Strong Connections
- Students meet daily in their virtual Mentor Class Connection Groups
- Mentor Teachers create meaningful relationships that inspire personal and academic success
- Quarterly Connection Days enable students to meet in-person at our school building to work with teachers, meet their peers, get support with coursework, and participate in other fun activities!
- Wednesdays’ (9am-3pm) offer in-person drop-in support days. All faculty is in the building ready to support students with any in-person help they may need
- A sense of community and belonging is built through in-person and virtual social events
- Students are always encouraged to reach out (via text, email, Schoology message, or phone call) to teachers whenever needed or helpful. Teachers are also available throughout the week at the school building for scheduled office hours that students are encouraged to attend for extra in-person support.
Asynchronous Course Material
- Course material is available online 24/7 on Schoology
- Students have the flexibility to complete school work during the school day, on the evenings, and during weekends from anywhere they choose
- Students may work ahead or revise coursework to master the material
- Coursework includes low-risk practice, rigorous measures of competency, consistent course structures, common grading categories, and an emphasis on feedback and revision
- Attendance is based on daily completion of coursework
Synchronous Live Learning Sessions
- Teachers lead Live Learning Sessions over Zoom for each course
- Live instruction allows students to collaborate with their peers, ask questions of the teacher, and interact with the content on a deeper level
- Teachers utilize trauma-informed teaching practices to engage and support students
- Live Learning Sessions are encouraged but optional for students to attend
6 COMMITMENTS
Engage
I show up. I bring my authentic self and my ideas. I participate in Live Learning, complete my work and collaborate with others.
- Student
- Show up and be present in course activities and live learning.
- Stay on track by completing one week’s worth of work in each class every week.
- Prioritize and accomplish multiple projects and responsibilities.
- Show an openness to learn from and collaborate with others.
- Staff Member
- Notice and respond when students are not engaging.
- Bring authentic self to the classroom and provide students with engaging learning opportunities.
- Support students in creating optimal schedules to prioritize school work.
- Recognize student and family backgrounds, culture, gender identity, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, belief system and language in order to offer the highest level of support.
- Caring Adult
- Support students in attending all Live Learning classes and communicate with the school staff when your student is absent.
- Set aside a work space and protect 30-35 hours per week for the student to complete coursework.
Communicate
I respond and reach out. I make every effort possible to follow the “24-hour rule”.
- Student
- Communicate when life obligations present challenges.
- Respond within 24 hours.
- Contribute new ideas.
- Ask clarifying questions.
- Staff Member
- Caring Adult
- Maintain a “24-hour” rule in responding to school team attempts to communicate.
- Make the school team aware when any changes are made to family contact information.
Follow Through
I do what I say I will do. I create plans and make things happen.
- Student
- Create and follow a daily schedule to prioritize your academic success and revise as needed.
- Follow through on appointments, plans and goals you make with staff and for yourself.
- Staff Member
- Keep our word and follow through with students and staff.
- Provide students with timely feedback on their assignments.
- Support students in creating a weekly schedule.
- Caring Adult
- Utilize the Schoology Parent Account to monitor grades and progress on a weekly basis.
- Support students in following through with their schedules and plans made with the school team.
- Attend meetings that are requested by the school team.
Strive for Growth
I take advantage of the opportunities to grow. I apply feedback to constantly improve.
- Student
- Use feedback to reflect and revise your work.
- Push yourself to show growth toward competencies.
- Explore and develop your passions for your future.
- Be open to new ideas and learning from different cultural perspectives and experiences.
- Staff Member
- Provide actionable feedback in a method that students understand.
- Own our mistakes and seek to make things right.
- Reflect on our biases and take actions to create an inclusive environment for all students.
- Provide instruction and support toward meeting competency.
- Caring Adult
- Support students in exploring passions and interests outside the classroom.
- Support students in creating, monitoring and celebrating academic and personal goals.
Persevere
I will experience mistakes, failures, and challenges. I deserve the opportunity to bounce back.
- Student
- Recognize the challenge involved with learning in this environment and be prepared for things to not go exactly as planned.
- Consider mistakes as an opportunity to learn and grow.
- Stick with a task even when it’s challenging or when some information may be unknown.
- Staff Member
- Provide opportunities for students to stick with tasks even when they are challenging.
- Provide multiple entry points and paths to success for students to facilitate perseverance.
- Caring Adult
- Accept that students will make mistakes, learn from them, and move forward.
Advocate
I speak up for myself and others. I ask for help. I advocate for social justice to make our community better.
- Student
- Speak up for yourself and others.
- Communicate your needs and aspirations and seek out support to create opportunities.
- Empathize with the viewpoints of others when working on a problem.
- Ask for support, resources, assistive technology and translated materials if needed so I can perform to the best of my ability.
- Staff Member
- Listen to and accept students’ individuality and advocate for students’ needs.
- Build opportunities to create a community focused on equity, inclusion, and social justice.
- Honor students’ cultural background and languages in order to demonstrate that they are critical to making our community stronger.
- Caring Adult
- Encourage students to reach out to school team members when they need support.
- Reach out to school staff when students need academic or social-emotional support.
NETWORK OF SUPPORT
Mentor Teacher and Advisem*nt Course
- Each student meets with their Mentor Teacher daily on Zoom in their Advisem*nt Class and earns credit for attendance
- Advisem*nt courses focus on social-emotional learning, college/career exploration and planning, community building connections, and developing learning skills.
- Mentor Teachers act as the student’s primary faculty connection, helping students overcome obstacles, advocate for their needs, access extra supports, get involved with special opportunities, and intentionally build connections with others at the school
Counselor
- Counselors help students build, modify, and navigate their course schedules
- Students are encouraged to meet with their Counselors in order to make any changes to their schedules; apply for concurrent enrollment; earn credit for work study, service learning, or independent study credit; or talk with a trusted adult about any challenge they may be facing inside of a specific course or with their course schedule.
Intervention Supports
- IEP: Supports students with differing abilities
- All IEP’s and 504’s will be evaluated for learning environment appropriateness prior to enrollment
- 504: Supports students with additional needs
- Interventions: Supports for students with academic deficits that require additional time, focus, and intensity to help them overcome gaps in learning
- Multilingual Education (MLE): Supports for students in need of ELA-E services
- Gifted & Talented: Denver Online is supporting our gifted and talented students by encouraging differentiated instruction that is rigorous and engaging; by providing, at least one high school level course for eighth graders; focusing on a positive, productive and well-designed online academic environment that encourages and empowers students to perform to their highest potential, provides flexibility in learning via live instruction and through independent work time that meets the needs of diverse learners, and provides and encourages strong social-emotional learning through building strong relationships with teachers and students. Denver Online also provides enrichment activities such as clubs, field trips, alternate assessment, and community events. Our formally identified students are placed in a GT-specific Advisem*nt class where they can receive tailored support, get help completing paperwork, and socialize with their peers.
- Social/Emotional: Social workers and school psychologists provide whole-child supports
