ASU Preparatory Academy - Family Handbook
Policies
Attendance Policy
Full-time students at ASU Prep Digital are expected to regularly log and participate in academic activities 30-35 hours per week, or approximately six-seven hours per day. A standard full-time course load consists of six courses for high school and five courses for middle school with a minimum of five course enrollments per term. K-5 course loads vary for full-time with a minimum of four courses.
Regular attendance is essential for success in school. Although we appreciate that health and family take precedent, we do ask that families not plan activities on days and times when school is in session. If a student participates in extracurricular activities or works part time during the school week, it is recommended that they distribute any missed attendance hours over the weekend.
Full-Time Attendance
Attendance for full-time and part-time students is required to be logged in the parent portal weekly by the parent at https://asuprepaz.infinitecampus.org/. Satisfactory attendance status is determined by the following criteria for full-time and part-time students:
- Logging attendance weekly, in the student portal.
- Instructions and a step-by-step video on how to enter attendance are located on our website: ASU Prep Digital Attendance
- Accrue attendance through participation in the weekly live lesson for each course. If a student cannot attend a weekly live lesson, a recording or alternate activity will be provided.
- Attendance logs and course gradebook should match (i.e., a log of 10 hours in English but no assignments submitted for the week is not satisfactory attendance).
- At or above required percentage completion as indicated by course pace chart.
- Active participation in courses as recorded in Canvas, Learning Cloud, Rosetta Stone, ClassLink, etc.
- Communication with teacher and Learning Success Coach (two-way communication via phone calls, emails, attendance at Individual Learning Plan Conferences, etc.).
- Attending weekly homerooms with Learning Success Coach.
- Attend all mandatory state testing, if applicable.
Weekly Attendance Hours that are required to be logged by Grade Level:
- Kindergarten: 15 weekly or 3 hours daily
- Grades 1-3: 30 weekly or 6 hours daily
- Grades 4-5: 30 weekly or 6 hours daily
- Grades 6-8: 35 weekly or 7 hours daily
- Grades 9-12: 30 weekly or 6 hours daily
Failure to maintain a satisfactory attendance status through accrued and logged time could lead to a school-initiated withdrawal from ASU Prep Digital.
NOTE: For Khan World School, KWS Guides will submit attendance.
Vacations or Days Off: Because ASU Prep Digital allows students to work ahead or catch up on course work by allowing 24/7 access, students have the flexibility to take days off and still stay on pace. All requests for vacations or days off should be sent via email to your Learning Success Coach and teachers. It is preferred that student vacations align with the course calendar whenever possible.
Our attendance policy is governed by ARS 15-803 – School attendance; exemptions; definitions:
- It is unlawful for any child between six (6) and sixteen (16) years of age to fail to attend school during the hours school is in session, unless excused pursuant to section ARS 15-803.
- A child who is habitually truant or who has excessive absences may be adjudicated an incorrigible child. Absences may be considered excessive when the number of absent days exceeds 10% (18 days per year, 9 days per semester) of the number of required attendance days prescribed in section ARS 15-803, subsection B, paragraph 1.
- As used in this section:
- “Habitually truant” means a child who is truant for at least five (5) school days unexcused within a school year.
- “Truant” means an unexcused absence for at least one (1) class period during the day.
- “Truant child” means a child who is between six (6) and sixteen (16) years of age and who is not in attendance at a public or private school during the hours that school is in session, unless excused as provided by this section.
- ASUPD allows for flexibility within the day and week as to when a student completes their work. However, to align with Arizona Statutes, ASUPD expects work to be submitted in each class each week that the school is in session
Part-Time Attendance
ASU Prep Digital strongly advises regular attendance in part-time courses. Consistent, regular progress is vital for retention and for achieving academic success. We recognize that students have varied schedules and require schedule flexibility. Part-time learners are expected to follow course pacing guidelines, regularly communicate with instructors and support staff, and actively engage in course(s) each week. Students who fail to consistently work throughout the duration of a course may be subject to withdrawal.
Part-time students who are funded through Arizona state funding are required to abide by the full-time attendance requirements documented above, logging the number of hours applicable to part-time status.
Retention and Promotion Policy
Grades K-12 students who are not demonstrating mastery and proficiency in expected/required state standards at the end of each semester will meet with a team consisting, but not limited to parent, student, LSC/counselor, administrator to establish a plan for success in the second semester.
K-8 students who are being recommended by teacher or parent for retention or acceleration of a full grade will contact the LSC/Counselor and a team consisting, but not limited to parent, student, LSC/counselor, administrator will convene to discuss the following items:
- Current mastery of standards/content in all areas
- Work habits and attendance
- Social and emotional maturity
- State assessment results
- School-issued diagnostic and benchmark test results
- Teacher input regarding classroom participation and student agency
- Parent input and feedback regarding request (if applicable)
The team will determine the appropriate retention and or acceleration. It is the recommendation in most cases to adhere to consistent grade level progression since we have the ability to personalize the student’s learning. Any approved grade level advancement or promotion will be officially processed and reflected in the student record at the conclusion of the school year.
Recommendations for learners that do not demonstrate mastery:
- Participate in a conference to determine parent/LSC/teacher concerns and garner feedback
- Summer School for remediation – Math Momentum and/or Reading Refresh
- Complete an Exact Path Diagnostic test at the start of the new school year
Grace Period Policy
Unless otherwise noted, below are grace period guidelines for ASU Prep Digital students. Students may modify class schedules without penalty during the grace period. This policy is not applicable to students who are withdrawing from the school.
Fall and Spring
Grace Period is within 1-14 calendar days of start date:
- Unenroll with no grade
- No grade goes on transcript
- Does not affect GPA
- Full refund if tuition based
After 14-day Grace Period:
- Issued a grade of F (Failing)*
- Grade goes on transcript
- Failing grade may affect GPA
- No refund if tuition based
Students transferring out of ASU Prep Digital to attend another school will not receive a final grade or earn credit for any in-progress coursework. In progress grade reports may be produced to families to take to new schools upon request. Additional circumstances, such as medical or major life events that occur within a semester, may result in a student receiving a “W” in lieu of an “F” beyond the grace period.
Summer
Grade Period is within 1-5 calendar days of start date:
- Unenroll with no grade
- No grade goes on transcript
- Does not affect GPA
- Full refund if tuition based
After 5-day Grace Period:
- Issued a grade of F (Failing)*
- Grade goes on transcript
- Failing grade may affect GPA
- No refund if tuition based
*Students wishing to un-enroll from courses outside the grace period should consult with the Learning Success Coach and principal to discuss the impact to the student’s GPA.
Grade Forgiveness Policy
If a student receives a B or lower in a course and retakes that same course (in naming convention and/or course content at the same or higher academic rigor – i.e. “Honors”), the original grade will not negatively affect the grade point average but will remain on the transcript. In the event that the retake results in the same or a lower grade than before, the highest grade will be figured into the GPA. Other attempts will not be included in the GPA, but will remain on the transcript. Students cannot receive duplicate credit for a course.
OpenAI/ChatGPT
The use of OpenAI and similar language models has the potential to greatly enhance learning and foster curiosity in the K-12 educational setting. However, it is essential to maintain a commitment to academic integrity and discourage any form of cheating or dishonesty. This policy aims to strike a balance that supports curiosity, growth, and responsible use of OpenAI while upholding the principles of academic honesty. ASU Prep implements policies and procedures that adhere to the essential principles of the ASU’s Academic Integrity and Artificial Intelligence/ChatGPT. ASU Prep is currently reviewing ASU’s academic integrity policy through the lens of what types of content can be produced through generative AI and what learning behaviors and outcomes are expected of students very carefully and on an individual basis.
Responsible Use:
- OpenAI and similar tools, if used, should be used as educational resources to enhance learning, promote inquiry, and explore diverse perspectives.
- Students’ use of OpenAI should be to supplement their understanding, generate ideas, and seek assistance in problem-solving, but not to replace their independent thinking and effort.
- OpenAI should not be used to complete assignments, assessments, or tests on behalf of the student, as this constitutes cheating and undermines the educational process.
- Students should be aware that utilizing OpenAI’s capabilities to reproduce pre-written materials without proper attribution is considered plagiarism and is strictly prohibited.
- Faculty should emphasize that students must cite any borrowed content sources to comply with all applicable citation guidelines and copyright law and avoid plagiarism. Simply put, if students use generative AI, they should cite it: How to Cite ChatGPT in APA format.
- Students and faculty should also ensure any AI-generated citations are correct, as ChatGPT is notorious for listing nonsensical citations.
High school credits taken at an outside institution must first receive approval from the Instructional Team in order to be considered as part of the students’ academic record. In order to transfer such credit, the following criteria must be met:
- course may not be currently offered in the Digital Course Catalog
- course must receive prior Administrator approval and be taken at an accredited institution
- course completion must be reflected on an official transcript
- Official Transcript must be delivered by the outside institution directly to ASU Prep Digital either via U.S. mail or via secure electronic delivery.
Unsealed or electronically forwarded documents do not count as secure transmission. Courses taken at a community college or university will transfer in as weighted credit on a 5.0 scale. External courses taken while enrolled full-time in another institution will not be awarded unless it is reflected on the prior institution’s Official Transcript.
Returning to School After Significant Illness, Injury or Surgery
To maintain the health and safety of our students, it is essential that we receive current information on a child who is returning to school after a period of absence. In the event that a student is absent for three or more consecutive days, is hospitalized, has a need to go to the Emergency Room, or has a change in their functional status due to illness or injury, please provide the Learning Success Coach with documentation from the physician noting any change in medications or restrictions including start date, date of return to school, or changes in activities. ASU Prep Digital students who are unable to attend school full time due to chronic health issues may apply for Chronic Illness Status by completing a Certification of Student with Chronic Illness form. All documentation must be sent to the academy social worker for approval.
ASUPD aims to promote mutual respect, civility, safety, and orderly conduct within the bounds of a safe and secure online learning environment. It is critical that all students, parents/guardians, teachers/staff, and other stakeholders maintain respectful and courteous interactions and adhere to conduct that promotes success in college, career, and life. As such, the presence of a positive, congenial, and collaborative relationship between all stakeholders is of the utmost importance.
No person shall:
- Use profanity, insults, or other disparaging remarks towards students or staff in any form (verbal, non-verbal, or written communication)
- Knowingly misrepresent, mischaracterize, or misquote information received from others (verbal, non-verbal, or written communication)
- Make threats to students or staff in any form (verbal, non-verbal, or written communication)
- Intentionally cause or threaten harm toward student or staff (physical, emotional, or otherwise)
- Intentionally cause damage or destruction of school property, (physical/electronic, etc.). This includes property belonging to any ASUPD student, faculty, or staff
- Intentionally cause disruption in courses, events, school programs, or other affiliated activities
- Intimidate, harass, or discriminate against students or staff on the basis of race, ancestry, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws
- Refuse to comply with any reasonable request of identifiable school officials in the course of performing their duties
- Take photos, videos, and/or recordings of students or staff (virtually or in person) without the written consent of ASU Prep Digital
- Deliberately provoke or encourage others to commit any acts as prohibited by the ASUPD student/parent handbook or by law
- Violate any federal, state, or local laws
Violations of the Civility Code shall be reported to the Administrative Team for review. Upon investigation, ASUPD and its Administrative Team reserves the right to pursue action including but not limited to: warning, withdrawal, administrative discipline, expulsion, or in severe cases, pursuit of civil or criminal legal action for any party in violation of the Civility Code.
Code of Conduct
As a member of the ASU Prep Digital family, you will be expected to uphold the rules, policies, and procedures of our school. The Online Code of Conduct for students includes the following:
- Reach for new content and skills and make them your own.
- Participate in online course discussions and other activities on a regular, substantial basis
- Review course requirements; organize and schedule work.
- Be persistent as you read, study, research, plan, and accomplish work.
- Learn and practice the new technology skills needed for assignments and interaction.
- Keep an open mind, and consider different perspectives and opinions.
- Participate in online discussions with thoughtful posts that build upon previous ideas and information.
- Contribute toward an online class environment that supports and encourages creativity and sharing.
- Use the support and ideas of your online community to participate in the creative process of learning.
- Treat your classmates and teacher with courtesy and respect.
- Think before you communicate; avoid derogatory, dismissive, or overly critical comments.
- Support others in learning by providing constructive feedback, resources, and information.
- Post questions in the message board so that other students can benefit from the clarifications and solutions provided by your teacher or the learning community.
- By your comments and actions, show your appreciation for the contributions of others.
- Welcome and value the diversity, expertise, and insights of the learners in your class.
- Be honest in your representations of your background and education when sharing with your teacher and classmates.
- Submit work that is your own.
- Follow copyright laws, and give credit when using the work of others.
- Be an active, dependable member when participating in group activities.
Student Rights, Privileges, and Responsibilities
At ASU Prep Digital, we wholeheartedly believe that you should have special rights and privileges as a student in the school. You are placing a great deal of trust in ASU Prep Digital, and we plan to place that same trust in you. With those rights and privileges, though, comes great responsibility. You are expected to be a self-directed learner and, as such, you will be required to commit significant time and energy to your academics.
In return, ASU Prep Digital offers you the following rights and privileges:
- Access to a world-class, rigorous education that will prepare you for success in college, career, and life
- Access to a safe, diverse, and inclusive learning environment that fosters the intellectual, personal, social, and ethical development of all students
- Access to the ASU Library and other digital resources to make your learning experience productive, and meaningful
- Access to learning opportunities that promote critical thinking and problem-solving, and that prepare you to apply what you have learned to real-world situations
- Ability to choose the direction of your learning and studies as you navigate through the digital school program
- Access to state-of-the art, 21st-century digital tools to facilitate learning, collaboration, and communication
- Access to a dynamic learning environment that includes engaging and interactive coursework, robust discourse, and opportunities to collaborate with peers
- Access to regular, timely, and substantial feedback from teachers on assignments and projects, including individualized assistance as needed
The benefits and privileges are numerous for attending ASU Prep Digital. In return for these benefits and privileges, you are asked to acknowledge, adhere, and agree to the following responsibilities:
- Take personal responsibility for your academic performance at all times.
- Follow all ASU Prep Digital policies and procedures as outlined in this orientation course and the student handbook.
- Commit to completing and submitting all assignments on time.
- Conduct yourself in a professional manner at all times and follow the rules of netiquette when interacting with and collaborating in the ASU Prep Digital learning environment.
- Treat all teachers and classmates with respect and refrain from abusive and inappropriate behavior.
- Immediately contact your teacher or academic success coach if you experience harassment, bullying, or any other inappropriate behavior by a classmate or faculty member.
We, the students of ASU Prep Digital, have adopted this code as an affirmation of our commitment to academic integrity and our participation in ethical education. We embrace our duty to uphold ASU’s Honor Code, and in light of that duty, we promise to refrain from academic dishonesty. We pledge to act with integrity and honesty and to promote these values among our peers. We agree to always abide by the Sun Devil Way and uphold the values of ASU Prep Digital.
Academic Integrity
Academic Integrity, as defined by ASU Prep Digital, is the set of core values and principles that drive our mission of providing a personalized academic program that empowers you to complete college, excel in a global society, and contribute to your community. ASU Prep Digital reserves the right to require additional Discussion Based Assessments and proctored exams (in person and/or virtual).
Academic: your educational experience.
Integrity: to act with honesty.
Having academic Integrity means that students submit work that is truly their own. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:
- Direct Plagiarism – A word-for-word transcription of a section of someone else’s work, without citation and without quotation marks. This also includes allowing another student to copy your work.
- Mosaic Plagiarism – Sometimes called “patchwriting,” which entails borrowing phrases, as opposed to complete sentences, but not using a citation.
- Using an Academic Broker – Allowing another person to complete coursework on your behalf.
- Using AI – Using an artificial intelligence site (ChatGPT, Bard, etc.) to fully complete your coursework.
- Self-plagiarism – submitting work that is the same or significantly the same as you previously submitted for another class without approval from your teacher.
Consequences for Academic Integrity Violations
Consequences for Academic Integrity violations can include but are not limited to:
First Offense
- Teacher phone call to parent/guardian
- Resubmit assignment for full credit or complete alternative assessment for full credit with completion
- Offense will be noted in the school’s disciplinary system
- K-3 infractions will be handled on a case by case basis
Second Offense
- Completing online module “Understanding Academic Integrity at ASU Prep Digital” within 48 hours of course assignment. Failure to respond will result in immediate lockout of course and administrator phone call.
- Teacher phone call to parent/guardian
- Redo the original assignment with academic integrity. Receive reduced grade (50%) on assignment.
- Offense will be noted in the school’s disciplinary system
- K-3 infractions will be handled on a case by case basis
Third Offense
- Automatic zero on assignment
- Student and parent/guardian meeting with Administration and LSC.
- Offense will be noted in the school’s disciplinary system
- Voluntary withdrawal or expulsion
Student
- Completes Academic Integrity module in student orientation (K-3 completion with parent or guardian)
- Submits only original work
- Protects their original work (do not post online or share with another student)
- Communicates with teacher or Learning Success Coach if unsure about any aspect of academic integrity expectations
- Never shares username or password
Parent/Guardian
- Attends Parent Orientation Webinar (academic integrity is discussed)
- Monitors student work to ensure only original work is submitted
- Discusses academic integrity and the consequences with your child
- Notifies LSC and instructors when traveling for IP address monitoring
Teachers
- Use internet-based screening software to detect plagiarism
- Monitor live lessons, discussion boards, and assessments to ensure originality of all submitted work
- Complete check-in calls and Discussion Based Assessments (DBAs) with students to discuss course content
- Monitor IP Addresses
- Facilitate randomized proctored exams (face to face and virtual)
Academic Integrity Email Address
Misconduct
Misconduct refers to non-academic misconduct by a student. Misconduct is defined as:
- Interfering with the orderly conduct of an examination, lecture, tutorial or other teaching class, or impairing or hindering the learning or assessment performance of others
- Impairing or undermining the reputation of ASU Prep Digital, its courses or assessments
- Gaining or seeking to gain an unfair advantage in relation to any work submitted for assessment or dishonestly helping others to gain an unfair advantage
- Collusion
Examples of Misconduct are:
- The use of profanity, sexually explicit comments or threatening comments toward school staff or other students in any verbal or written communication
- Disrupting the orderly conduct of live lessons, tutoring sessions, discussion boards or any school activity
- Refusing to comply with any reasonable request of identifiable school personnel performing their duties
- Violating any federal or state statute
Consequences from misconduct violations can include but are not limited to:
First Offense
- Documentation of incident
- Parent contact by teacher and/or administration
Second Offense
- Formal reprimand
- Documentation of incident
- Parent contact by Administration
Third Offense
- Possible short-term suspension
- Student Conduct Agreement
- Parent contact by administration
Fourth Offense
- Possible long-term suspension and/or expulsion from ASU Prep Digital
- Parent contact by administration
ASU Prep Digital Technology Acceptable Use Policy
Introduction: ASU Preparatory Academy is committed to integrating technology into the educational experience, including for our remote students. To ensure a safe and productive digital environment, we have established the following Technology Acceptable Use Policy. This policy applies to all remote students who utilize personal devices for school-related activities and are issued school Google Workspace accounts.
General Guidelines:
- Purpose: ASU Prep issued user accounts and licenses hosted on personal devices should be utilized solely for school-related activities.
- Monitoring: The school utilizes Gaggle to monitor online activities within the Google Workspace accounts to ensure the safety and well-being of our students. This includes monitoring for self-harm, bullying, and other inappropriate behaviors.
- Respectful Use: Students must use technology respectfully and responsibly, following all school rules and guidelines.
Specific Policies:
- Account Security:
- Students are assigned individual login credentials for accessing school technology. These credentials should be kept confidential and must not be shared with others.
- Students are responsible for all activities that occur under their login credentials. Sharing credentials is a violation of this policy and will result in disciplinary action.
- Monitoring and Privacy:
- The school reserves the right to monitor activities conducted within the school-issued Google Workspace accounts. This includes internet browsing history, emails, chats, and other online interactions.
- Gaggle will be used to monitor and ensure the safety and well-being of students by detecting self-harm, bullying, and other inappropriate behaviors.
- ASU Preparatory Academy complies with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) by implementing web filtering within the Google Workspace to block inappropriate content and ensure safe online experiences for students.
- ASU Preparatory Academy does not monitor internet usage on personal devices and is not responsible for any content accessed on such devices.
- Google Workspace Accounts:
- ASU Preparatory Academy issues students school Google Workspace accounts. These accounts are monitored for safety and compliance with school policies.
- Students are not allowed to use their Google Workspace accounts to sign up for inappropriate websites or services.
- Personal Devices:
- While using personal devices, students must ensure that their devices are secure and protected with appropriate antivirus and anti-malware software.
- Students are encouraged to use web filtering tools to enhance online safety and compliance with the school’s guidelines while working outside the school’s network.
- Digital Citizenship:
- Students must adhere to the principles of digital citizenship, which include respecting others online, not engaging in cyberbullying, and using technology ethically and responsibly.
- Any form of cyberbullying, harassment, or inappropriate online behavior will result in disciplinary action as outlined in the student handbook.
Consequences for Violation: Violations of this Technology Acceptable Use Policy will result in disciplinary actions which may include, but are not limited to:
- Loss of technology privileges within the school’s Google Workspace
- Parent/guardian notification
- Additional consequences as outlined in the student handbook
Gaggle
ASU Prep has partnered with Gaggle to help support student safety and well-being when using school-provided devices and platforms. ASU Prep will use the Gaggle Safety Management solution to keep watch over content students produce through their school-issued Google accounts to help us identify those who are in need of help.
Gaggle uses a powerful combination of technology and human intelligence to review students’ use of online tools and provide real-time analysis of potentially concerning behavior or content. Gaggle alerts school officials during and after school hours if students show signs of self-harm, depression, thoughts of suicide, substance abuse, cyberbullying, credible threats of violence against others, or other harmful situations. With Gaggle, ASU Prep is better equipped to proactively identify students who are struggling, provide support where needed, and foster a safer school environment.
Monitored software includes the following school-issued asuprep.org accounts:
- ASU Prep Google Drive (Google docs, Google sheets, etc)
- ASU Prep Google Email (asuprep.org email accounts)
- ASU Prep Google Calendar
Personal software and hardware systems will NOT be monitored, including:
- Personal email accounts including personal gmail account
- Personal Google Drive accounts
- Personal hardware (local and/or external)
Use of school-issued accounts for personal use is not permitted and is subject to monitoring to ensure that appropriate and safe behaviors are exhibited. Privacy in communications when using any ASU Prep Digital Accounts are not guaranteed.
Any family can choose to stop using ASU Prep issued accounts at any time. None of these platforms/tools are required components of any course. Families may choose to use personal Google Drive, Email and Calendar accounts in lieu of those issued by ASU Prep. No personal accounts are or can be monitored by ASU Preparatory Academy via Gaggle. Additionally, contact information can be updated within our Student Information System so that communication is sent to personal email addresses only.
Cyber Bullying
Cyberbullying involves the use of information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated and hostile behavior by an individual or group, intended to harm others.
Examples of CyberBullying include but are not limited to:
- Mean text messages or emails
- Rumors sent by email or posted on social networking sites
- Sending embarrassing pictures or videos
Becoming a global citizen at ASU Prep Digital will encompass collaborating and connecting with students and teachers around the world using the latest technology. Online audio, video and texting tools will be used along with email, personal phone calls and texts to provide an enhanced global experience between students.
School-wide Rules against Cyberbullying:
- Students will not cyberbully other students
- Students will help students who are cyberbullied
- Students will tell an ASU Prep Digital staff member and an adult at home when we know cyberbullying is occurring
Consequences for cyberbullying can lead to dismissal from ASU Prep Digital.
Any cyberbullying issues can be reported anonymously by email to: ASUPrepDigitalCyberBullying@asu.edu.
Communication Expectations
Email, Phone and Texting
Students communicate regularly with their teachers through email, phone and text messaging. Responding in a timely manner to all communication helps build a more connected community at ASU Prep Digital. Best practices for these communication tools include but are not limited to the following:
- Reading and responding to email is expected on all days school is in session
- Email is to be used for school-related work between students and teachers and/or students to students
- Sending bulk email is prohibited
Phone/Texting
- Regular phone communication and texting is an expectation between students/parents and teachers/Learning Success Coaches
- Students will discuss academic material with their teacher(s) via phone on a monthly basis
- Students are required to have a working voicemail system for faculty and staff to leave messages
- Inappropriate texting, including sending electronic photographs or videos with nudity, is strictly prohibited
- ASU Prep Digital is not responsible for costs associated with long distance phone calls, use of data or school-related apps, or texting. Please check with your phone provider to know your specific phone plan.
Live Lessons
All 6th – 12th grade courses will include a weekly live lesson. Student attendance and participation is an integral part of bridging the online content to real-world applications as well as collaboration opportunities with peers around the globe. For grades 6-12, the weekly calendar of live lessons can be found on the course home page. For grades K-5, a weekly/daily playlist will be provided to keep students on track and ready to learn in their assigned classes. This includes a daily Morning Huddle lasting between thirty and forty-five minutes and Live Lesson lasting between forty-five minutes and one hour. These are conducted with the whole class via video conference. K-5 students also have two Sun Devil Learning blocks for additional support.
See the Khan World School Appendix for specific information around live lessons for the program.
A discussion board forum contributes to the development of critical-thinking skills and allows time for thoughtful, in-depth reflection on course topics. By facilitating a global, exploratory learning platform to respond to the work of others, discussion boards pave the way to approach your own learning in diverse ways.
Discussion boards are used for educational discussions that pertain directly to the course and not for social conversation. Being thoughtful to differences of opinions allows everyone to contribute to the topic while also allowing intense discussions.
When posting on the discussion board in your course, be sure to abide by the following rules:
- All posts are to be on topic and within the scope of the course material
- Be respectful of opinions that differ from your own
- Read all the posts in a discussion board before posting to avoid repetition
- Avoid plagiarism by giving proper credit when referencing or quoting another source
- Be open minded and push yourself to truly consider differing opinions
- Never insult or make fun of another student’s post
- Avoid slang words and use concise language
Discussion Board posts will be evaluated by your teacher to determine your understanding of an idea or concept that has been presented in a lesson. Before composing your response, it is always a good idea to refer to the discussion board rubric that will be used to evaluate your work. K-3 students may need to upload video recordings or images to participate in discussion boards.
Discussion Based Assignments (DBAs)
Students are required to participate and earn passing grades for Discussion Based Assessments (DBAs) throughout each course via phone or real-time web conferencing. DBAs are oral assessments where the teacher and student talk about specific coursework, giving students a chance to demonstrate course mastery. Students are encouraged to have notes and the lessons available as references for the discussions.
The frequency and timing of DBAs varies by course. DBA information and due dates can be found within course modules, grade book, and the Pace Reporting tab in Canvas. Students should contact their teacher(s) to arrange a time to complete. Timely completion of DBAs is a requirement to remain in good academic standing and to successfully complete the course. Per Academic Integrity reasons, only one DBA per course per day is permitted.
See Khan World School Appendix for specifics on requirements for the program.
Students have the right and the responsibility to respect the rights and property of others. If a student fails to fulfill responsibilities regarding conduct, disciplinary action will follow. Each student is entitled to due process. This means that the student must be informed of the allegations and have an opportunity to respond.