ACCEPTANCE / ELIGIBILITY
Who is eligible to attend PSD Global Academy?
We welcome all students living in the state of Colorado, grades K-12, between the ages of 5-21. For complete enrollment details, please visit our Enrollment Page.
To remain enrolled, students / families must meet our minimum requirements which include, but not limited to:
o regular attendance in online courses
o participation in Parent / Teacher conferences
o attendance at mandatory events (including CSAP)
o regular contact with teachers and staff
ACCOUNTABILITY
How will PSD Global be more accountable than some other online schools that have low or unsatisfactory School Accountability Reports in Colorado?
· PSD Global will offer highly interactive and engaging courses with a high student success rate.
· PSD Global teachers are local and on-campus. Students can receive academic support by a live teacher via phone, email, and through on-campus meetings.
· Students are assigned a local on-site Mentor who monitors progress, meets regularly with students & parents, and motivates his/her students to succeed.
· Students and parents will have access to PGA counseling staff, who will help assess results to determine students’ appropriate level of courses.
· Our online courses are tremendously effective because they are self-paced and assess students’ mastery throughout the course.
· The PSD Global Academy is not part of any other online school in Colorado. It is separate and distinct. The school continuously monitors the latest research and best-practices in online learning and instruction from around the world.
ATHLETICS
Can an online student participate in athletics?
Enrolling with PSD Global Academy gives you the right to participate in athletics and other extra-curricular programs. These activities round out a student’s academic development, add valuable skills, AND provide critical experiences for college entrance applications and employment resumes.
Student's residing within PSD boundaries: eligible to participate at neighborhood school.
Students residing outside of PSD boundaries: eligible to participate at Fort Collins High School
ATTENDANCE
ONLINE - What is the attendance policy for ONLINE CLASSES?
Attendance in PGA is performance based. Attendance is flexible and allows learning to take place at anytime— day or night. Therefore, we measure attendance based on the following:
1. number of hours logged into coursework
2. successful completion of assignments
3. ongoing communication with the online teacher and PGA staff.
A Student is considered in violation of the PGA Attendance Policy if he/she:
1. is not passing an online course AND
2. not logging in to that class full time (usually 1 hour / day / class)
Truant students will be reported to the PSD Truancy Officer and Student Outreach. Truancy may affect your enrollment in the PSD Global Academy. PSD Global Academy staff, Student Mentor, and Guidance Counselors will work with each student and his/her family to help each student find the best fit for his/her learning
ENRICHMENT - What is the attendance policy for ENRICHMENT CLASSES?
If you choose to participate in on-campus courses (including enrichment electives), you are required to attend all meetings of that class.
|
Excused Absences may include:
1. Illness, injury, legal proceedings
2. Pre-arranged absences approved by administration for family activities, appointments, etc
3. Absences to attend school-sponsored activities |
Unexcused absences may include:
1. Oversleeping or forgot
2. Skiing, Vacation (not pre-approved)
3. Studying
4. Car, traffic, train, city bus trouble |
Procedures for addressing absences:
· Students arriving after the first 30 minutes may be marked absent.
· Absences must be called in to the main office within 48 hours and may require additional info
· Requests for pre-approval must be submitted in writing at least 3 days prior to absence
· After 3 unexcused absences, student may not receive credit (and/or dropped with “F” or “WF”)
· Absences and truancy will be reported to the district Truancy Officer
COMPUTERS
Do we need our own computer at home?
Students and families must provide their own computer and Internet access.
What are the System Requirements for at-home computers?
Please click here for k12 system requirements
Please click here for Aventa system requirements
COURSES
What courses are available in the online program?
PSD Global Academy offers over 175 courses taught by CO licensed, highly-qualified teachers. All courses are PSD approved and fully accredited for K-12 grade students. There is a link to the entire course catalog on our website.
COSTS / FEES
Some online schools have fees, what does the PSD Global Academy cost? Are there any start-up or support fees?
No – because PSD Global Academy is a public school in the Poudre School District, it is free for students. In the event that a textbook or software is required for the online course, PSD will provide these materials at no charge to the student.
Parents will need to provide high-speed internet access and a computer with speakers/audio. A student taking a foreign language or speech course would also require a microphone.
COUNSELOR
Are there PSD counselors available to help guide coursework necessary to reach graduation requirements?
Yes – Students enrolled in the PSD Global Academy will receive academic counseling, including transcript review, course registration advice, ACT prep, and college/career planning. Our counselor is available to support students academically, emotionally, in goal setting, and for emergency counseling services.
CSAP & ACT TESTS
Will students take Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) and ACT tests?
Yes - Student will take CSAPs and ACT, as required by the state of Colorado. Other assessments will be given throughout the year, so we can offer the best instruction possible for our individual students.
CSAP: tests are given in reading, writing, math in grades 3-10 and science (for some grades)
ACT: this college entrance exam is given to all 11th graders free of charge.
CURRICULUM
Is the PSD Global Academy curriculum the same as in the traditional “brick and mortar” school?
All PSD Global Academy courses align with CO standards and meet graduation requirements for the Poudre School District. In addition, PSD Global Academy also offers some courses that are not available in the district’s traditional schools.
DIPLOMA / GRADUATION
Will my student graduate with a PSD diploma?
YES! The PGA students must meet all district graduation requirements, and students will receive the same PSD diploma as a full-time student who attends one of our comprehensive, traditional high schools. The PSD Global Academy celebrates our graduates every year with a traditional “Cap and Gown” commencement ceremony.
ENRICHMENT CLASS
What is the Enrichment course? Can my student participate?
All PSD Global Academy students K-12 are welcome to sign up for the elective Enrichment Course. This class meets 1-2 times per week, for approximately 3-4 hours. During this time, students are in age-appropriate groups participating in a wide array of enrichments activities. Activities are a combination of academic (math, literacy) and specials (art, current events, field trips, guest speakers). Students have the opportunity to interact face-to-face with their peers, teachers, and school staff. Because this is considered an elective class, weekly attendance is required.
EXTRA-CURRICULAR EVENTS
Are extra-curricular activities are available?
Yes – our students participate in multiple clubs and activities at the PGA Enrichment Center, including but not limited to:
Student Council Art Studio Chess Club Yearbook
Community Service Environment Club Craft Club Journalism
Social Committee Book Buddies Webcasting Club
Our active Student Council is responsible for creating new clubs to meet student interests. Also, students may participate in Fall and Spring community service projects.
FINAL EXAMS
Do I have to come on campus to take my final exam?
Yes – all high school students must request approval from their teacher to access the final exam. All high school final exams must be taken on campus prior to the end of a course. If the student does not take the final exam, his/her final grade may be held or the student may not receive credit for the course.
FULL-TIME STUDENTS
How many courses or credit hours equal a full-time student?
To be considered full-time, students need to take a minimum of 4-5 classes. For our high school students, we recommend taking additional courses to graduate within 4 years of high school. Our guidance counselor will be happy to meet with you to discuss an individualized class schedule.
GIFTED / TALENTED STUDENTS
What accommodations do you make for GT students?
“Gifted Education” refers to programs put in place to meet the needs of students whose abilities, talents, and potential are so outstanding, they require special provisions to meet their educational needs.
The PSD Global Academy’s Gifted / Talented programs consists of the following:
ü Identification
ü Accommodations / Acceleration
ü Special Programs
Please visit our GT webpage for more details.
HOME SCHOOL STUDENTS
Is this program available for home school students?
Yes – home school students are welcome to register with the PSD Global Academy. Our home-based program is ideal for home school families who would like to be connected to our high-quality, locally supported school. Once you enroll with the PSD Global Academy, you will be considered a PSD student (home-based, not home-schooled).
HOURS
When are the online courses available?
Students can access courses 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to complete their work. Online courses are tremendously effective because they are self-paced and students can learn anytime, anywhere. As long as the student is meeting expected progress, he/she can login any time during the week.
INTERNET ACCESS
Does the PSD Global Academy provide for and pay for internet access?
No - Students and families must provide their own computer and Internet access.
PSD ATTENDANCE AREA
Do you have to live in the PSD attendance area to be a PSD Global student?
No –The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) approved the PSD Global Academy to serve students from across the entire state of Colorado.
REGISTRATION
How does a student register for PSD Global Academy?
Please visit our Enrollment page to complete the application process. You can also call our office for more information at (970) 490-3086.
SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS
Are there any special considerations for special needs students, such as the ability to complete a course more quickly or more slowly?
Students’ IEPs (Individual Education Plans) will be reviewed by our IEP team within 60 days of receiving an application. If the team determines that the PSD Global Academy can meet the needs of the student, then we create an accommodation plan which may include the following as necessary:
· additional time on assignments
· advanced copy of syllabus
· textbooks provided online or audio
· verbal explanation
· recordings of Elluminate classes, help sessions, and tutoring
SOCIAL INTERACTION
Will my student be able to interact socially with other PSD Global Academy students?
YES! PSD Global Academy students have a variety of ways to interact with their peers. Our Enrichment Center hosts the following:
§ clubs & extra-curricular activities (see list under “Extra-Curricular”)
§ field trips & guest speaker events
§ peer study groups
§ pizza parties
§ craft night
§ awards shows
§ festivals
Students can also sign up for the elective Enrichment Course, which meets on-site weekly for 3-4 hours. Online, students are encouraged to participate in discussion boards, live web sessions, and other opportunities to expand our global society. We always welcome student and parent feedback for additional requests!
TEACHERS
Who are the teachers?
All of our teachers hold a Colorado license and are highly-qualified in their content area. Unlike many online schools, most of our teachers are located here at the Enrichment Center and hold office hours to provide additional support and help sessions for students and parents. Our instructors also teach the Enrichment elective blocks, which creates a blended learning opportunity of online + face-to-face.
Our teachers are enthusiastic, caring, and talented. We love getting to know our students, and we are here to help you meet your goals!
TEXTBOOKS
Will you supply textbooks? Most course materials are online. In addition, web links to resources are provided for most courses. In the event an online course requires a textbook or supplemental materials, these materials will be provided by PSD at no charge to the student.
TIME TO COMPLETE (START / END DATES)
How firm are the start dates, completion dates, exam dates, etc for each semester?
The start and end dates are firm, but the student does have flexibility in scheduling individual assignments. When high school students are ready to take a final exam, they simply make an appointment to come on-site to complete the test. Students are allowed to finish a course early.
TUTORING
Is there tutoring support available?
Yes - Our teachers are dedicated to student success and will accommodate all student questions. Students have several options for tutoring including live web sessions, phone, email, and some on-site office hours.
VACATION
Can we take vacation throughout the year?
Yes – the courses are flexible and you can manage your schedule. We follow the PSD School Calendar, and families are encouraged to take vacations during those designated times to ensure that students do not miss any important events. It is the student/parent responsibility to contact teacher(s) and complete assigned coursework.
Note: These questions will be updated on an ongoing basis as new regulations, requirements, and procedures are outlined throughout the school year.
