Two events are coming up in Bend where parents can learn more about Oregon’s leading tuition-free online public school. Oregon Connections Academy (ORCA) will have a booth at the Balloons Over Bend Children’s Festival on Saturday July 25 and the school will host a free Information Session on Monday July 27 in Bend.
According to the school’s recent Parent Satisfaction Survey, the state’s virtual public charter school continues to be popular among parents, with 91 percent of parents recommending ORCA to other families.
On Saturday July 25 the ORCA booth will be at the Balloons Over Bend Children’s Festival at Riverbend Park, 799 SW Columbia Street in Bend starting at 10am.
On Monday July 27 the ORCA Information Session gets underway at 6:30pm at the Shilo Inn, 3105 O.B. Riley Road in Bend. At the Information Session parents and students will have an opportunity to learn about the school’s curriculum, and thoroughly explore the program.
The annual parent survey also indicates 95 percent are satisfied with the helpfulness of their child’s teacher. Ninety-four percent of parents say that the curriculum is high quality and 92 percent agree the program is flexible. See below for more results, or go to this link:
http://www.connectionsacademy.com/oregon-online-school/results/parent-reviews
Additional Survey Findings – 2015 Oregon Connections Academy Parent Satisfaction Survey
• 94 percent of parents agree their children are satisfied with the program
• 90 percent of parents agree that their child/children are making good progress at ORCA
• 88 percent of parents agree that their child/children are enjoying the program
• 87 percent of parents gave the overall ORCA online school program an “A” or “B” grade
• 83 percent of parents are more satisfied with the ORCA program than their child’s/children’s previous school
• 92 percent of parents agree that the use of technology is improving the learning experience
• 91 percent of parents are satisfied with the variety of learning activities
“The feedback we get from parents is very important to us,” said Candy Farthing, executive director for Oregon Connections Academy. “It helps us shape how we deliver our online school program and grow to meet the demands of the future.”
ORCA is the largest online public school in the state, and served over 4,000 students in grades K-12 in the 2014-15 school year. Oregon Connections Academy offers a high-quality, personalized and flexible approach to education. The school provides a top-notch curriculum taught by a highly qualified teaching staff and uses the latest technology tools.
Students work with Oregon-certified teachers online and on the phone while a parent or other adult “Learning Coach” monitors progress in the home. A wide range of students take advantage of Oregon Connections Academy, including those who are ahead or behind in the classroom, individuals living in rural areas, or those who want a more flexible learning schedule.
Several free Information Sessions and Parent-to-Parent meetings have been planned around the state throughout the summer to fulfill the growing number of requests for information from families who might want their students to attend Oregon Connections Academy for the 2015-16 school year. At the Parent-to-Parent meetings, families interested in enrollment can ask questions from parents with students currently enrolled in the program.
For more information about enrollment for the 2015-16 school year and upcoming events, visit www.OregonConnectionsAcademy.com/events or call 800-382-6010.
Oregon Connections Academy (ORCA) is a tuition-free, high-quality, highly accountable statewide online charter school that serves students in grades K–12. The school is authorized by the Scio School District 95C. All Oregon Connections Academy students participate in the award-winning national Connections Academy program that combines high-quality resources from leading publishers with cutting-edge yet easy-to-use technology and hands-on materials. Oregon Connections Academy provides students with the flexibility to learn from anywhere there is an Internet connection and with an innovative online school curriculum that meets rigorous state education standards. The combination of Oregon-certified teachers, a proven curriculum, unique electives, technology tools, and community experiences creates a supportive and successful online learning opportunity for families and children who want an individualized approach to education. Oregon Connections Academy is accredited by the Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC), an accrediting division of AdvancED.
