County students at Virtual fulfill graduation requirements online

Fifteen-year-old Jared Smith sat in a high school classroom for the last time on Monday.

No, he's not a Doogie Howser kind of genius graduating early. He's not being home-schooled by his mom. And he's not dropping out.

He'll still be taking the same Clark County School District classes as other sophomores, but through Virtual High School, a sort of "Tron" educational environment where he completes homework, takes test and even communicates with his teacher and classmates on the Internet through instant messaging and in chat rooms.

No extra cost is involved and there's still a student prom. A campus at Flamingo Road and McLeod Drive provides a meeting place for students who want face-to-face help.

"For some students, I will go the entire semester and not hear their voices," said Kelli Sommer, chairwoman of Virtual's English department.

Virtual High School -- opened in 2004-05 -- is nothing new. It has 150 full-time students, but projects 12,000 total enrollments this school year. That's because online courses are now available to students at all 49 district high schools this year, allowing them to remain at their home schools while retaking a class or two through Virtual.

Under new Superintendent Dwight Jones, the district is relying on online courses more than ever and students have jumped at the new opportunity. About one-third of Virtual students are seniors playing catchup on the credits they need. In a district where half of its 20,000 seniors started the school year behind, it advances a critical goal: get them to graduation.

Jones wants to increase Virtual's enrollment to 30,000 in 2012-13. That equates to about one in 10 students taking online courses in Clark County, the nation's fifth-largest district of just over 300,000 students. The district also is developing plans to make online courses available in middle schools.

CLASSROOM VERSUS COMPUTER

Just one course is how it started for Jared Smith.

He was more or less forced into it because Boulder City High School cut the biology class he needed, forcing students to take it in a school computer lab. Next came the question of how he should approach taking Spanish.

"He was going to school to take a class he could take at home," said Jared's mother, Susie Smith. "He asked, 'Can't I do all my classes this way?' "

But are students such as Jared Smith, who opt for an online education, skipping the growing pains of high school, the bedrock of TV shows and films such as "Beverly Hills, 90210," "American Pie," and "The Breakfast Club"?

Does the online experience lack the imperatives of the classroom, such as having to work with others or developing social skills that are also needed in the workplace?

That was Susan Chmura's concern when her daughter, now a senior who has attended Virtual the past four years, enrolled at the school. Chmura fondly remembers her high school days of being a cheerleader, going to football games and being with friends.

"There's so much more than the academics," Chmura said. "With this, it would be so easy to stay in your pajamas and not do anything."

As for those just making up a class or two, they're still going to school, but does an improved graduation rate come at a cost? Is an online course separate and still equal?

High schools seem to think the benefits outweigh possible pitfalls and have set aside Virtual computer labs on their campuses. About a dozen high schools had these labs last year. Now, half of the district's 49 high schools have Virtual labs.

Clark High School was one of the first, and its lab is full every period each day, used by about 260 students this semester, Principal Jill Pendleton said.

"Every school should have this for every period," English teacher Elizabeth Hammel said Thursday.

PARENTAL FEARS NOT REALIZED

Susan Chmura's concern that her daughter, Heather, would miss out on experiences because of Virtual turned out to be unfounded, she said. Heather's taken a key role in the family's business, becoming one of the youngest managers in Wetzel's Pretzels national chain. The family owns two Wetzel's locations in Las Vegas and another business. Heather manages all three and also has started to take a behind-the-scenes role in bookkeeping.

"People say we're the anti-social kids, but look at me," said Heather while taking a break from Wetzel's at Las Vegas Premium Outlets-South. "I'm dealing with people all day. This has taught me lots of things, real world experiences."

Heather was on Virtual's student council for two years and is a member of the National Honor Society at her home school, Desert Oasis High School.

Jared Smith was concerned this summer that he might be missing out and briefly went back to Boulder City High School this fall.

"But there's a lot of wasted time in school, like today," he said Monday of students coming in late or causing trouble.

He still sees all his friends on the year-round swim team, the Boulder City-Henderson Heatwave. His demanding practice schedule was his main reason for switching to Virtual.

FORMAT NOT SUITED FOR EVERYONE

Students attend Virtual for all kinds of reasons.

Laura Martinez, 17, has a 1-year-old daughter and couldn't spend all day in class. Plus, Virtual has a young parents club.

Zhanae Hawkins was at Liberty High School for three years but was falling behind.

"School wasn't working," she said of switching to Virtual her senior year to make a mad dash to graduation. "I'm terrible at sitting in the classroom and listening for hours."

She went against the opinions of her friends to make the switch.

"My friends called me a dropout," Hawkins said. "I'm just focusing on me, graduating."

Virtual is not for everyone. It requires self-motivation, Heather Chmura said.

"There's no teacher nagging you to get everything done," she said, suggesting it is a good fit for focused students.

It also fits those seeking redemption, said Clark High School teacher Hammel, surveying a classroom of juniors and seniors.

"Every one of them is motivated because they want to graduate," Hammel said.

But are they learning what they need? Is it an equivalent education?

"I think it might hurt me in college," Chmura said. "I've never had a closed-book test in four years."

Then again, college professors expect a lot from students. No one will hold their hands in college, same as at Virtual High School.

PUSHING STUDENTS AND TEACHERS

As for Virtual's requirements for passing classes, teachers and students contend it takes more effort, not less than is required at regular high school, and from teachers as well as students.

Andrea Damore taught in the classroom for four years, but being a Virtual teacher has forced her to be more creative, she said. Her students don't take multiple-choice tests. They could just search the Internet for the answer.

"I don't ask, 'Who was the first president?' " Damore said. "I don't ask 'what' but 'why.' "

Students must apply their knowledge. For example, her U.S. government students last year had to go to the New York Times' website and use a feature to decide what to cut from the federal budget to balance it. They then had to defend their reasoning.

"It makes me think outside of the box more," Jared Smith said. "Learn, not memorize."

Plus, students get more one-on-one time. Teachers have office hours, are available by phone, texting and emailing during the day and into the evening. They also are required to visit struggling students.

"You can always get a hold of teachers somehow," Heather Chmura said.

Oversight of Damore and 11 other Virtual teachers is also intensive, Virtual Curriculum Administrator Lynda Spann said Wednesday. She can log on to a course at any time and see every single thing that class is doing or has done. In a regular classroom, she would only get a snapshot of what's going on by observing from the back.

"They're under the microscope in an online world," Spann said.

ASSESSING QUALITY OF EDUCATION

There is an objective way to test claims that a virtual education is equal to or better than attending traditional school: Nevada's high school proficiency exams. Every high school student, including those at Virtual, must come to school to take these standardized tests in science, reading and math. To graduate, they must pass. No outside help. No Internet.

And the pass rate for Virtual's full-time students is noticeably higher than the average for the district or state. About 87 percent of Virtual students who took the math test in 2010-11 passed. All who took the reading test passed, and 90 percent passed the science test. The district and state pass rates hover around 70 percent.

Virtual also was one of only 10 district schools ranked as high-achieving under No Child Left Behind in 2010-11. But the statistics don't attract Jared Smith's younger sister to Virtual. She sees her brother still asleep when she leaves for school.

"And he's playing video games in his sweats when she comes home," Susie Smith said. "I think it's in her head a little bit."

Some parents tell Smith they wish Virtual had been around when they were young. "Others say they wouldn't have missed those years for the world."

Contact reporter Trevon Milliard at tmilliard@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0279.

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Comments

Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background.

1. james.lee Feb. 24, 2012 | 2:04 p.m. Report Abuse

   The most important thing is that the child is learning at a level and pace that keeps the mind stimulated and motivated to learn more. I think it's great that there are a number of methods to educate a child because different learning environments are sometimes necessary and will produce better results for different types of students. Odyssey Charter Schools is a good example of a hybrid approach to K12 education by offering a home-school type learning program combined with a social aspect from grades 8-12 by having once a week meetings in a small and focused classroom setting.

2. rebelmadness08 Nov. 6, 2011 | 2:42 p.m. Report Abuse

   Wow so students that are retaking classes that are graduating make it a better school? This article lacks fundamental fact checks for how many students are in the curriculum for a full 4 year career?How many of these were already great students before going into their online class environment? How many students are from white families and are maybe part of white flight? How many students are getting outside tutoring help from parents and grandparents? Until those basic questions can be answered with a statistical analysis then this article along with education bashers have no more substance behind them then santa clause.

3. n7v.blogspot.com Nov. 6, 2011 | 12:43 p.m. Report Abuse

   Jared Smith said there's a lot of wasted time in school, like today
   
   Public babysitting.
   
   If the virtual school model is the correct one, why must such schools be government funded?

4. American values Nov. 6, 2011 | 11:01 a.m. Report Abuse

   Hmmm...might be a good thing if it raises graduation rates and student REALLY learn. Oh, and it may help reduce teacher/student sexual relations...
   
   What REALLY needs to happen is the the Federal Dept. of Education should be shutdown and each State handle it's own educational system...like it is supposed to...the one size fits all from DC is intrusive control into education.
   
   WE NEED people in office that have American Values, Traditions, and Principles. The type that made US the strongest, bravest, most prosperous nation on Earth. Vote RIGHT in 2012!.

5. N. NV. Vol. FF Nov. 6, 2011 | 9:33 a.m. Report Abuse

   My step-son is enrolled in a "virtual" school in Utah. Although his grades have improved markedly, I'm worried about the lack of socialization that he is not being exposed to. Sure, there are no problems at this time with that. But in the coming years, how will this lack of social skills affect him when he turns 18 and has to go out and get a job? How will this affect him in asking a girl out? Brick and mortar schooling is so much more than just learning Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic. My wife thinks his grades are the most important factor. I just can't get myself to agree since I'm not sold on the idea of not having to get up, get dressed, and get my butt off to school like all of us oldsters had to when we were that age.

6. rascal Nov. 6, 2011 | 8:31 a.m. Report Abuse

   At least the students won't have to face those high priced teachers. By the way, is the CCSD going to deliver the free lunches. It's such a wonderful life not to have any responsibilities

7. Paul Devlin Nov. 6, 2011 | 8:20 a.m. Report Abuse

   All good, but...... The problem remains that the students must still attend the zoned high school- the work cannot be completed anywhere else. Thus the student is still exposed to the dangers of getting to and from a high population, 3000 plus school at 7 am every morning, creepy teachers, passing period hassles, bully behavior plus the excessive and needless drama of Las Vegas high school culture. Yes, we have some pockets of goodness, even excellence in these large "Government" schools, but the vast majorities of high school students are lost in fog and are exposed to things parents either do not know about or if they did, would be appalled. The best virtual schools are the charters (Beacon, K12, Nevada Virtual, etc.) in Las Vegas. They are really like the Agassi Academy - a public school that operates like a private school.

8. 40-oz Nov. 6, 2011 | 8:02 a.m. Report Abuse

   This has been working in Australia's Outback for years. No brick and nortar, no buses, fewer teachers. opps sorry teach.

9. Oscar.Jones Nov. 6, 2011 | 7:39 a.m. Report Abuse

   Home schooled is safer for kids. It does require motivation and self discipline, most kids don't have. But for determined kids, and highly motivated kids, there aren't the Social Distractions, that exist at Public Schools. Parents should stand behind this safer alternative for their kids. Public Schools fail, because of the ratio of underachievers that pull other kids down. Making it a Social Statement to NOT apply yourself to achieve.