This Friday, August 14th from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm, Administration and staff will be on site at Edsel Ford to help answer questions you may have about the Virtual Program and to assist if you choose to opt in to this year long commitment.
- This will be a drive-thru style event with questions being answered w/o leaving your car
- Parents must fill out the Virtual Learning Program Opt-in form below and turn it in at the drive-thru
- Cars will enter through the student parking lot on Rotunda and follow one-way traffic
- If you have children at different buildings, you may turn in your opt-in form(s) all at ONE building Building Drive Thru Schedules
In an effort to meet the needs of our students who live within the Dearborn Public School boundaries and who want a virtual learning option, the district will offer a 100 percent online learning alternative for kindergarten through 12th grade students for the entire school year. Students who enroll in the Dearborn Public Schools Virtual Learning Program will be taught by district staff using district curriculum.
“We realize some of our parents are extremely concerned about COVID-19, especially if they have children or other family members with other underlying health issues,” said Superintendent Glenn Maleyko. “This provides an option for parents who know they want their children learning online for at least this school year. Those students will have access to our same great Dearborn teaching staff and the same curriculums used across the district. That consistency will help students succeed while learning from home and if they opt to return to inbuilding learning the following year.”
Dearborn School parents who want Virtual Learning for their child need to sign up their student for this option. Parents are asked to register before Aug. 17th so staffing arrangements can be made. Classes will start Aug. 31, along with the rest of Dearborn Public Schools.
Participating in the Virtual Learning Program is a year-long commitment for Dearborn students. Students may choose to return to their home school at the start of the 2021-22 school year. If a student wishes to return to in-building learning at the semester break this winter, the district will find a school that is not at enrollment capacity. This may or may not be the student’s home school. If the student is not placed at their home school, they will return to their home building at the beginning of the next school year. Virtual Learning students would still be eligible to participate in other district programs including sports and extracurricular activities, if the child meets all other requirements.
Parents of students with IEPs or a 504 plan can choose to opt-in to the virtual program. All programming decisions for students with special needs are driven through the IEP team process. Once the commitment form is completed we will contact you to follow up in regards to the application. All students with an IEP enrolled in the Dearborn virtual program will have a special education case manager and any related service providers as indicated through the IEP process.
Parents considering the online program should carefully weigh whether committing to this option for the full year is a good match for them and their child. Virtual learning is personalized, but requires students to be self motivated to complete tasks with less supervision. Parents must be willing and able to help keep their child focused. It also requires students who can self-advocate and reach out to teachers if they have questions or if issues arise. Students will be expected to participate in live lessons and adhere to scheduled classwork and assignments. Middle and high school students will be expected to spend approximately five to eight hours a week on each class for a total of 30 or more hours per week. Elementary students will be expected to work 20 to 30 hours a week on school work.
Please read through the expectations below to have a better understanding of the program.
Dearborn Virtual Learning Program Expectations for Students
Class participation, attendance of live lessons, continuation of learning and completion of assignments is expected of every student during the time that the teachers schedule and provide in each respective class. The schedules are expected to be shared with students by their teachers. Teachers are expected to record student participation/attendance in sessions as well as provide Grades.
● Students are expected to attend an orientation at the beginning of each term.
● Students are expected to be ON TIME for every live lesson; a late log-in is a tardy tracked in MiStar.
● Students are expected to attend assigned classes every day that school is in session during the scheduled time. If a student is absent, the teachers are expected to mark the absence in MiStar.
● Students are expected to attend live lessons and adhere to the calendar of classwork and due dates assigned by the teacher.
● Students are expected to participate in learning and review assignments.
● Students are expected to adhere to the Dearborn Public Schools’ Code of Conduct during every class and activity.
● Students are expected to advocate for themselves with teachers.
● Students are expected to respond to communications from their teachers and email through
the Learning Management System or student email account if they have questions.
● Students are expected to be respectful to themselves, fellow students and teacher(s).
● Elementary students are expected to work 20-30 hours per week. Secondary students are expected to work for 5-8 hours per week per course and follow the pacing guide/schedule set by the teacher.
● Students are expected to share their learning with their parent(s).
● Students are expected to submit activities as instructed by his/her teacher.
● Students are expected to review all graded assignments that have been returned, make any requested revisions and be available to converse with the teacher if needed.
● Students are expected to be honest and do their own work.
● Students are expected to always cite sources and not plagiarize.
● Secondary dual enrollment students are expected to adhere to the college code of conduct and to follow the Dearborn Public Schools’ and the college’s academic calendar which are not the same.
● Students are expected to respond to communication from their teachers.
● Secondary students are expected to take all final exams in person at a date and time determined by Dearborn Public Schools staff.
● Students may participate in band, sports, CTE courses and after school activities if requirements are met