School district considers new Web Academy

Some students in Sisters may soon be learning in a virtual classroom.

Plans for the Sisters Web and Early College Academy (SWECA) are well underway. The new charter school - if approved by the Sisters School District Board of Directors -  will open for the 2008-09 school year for students in grades K-12.

The new Web academy would accept students from both inside and outside the Sisters School District and target students who are currently homeschooled or unable to attend one of Sisters School District's neighborhood schools, as well as those who would benefit from a high quality, computer based, non-traditional form of education. A computer would be installed in the home of each student.

At the December 11 meeting of the Sisters School Board, Tim King, director of the North Clackamas Web Academy and Clackamas Middle College, presented his proposal for the charter school to school board members. Prior to his presentation a committee of district staff and administrators appointed by Superintendent Elaine Drakulich had already reviewed King's application and recommended the implementation of the charter school for the 2008-09 school year.

In a written statement the committee concluded: "In general, this proposed school would not have a significant adverse impact on the Sisters School District. It does have the potential to bring increased revenue and program to the general program. The larger question, however, is whether this proposal offers a choice for students that is unique or different in some way from that currently offered through district programs. The answer here would seem to suggest that the proposal does."

School board members and community members first heard about the proposed charter school at a community forum in September. Since that time King has maintained e-mail correspondence with community members to answer questions.

"Our mission is to provide homeschool-like learning to dropout students with a high quality of education, as well as a strong college opportunity," King said. "We'd like to award graduates with a high school diploma, as well as get them well on their way to their college education."

A demonstrated, sustainable support base from teachers, parents, students and other community members must exist before the school can be implemented. According to King, that support base is already in place. A huge waiting list exists for the Web academy that is currently operated through the North Clackamas School District.

"This is one of the reasons we are looking to expand. ... A lot of those students are in Deschutes County. We are very interested in being over here and being able to serve those students," King said.

Assuring financial sustainability is key to implementing the school, and, according to King, filling the school is not a problem.

"It is pretty clear, not only from us but from other charter schools that have online education, that filling this kind of school is pretty easy. In fact, the big concern isn't so much whether to fill the school; the big concern is making sure that we don't take kids out of the schools that are here...," he said.

King also noted that the Web academy would provide several benefits to the Sisters School District with little or no identifiable adverse impact. The charter school would allow the district to use 100 software licenses for students with disabilities who qualify under Section 504. It would also recycle to Sisters schools the computers it regularly replaces and provide district students access to its computer labs.

The school would offer credit recovery to students who drop behind in their classes, the use of the Rosetta Stone foreign language software and college classes from visiting professors.

"It's kind of a fun deal in terms of a win-on-win situation for everybody," King said.

The Sisters School Board has not yet voted on whether or not to approve the school and will again discuss the Web academy application at its meeting on January 15. If King's proposal is approved, he will immediately start setting up the school. If the vote is "no," the law requires the board to provide King with its reasons, and King in turn has an opportunity to respond.