'We're at a loss right now:' EVSC parents express concerns with Virtual Academy onboarding
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – With many Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. students still without computer devices and login information for the EVSC Virtual Academy, some parents are considering other options.
Jill Young's 7-year-old daughter, Lola Hill, is set to start first grade at the Virtual Academy. But with EVSC schools reopening on Wednesday, Young and other parents still haven't received information about the online learning program.
"We're just figuring out plan B, because EVSC just hasn't stepped up for us," she said.
Young said she's considering placing Lola into the Indiana Connections Academy due to the district's lack of communication. She submitted an application for Lola's Virtual Academy enrollment three weeks ago, and still hasn't received a login or a message from her teachers.
"We're at a loss right now."
Young said the only information she's seen is the rescheduling of Virtual Academy's computer distribution. Families looking to rent EVSC Chromebooks, iPads and other related devices were scheduled to be able to retrieve them Tuesday, but the event was postponed until Aug. 25.
EVSC spokesman Jason Woebkenberg said the distribution was rescheduled because of the continued enrollment of students this past weekend.
EVSC didn't run out of devices after Monday's distribution, he said. As more families have enrolled their students into the Virtual Academy, the district will need more time to acquire additional devices from schools.
"As enrollment continues to increase right before school starts, we need to get the devices we have that are in the traditional schools, as those students have shifted to the Virtual Academy," the spokesman said.
If enrollment had been shut down weeks ago, the district wouldn't have postponed Tuesday's distribution, Woebkenberg said. Currently, 2,543 students are enrolled in the Virtual Academy. Last year's enrollment was between 75 and 100, he said. That's an increase of more than 2,440%.
Even with the distribution rescheduled, Woebkenberg said students' ability to learn the online material won't be affected. These dates align with the corporation's staggered start dates.
"That distribution will fall in line with the soft start, he said. There's really no reason to be concerned at all. We just wanted to make it more convenient for families since we've continued to take in late enrollment into the academy."
Woebkenberg said teachers are understanding of the distribution delays and will provide support for families still waiting to receive school devices. And unlike synchronous learning, in which a group of students are engaging in learning at the same time, Virtual Academy participants will be able to learn at their own pace.
"Nobody will be marked absent; nobody will fall behind," he said.
However, the rescheduling of Tuesday's distribution has posed problems for many families. Latoya Shepard, who planned to pick up school devices for her son JaVian Shepard, 11, will be unable to make it to the rescheduled date due to work.
"I will not be able to pick up his device, so I'm now a little worried as to why this wasn't thought out a little better," she said.
While Shepard understands the district is overwhelmed with the high volume of students enrolled in the program, she said EVSC's plans should have been mapped better.
"I expected some bumps along the way," Shepard said. "I'm just praying that once all the kinks are out we will have a great year. It's definitely going to be a very challenging learning experience for us all that are new to this."
Woebkenberg said as soon as families complete the entire enrollment process, they will receive login information, directions on how to work through the program and other related details.
"For individuals that made a later decision, we just ask for their patience," he said. "It may take a few days for us to give them the information once they're enrolled in this process.
"We're working with anyone, especially those that are making some late decisions to join the program. We'll get them up to speed and those devices in their hands if they need them."