High school students who are looking for an alternative to the traditional classroom setting now have an opportunity to enroll in a free online public school.
Provost Academy South Carolina (PASC) is a new state-authorized public online school that offers the state’s high school students personalized instructional plans that are adapted to their schedule, pace and academic needs.
“This is an opportunity that we can individualized the type of learning, (and) where and when your child can best learn,” Dr. Darrell M. Johnson, executive director of PASC, said. “As a parent, I would tell you that this program is one of the finest online virtual programs because it allows you a voice and a choice.
“And you know where your child is online yourself,” he said. “There’s a lot of safety features (that are in place).”
Provost Academy provides a computer, all required course materials, and reimburses as much as $20 a month for high speed Internet connectivity.
There could be minimal costs for optional extracurricular activities and field trips, as well as supplies such as binders or pens, according to its Web site www.sc.provostacademy.com.
Johnson, who served as superintendent in Orangeburg Consolidated School District 4 before becoming executive director of PASC, said students still will complete the same coursework to earn a high school diploma as they would in a traditional school setting. Johnson also was director of personnel in Darlington County School District in the 1980s until he left in 1995 to work in Alaska with the Galena School District.
Provost Academy uses a proprietary modular curriculum design, according to a press release issued by the academy.
The curriculum is aligned to any academic standards required by any public school in the state and the tests are aligned to the same End of Course tests taken in a traditional school, Johnson said.
The content can be rearranged and customized for individual learning based on testing and discussions with academic advisers and instructors.
“We can put a lot of structure in it or we can make it very flexible,” Johnson said. “Very few schools can actually say that.
“The coursework that you would receive at Provost Academy is rigorous, it’s challenging (and) it’s exciting,” he said. “The 21st century kids have a natural need to be online. Wouldn’t it be better to structure their learning at a rate and at the level that they’re challenged but yet also you know they have a quality education?”
Johnson said the online school also offers ways for students to interact and have peer learning sessions online.
Public school choice gives parents and students an opportunity to be actively engaged in their instruction, Johnson said.
“With online learning, parents will know what their child is learning (on a daily basis),” he said.
Provost Academy South Carolina, which is backed by EdisonLearning, employs state certified teachers, graders and a director of instruction.
Provost Academy South Carolina is enrolling students for the 2009-10 school year. Classes begin in September.
For more details, call (877) 919-PASC (7272) or visit www.sc.provostacademy.com.
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