Below are some frequently asked questions by parents like you. If you don’t see your question in the list, please contact us and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
What if my student has special educational needs?
Special education services will be provided by the sponsoring school district, Crane School District, who have contracted with Baker Web Academy to oversee the administration of special education services at Oregon Family School. Arrangements will be made through a coordination of services between all parties if a student is eligible for special education, or continue services if a child is already identified in the program. An Individualized Education Plan (IEP) will be developed and implemented for eligible students. A charter school is responsible for providing a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for all children with disabilities as required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS (ELL)
Oregon Family School has a certified teacher on staff who is qualified in reading instruction and holds an endorsement in both Spanish and ESOL for students with English language development needs.
TALENTED AND GIFTED (TAG)
High quality instruction will be matched to student’s abilities and interests with the intent of progressing at the student’s rate which will be included in their ILP.
How will my student(s) be assessed?
Initial assessments will be administered on a school-wide basis. These quick-checks will be reviewed by our Reading Specialist and Intervention Team to determine if a child needs additional assessments and further specialized instruction. Parents will be notified if our team recommends additional services. We will be conducting regular quick-checks to monitor student progress throughout the school year. The assessments we do are IN HOUSE and not shared with the state or other agencies. The purpose of our assessments is two-fold: 1) to see where students are starting from, and 2) to monitor progress to assure growth.
STATE TESTING
Oregon Family School is required to administer Oregon state tests in the spring. We encourage all students who are designated to participate to take the tests. However, we will honor all requests of those parents who choose to opt out.
EVIDENCE OF LEARNING SAMPLES & GOAL SETTING
Students are asked to submit evidence of their learning on a weekly basis. These evidence samples can look very traditional, and can also be uniquely presented as in a video performance, art work, or a picture of a homemade project. Students will be asked to set a goal(s) to work toward completing throughout the school year.
What are my responsibilities as a parent/teacher?
1. Abide by Oregon Family School policies.
2. Abide by the student’s ILP agreed upon by the OFS teacher, student, and parent.
3. Be responsible for the portion of schooling that occurs in the home.
4. Be responsive to the direction of the teacher and other OFS staff, communicating with respect and consistently regarding pertinent matters relating to the education of their children.
5. Recognize that OFS staff members have the responsibility to direct parents and students as necessary to comply with health and safety regulations, and to maintain an environment that is conducive to learning for all students.
What are the Physical Education requirements?
Students are expected to fulfill P.E. requirements during the school year. An activities log will be included in each student’s Individual Learning Plan (ILP) to document how and when the requirements are met. A description of P.E. activities will be included in this Handbook.
The Oregon Department of Education requirements are:
Grades K-5 — 150 minutes/week or 30 minutes/day
Grades 6-8 — 225 minutes/week or 45 minutes/day
High School — 1 high school credit required
Do you offer a High School program?
Oregon Family School offers a robust, vigorous, and comprehensive high school program. Our teachers will be meeting with each of our high school students to determine a course of study to meet graduation requirements. Oregon allows students to earn one of four diploma choices: a regular diploma, a modified diploma, an extended diploma, or an alternative certificate. Our teachers will discuss each option with their students to ensure they are on track to achieve their goal.
DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAM
High School students have the option of enrolling in Central Oregon Community College (COCC) while in high school. This is considered being dual enrolled, earning high school credits and college credits concurrently. These students will earn a high school diploma and will have earned additional college credits upon graduation.
How will conferences be conducted?
An initial conference with your child’s teacher is required to fill out an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) and order curriculum. Subsequently, our teachers are available on Monday’s and Friday’s for individual conferences for regular check-ins to set goals, offer suggestions, update ILPs, and gather evidence of progress.
In addition, Oregon Family School will have school-wide conferences which are scheduled three times over the school year. Please see the school calendar for conference dates. Your child’s teacher will be monitoring progress for both academic and developmental growth. Student’s work samples collected during weekly conferences and observations made by the classroom teacher during Community Day will be used for both formative and summative evaluations.
Oregon Family School will use the following terms:
D — Developing, skill development is ongoing
P — Proficient, skill development is proficient, with room for more development
M — Mastery, skill development is mastered
Will my student(s) need to bring a lunch?
Students will need to bring a healthy sack lunch and nutritional snack on Community Days. We ask students not to share their food with others due to dietary restrictions for some of our students. If a family is in need of assistance to provide a lunch and snack for their child(ren), please contact the principal who will make the necessary arrangements for every child to have a lunch and snack while at Community Day. If your child has a food allergy, please contact the school so we can make the necessary arrangements for your child to eat safely.
Will I need to purchase school supplies?
Oregon Family School provides classroom supplies. Occasionally classroom projects may require a few items that teachers will ask students to bring in such as shoe boxes or paper towel tubes which will be requested as needed. As the school year progresses and school supplies need to be replenished, parents are welcome to make a donation in the form of a pre-paid VISA card to be used at the teacher’s discretion to buy new supplies for their classrooms
What is a virtual student?
Oregon Family School is a virtual charter school that offers two options for our students. One option is for the student to attend an onsite community learning day at our school campus in Bend, Oregon (or Redmond, Oregon). Students may choose one day, either Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, to attend Community Day with their peers (Wednesday only in Redmond). The second option is for our OFS students who choose not to attend a Community Day due to location, schedule, or special situations. We call these families “fully virtual” because they have opted out of Community Day.
What are the benefits of being a fully virtual student at OFS?
Chromebook or iPad: Every enrolled student at OFS has the option to receive access to a Chromebook or iPad. The device is returned to OFS at the end of the school year or if the student unenrolls from the program.
Allotment: Every enrolled student will receive a total of $800 to use for instructional purposes ($400 per semester). OFS families may use allotment money to cover curriculum to support at-home instruction and/or instructional extracurricular activities such as lessons in art, music, physical education, etc.
Certified Teachers: Every enrolled student at OFS will be granted full access to a certified teacher that will assist the family in creating an individualized education plan, monitor student progress, and provide access to all of the offerings at the school.
Monday Virtual Classes: OFS offers our students a variety of online classes that take place most Mondays throughout the school year. All of the classes are free and they are taught by a certified teacher at OFS.
Friday Enrichment Classes and Field Trips: If you are located near Bend, Oregon your family may be interested in participating in the on-campus Friday Enrichment classes and field trips offered through OFS. Your virtual student is welcome to attend these activities if it fits for your family.
What is the allotment policy?
Each student receives an allotment fund of $800 per year, divided into $400 per semester. All curriculum and materials purchased by the school must be non-sectarian. Enrichment activities that are instructional may be paid for using allotment funds. Allotment funds may not be used for planners, other parent resources that do not directly correspond to instruction, or general school supplies. Allotment funds may not be used to purchase musical or sports equipment or pay for recreational activities that are not instructional. The school-paid purchases of all books and curriculum must support your child’s Individualized Learning Plan, and be specifically tied to lessons.
What are my curriculum options?
While most curriculum will be deducted from the allotment money, OFS does have a few curriculum options that we offer completely free. When you meet with your teacher, you will be presented with those options.