assigned are equivalent to the amount of schoolwork the pupil would have been assigned and should have completed in a traditional classroom. A semester has approximately 90 days from start to finish. If a pupil were to attend class each day, the pupil would attend each class for 90 hours per semester. Pupils at Denair Charter Academy do not attend regular classes; instead they earn hours and grades by completing the equivalent amount of schoolwork at home and passing assessment measures.
HOW MUCH WORK WILL BE GIVEN TO THE PUPIL?
Generally each class has the minimum equivalent homework assignment of 5 hours per week. A pupil is to be enrolled in the equivalent of a 6 period school day. A pupil is expected to spend as much time completing schoolwork at home as if attending a traditional school. Making up a missed class or starting after the semester begins will result in more schoolwork.
Reminder #1: Late assignments will not receive full credit but must be turned in to provide evidence of completed work.
Reminder #2: When a pupil misses two consecutive assignments (completes less than the minimum hours of work per month), the instructor in a parent/pupil conference shall conduct an evaluation to determine whether it is in the pupil’s best interest to remain at Denair Charter Academy.
Parent conferences are required when the pupil does not complete minimum work for two weeks, one school month, or as deemed by the instructor. Conferences can be scheduled at any time.
HOW MANY CLASSES WILL A PUPIL TAKE?
Pupils attempt the equivalent hourly schedule of a full-time pupil at a traditional comprehensive school. Under special situations the pupil may attempt more classes if the pupil demonstrates the ability to do so by appropriately completing the assigned classes on time. Additional classes may be taken if recommended by the instructor and the parent. Classes attempted by the pupil are listed on the Denair Charter Academy Agreement and approved by the pupil, parent and instructor. The number of classes attempted may be less if a pupil enters Denair Charter Academy late in the semester (depending on transfer grades), but the pupil will still be attempting close to 30 hours of schoolwork per week.
HOW MANY CREDITS CAN I EARN?
In most cases a maximum of 5 semester credits can be earned in each subject attempted during a semester for up to 35 credits. Credits are granted upon the successful completion (as determined by the instructor) of all contracted course work for a class in additional to earning a passing grade.
Pupils earn credits by successfully completing course work and earning a “Passing Grade” (A, B, C, D, P,) on a minimum of 80 out of the expected 90 hours in a 5-credit course. In a 2.5 credit class, the pupil is expected to earn a “Passing Grade” and 40 out of the 45 expected hours.
Students may also receive credit for a given course by demonstrating mastery of the content for that course by obtaining an acceptable minimum score on a designed course competency test.
Pupils who earn less that 10 hours in a class shall receive a No Mark (NM) in the course to indicate they had attempted the course but did not complete sufficient course work for grade consideration.
WHAT IF I’M TOO FAR BEHIND TO GRADUATE?
There is assistance available for pupils who wish to study for G.E.D. (General Educational Development) or C.H.S.P.E. (California High School Proficiency Examination). Older pupils may wish to transfer to an Adult School and take with them the credits earned at Denair Charter Academy or elsewhere.
HOW DO I RETURN TO A TRADITIONAL HIGH SCHOOL?
It is recommended that pupils return to a traditional school setting at the start of a semester. It is in the pupil’s best interest to be on track for graduation before transferring. Pupils who have transferred to Denair Charter Academy must meet eligibility criteria in order to return to a traditional high school.
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