Colorado Cyberschools Association Blog

Colorado Cyber School Day at the Capitol

2012-02-15T09:41:00.003-07:00

Colorado Cyber Schools Day at the Capitol is hosted by the Colorado Coalition of Cyberschool Familes and the Colorado Cyberschools Association.

It's a day of shared learning, socializing, and celebrating choice in education.

Today is the last day to register! Registration will remain open after today and all families are welcome to attend, but by registering you will receive a free lunch and museum access.

This is the year to show your support of the online public school option!

3 Perspectives of Colorado’s Celebration of Digital Learning Day

2012-02-06T05:00:00.023-07:00

February 1, 2012 was Digital Learning Day, a “nationwide celebration of innovative teaching and learning through digital media and technology that engages students and provides them with a rich, personalized educational experience.” It also happened to be the day before Groundhog Day and two days before the biggest February snowstorm in Denver’s history. Needless to say, it has been an eventful week.

I attended the Colorado Digital Learning Day at the University of Denver with approximately 60 other individuals. Lt. Governor Joe Garcia gave a nice speech and read a proclamation from the Governor promoting digital learning. The crowd was wired, literally. Tweets were flying. Facebook statuses were being updated. The third graders from Clayton Elementary were using their iPads. It was definitely a digital moment.

The day’s main event was a national town hall webcast, which was hosted by Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education, and FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski. This program highlighted the technological efforts of several school districts around the country, including Englewood here in Colorado. There were live interviews with teachers and students who are doing some exciting things with technology in the classroom.

I felt the program did a great job of expanding the emotional bandwidth of teachers and school administrators who are expected to leave no child behind in the global race for academic achievement. Everyone agrees that we need more connectivity to get the remaining 1/3^rd of the US on broadband internet and schools shouldn’t have to use outdated textbooks.The Denver group responded with a semi-audible groan when we heard that every student in Uruguay has a computer and Korea will have no hardback textbooks by 2015.Say what? It was as if we were thrown back into the space race of the 1960s with every other developed and semi-developed country in the world.We were pumped. Bring it on. Let’s go to the digital moon.

Yet, as the program concluded, I found myself somewhat disappointed. It was not because of what I heard but what was not addressed by most of the participants. It seemed the primary focus of the day was the enhancement of education through technological innovation. Little was said about using technology to transform an educational system in desperate need of a makeover.

The difference between enhancement and transformation is what separates contractors from architects. The first group seeks to improve how they build the house. Over time, they purchase better materials and equipment, develop more cost efficient processes, and utilize a higher-skilled workforce. But they do not design the house – they simply build it.

Architects on the other hand love to create and innovate. They are not content with the status quo.They want to preserve functionality and purpose but push the envelope in terms of structure and design.

Education Secretary Duncan admitted that our school calendar is still based on a 20^th century agrarian model that structures education around 9 months a year, five days a week, and 7 hours a day. What he failed to acknowledge was that we also continue to utilize an industrialized educational model based on fixed seat time, group advancement and standardized assessment.

Education needs more than digital text-books and computer based group projects. We need to seriously pursue mastery-based learning that makes achievement the constant and time the variable, allowing students to move forward in their education as an individual regardless of whether they were born before or after September 1. We need adaptive curriculum tailored to a student’s academic progress and learning style. We need to silence the bells that move children from overcrowded rooms to even more crowded rooms every 60 minutes. We need more quality educational choices from which families can select what is best for their children and academically at-risk students can succeed. (We also need post-secondary institutions to stop mandating admissions based on outdated “achievement” criteria and to continue adapting more technology-based learning but that is a topic for a different day).

Overall, the initial Digital Learning Day was a great start to a national discourse long overdue. Millions of teachers, administrators, and students were able to come together via computers, projectors and the internet to applaud innovation and increased achievement.

But let’s not celebrate too little too soon. Technology must be more than just a tool to do school “better.” It must be an instrument by which we transform our educational future. We need teachers and school leaders to be “architects” committed to redesigning new learning models, not just “builders” trying to renovate turn of the century educational brownstones and colonial two-stories.

Even worse, we don’t want to come back next year to only find factoy-like schools in the middle of a corn field overly excited about an internet connection that too easily disconnects in bad weather. If that is the case, they should schedule Digital Learning Day on February 2 and hope it doesn’t snow.

Chuck Wolfe is the Executive Director of Insight School of Colorado, a multi-district, online program of Julesburg RE-1 School District serving full-time students across the State of Colorado. ISCO is a K12 network school and member of the Colorado Cyberschool Association.

Digital Learning Day at the Morgridge College of Education, University of Denver was just one of the hundreds of locations across the country joining the national celebration of the passion, commitment, and innovation that are essential elements of effective and engaging learning in the online environment. One of the things about DLD that I enjoyed the most was the great combination of people in attendance. We had fifth graders, university professors, familiy coalitions, online education providers, librarians, and Lieutenant Governor Joe Garcia sharing their perspective. It's not easy to find opportunities for gathering together creators, facilitators, learners, and policy makers who are all critical to the vision of putting technology to use in 21st century learning settings. We started the day connected to the national online town meeting, which provided the insight of national leaders in digital learning. A very special component was the segment on Englewood High School. It's very clear that Colorado is a leader in digital learning and I expect that next year's Digital Learning Day will provide even more evidence of this leadership and commitment.

Dr. Mary Stansbury is the Associate Professor & Domain Chair for Library & Information Science at University of Denver Morgridge College of Education

The University of Denver was proud to participate in Digital Learning Day by hosting one of Colorado’s DLD local events at the Morgridge College of Education. Both the national and local presentations provided some thoughtful examples of how digital learning is being used to enhance teaching & learning. We really enjoyed the opportunity to hear directly from the 5^th graders from Clayton Elementary about how their teachers are using technology to support learning. Students provided specific examples of how their teachers are using netbooks, clickers, smartboards, podcast feedback, and Web 2.0 technologies like Wallwisher to strengthen their learning experiences. We're looking forward to participating in Digital Learning Day 2013!

Kathy Keairns is the Director of Web-Based Learning, Office of Teaching& Learning and Co-Chair, eLearning Consortiumof Colorado

Colorado Celebrates in Digital Learning Day!

2012-02-02T10:41:00.002-07:00

Kicking February off by participating in the first National Digital Learning Day Celebration made me reflect. Isn’t it wonderful to have the state of Colorado and indeed the nation join us in our efforts to advance educational options for students and in doing so, recognize the merit and some of the challenges in the use of technology to advance learning. While today there was a great focus on the tools and the merit of moving our nation to being a leader rather than a ladder for other less developed countries there was also the recognition of the criticalness of innovative teachers, motivated students, and engaged parents. Another point made by a convert was that they were advised that teachers of the futures were expected to be Guides on the Side rather than the Sage on the Stage.

It should be noted that Senator Bennett and the Englewood School District of Colorado were highlighted as making great advancements through the implementation of technology solutions.

Another Colorado person that was highlighted was Kristen Kipp the 2011 National Online Teacher of the Year. She was a great spokesperson for the teacher’s role in learning online. She shared that there were three things that were critical for success in advancing learning online for students and those were the following:

Students must be connected to the content.

Students must be connected to each other.

Students must be connected to their teacher.

While today was a good kick off for February I am looking forward to an even more powerful celebration of choice in learning on February 23, 2012 when families from all over Colorado who have chosen online learning come together. Our Day at the Capitol this year has the promise of being the biggest and best yet.

Written by Judith Stokes, Assistant Superintendent Branson School Online and President, Colorado Cyberschool Association

Today is Digital Learning Day!

2012-02-01T05:00:00.005-07:00

Lt. Governor Joe Garcia, the Morgridge Family Foundation, and the University Of Denver MorgridgeCollege Of Education invite you to a celebration and sharing of DigitalLearning Day. Please see the invite and agenda below. CCA has been working with the designers of the day and several of our CCA member online schools are planning to participate in the day.

Digital Learning Day Celebration

University of Denver

Ruffatto Hall, 1999 East Evans Ave.,

Denver, CO

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Welcome and Introduction of Lt. Gov. Garcia Mary Stansbury

10:35 a.m.

Importance of Digital Learning Lt. Gov. Garcia

10:35 a.m. – 10:40 a.m.

Proclamation Lt. Gov. Garcia

10:40 a.m. – 10:42 a.m.

Update on Local Digital Learning Efforts Various Attendees

10:42 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

National Town Hall Broadcast All

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Lunch All

12:00 p.m. - 12:15 p.m.

National Town Hall Broadcast All

12:15 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Colorado was a buzzing this past week!!!

2012-01-30T05:00:00.001-07:00

Monday 1.23.12 there was major meeting of the minds to focus on the digital roadmap for Colorado – this was supported by the Independence Institute, Donnell Kay, Colorado Department of Education and even the president of the InternationalAssociation for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) It was glorious to see the range of stakeholders represented including board members from the Colorado Coalition of Cyberschool Families, the range of online school leaders district schools, multi-district schools and programs. While each of these may have unique drivers, missions, and results it was interesting to experience the ebb and flow of conversation and to find sufficient agreement on key areas that a message could be crafted to share with the legislators. With that information, a delegation made up of those who sponsored and facilitated the event extended themselves over lunch with legislators at the University Club that was sponsored by the Independence Institute and Donnell-Kay. The event included an informational presentation by Susan Patrick the President of iNACOL to set the understanding the landscape of digital learning in the US and how Colorado compares as well as how the nation compares to the rest of the world. With the tone set, information shared, then she was available to address the questions on legislators minds. While there is much more work to be done I think it is fair to call this day a successful start to laying out priorities for the critical roadmap of Digital Learning in Colorado.

Wednesday 1.25.12— what a day of focus on parents Standing for Choice—I was honored to represent CCA on a panel for an online workshop entitled “Advocacy Academy” which was hosted by one of our associate members the Colorado Coalition ofCyberschool Families (CCCF). What an informative and professionally delivered workshop. The material was concise, delivered with authenticity and enthusiasm by Parents who have worked to inform policy makers while continuing to support their families. This workshop was recorded and by all means needs to be shared with all parties who have a desire to make a difference by having their voice heard and their choice in education known. Please download the webinar here.

As a part of National School Choice Week I wanted to make sure that CCA was represented at the major event at the Douglas County Events Center. This had National Speakers Dick Morris and Hugh Hewitt as well as local leaders in the Chairman Bob Schaffer of the Colorado State Board of Education as well as a member of Douglas County School District Board member Dan Gerken. This event was particularly relevant in this community given that they have been pursuing a unique and highly contentious voucher plan. Regardless of where the members of the crowd were on the issues there was energy and interest in the topic. In essence the night could be summed up very easily with parents must take back their rights and accountability for educating their children rather than turning that responsibility to the government.

Thursday 1.26.12 -the Presidents arrival Thursday at Buckley Air Force Base may have been the highlight for many but for me the highlight was the Branson School Online Science Fair. Wow! How exciting to see students from Kindergarten through 12^th grade entrenched in Scientific demonstration, exploration, and learning. .

I had planned to travel to the Independence Institute for the Kids Aren’t Cars event! While I was not able to get there due to some work items that needed to be taken care of but guess what… I could see it on u-tube. (of course you can) Just look it up on the web – I did miss the interaction and experience I would have had from driving there and being in the discussion but at least I did not miss the content. Maybe enough of us will view it on the tube and then we can have our own discussion.

Friday 1.27.12 -How did last week come to conclusion for CCA? Well I am pleased to share that we have been partnering with the Governor’s office in preparation for Digital Learning Day which will be February 1—yes that is this coming Wednesday. CCA has sponsored an Essay Contest and the Governors’ staff will be the reviewers of those essays submitted by CCA member schools. We had Elementary (3-5), Middle School (6-8) and High School (9-12) categories. This is the first year and CCA is pleased to be supporting the effort.

Last week was filled with major events in addition to the critical work educators are involved with. Given that I encourage you to celebrate the week, rest a moment and then get ready for the future!

Written by Judith Stokes, Assistant Superintendent Branson School Online and President, Colorado Cyberschool Association

Digital Learning Day 2.1.12

2012-01-09T08:21:00.000-07:00

Join this national awareness campaign to improve learning and teaching for all children. Find out how you can join this nationwide celebration of innovation.

Click on Digital Learning Day to learn more.

A Great Publication for Parents

2012-01-05T09:15:00.000-07:00

The Education Policy Center has recently released a great publication for parents: Choosing a Colorado Online School for Your Child by Ella Peterson, Research Associate and Pamela Benigno, Director, Education Policy Center.

National School Choice Week 2012

2012-01-02T21:17:00.001-07:00

Join National School Choice Week, January 22-28, 2012 to help in the movement to make quality education options available to every child!

Visit their website to see how you can help make National School Choice Week 2012 a huge success!

Working Together Has Advanced in Colorado’s Online Community

2011-11-08T09:13:00.001-07:00

In September 2009, the Independence Institute hosted a podcast on how the Colorado Cyberschools Association (CCA) and the Colorado Coalition of Cyberschool Families (CCCF) collaborate and how that collaboration enhances the online education movement in Colorado. Please listen to the interview with president of CCA, Judith Stokes, and myself, president of CCCF: ivoices.org Podcast Working Together to Enhance the Cyberschool Experience.

Here’s another shout out about CCA and CCCF as both organizations continue to work together in an effort to provide opportunities for Colorado’s cyber school families.

“CCA cooperatively assists cyberschools in providing a high-quality education to online students by sharing information about effective online education and program management, promoting studies that improve the quality of online programs, improving access to online programs, working with appropriate agencies to improve enrollment and attendance processes, and collaborating to address geographic issues inherent to online learning.”

Currently, CCA is an organization comprised of 8 diverse multi-district online programs:

Online Program

Branson School Online

Colorado Connections Academy

Colorado Virtual Academy (COVA)

Guided Online Academic Learning Academy

Hope Online Learning Academy Co-Op (Hope Online)

Insight School

Karval Online Education

Monte Vista On-Line Academy

This organization has come together as a group of passionate and sincere administrators who share the same mission, “To cooperatively assist cyberschools as they provide a quality education to all Colorado students whose needs are served through online education.”

CCCF is a group of dedicated parents who have volunteered to be advocates for public cyber schools and online learning in Colorado. Our coalition organized in 2004 and our vision is to work together with like-minded individuals and organizations to keep choice of public online schools available to our children and to families who are looking for options in public education in Colorado. We will support and defend the rights of all Colorado children to have unrestricted access to online public school options.

In January 2009, CCCF became an affiliate member of this like-minded organization, CCA, and our collaboration has allowed us to communicate and partner to enrich opportunities and experiences for Colorado’s online families.

Through our partnership we have strengthened and broadened our reach to families and we brainstorm ideas in order to continue to provide avenues for our families to share learning and fun as well as make connections with other Colorado cyber school families.

Together, our organizations sponsor several annual events throughout the year including Day at the Capitol, a Red Ribbon Week Celebration, Cyberschool Hike Day, and a summer Park Day.

The partnership between CCA and CCCF continues to grow and advance in an effort to embrace and enrich the cyber school experience for our Colorado families.

Colorado Cyberschool Hike Day

2011-08-30T12:31:00.000-06:00

Presented by

Colorado Cyberschools Association

and

Colorado Coalition of Cyberschool Families

Come join the students and families of Colorado’s online public schools for our inaugural Cyberschool Hike Day on September 10. This event will help celebrate recreational safety awareness in Colorado, raise much needed funds for local search and rescue and pay tribute to a special child.

On October 2, 1999 Jaryd Atadero went missing in the Colorado wilderness while on a hike at the age of three. Despite a massive search and rescue effort, Jaryd was never found. As an important reminder of the need for recreational safety, the State of Colorado and Governor Hickenlooper have proclaimed September 4-10, 2011 as Recreational Safety Awareness Week in Jaryd’s memory. Cyberschool Hike Day will be a great way to honor Jaryd and celebrate this weeklong event.

What: Cyberschool Hike Day

When: September, 10, 2011

Time: 10 a.m. (meet at the trailhead- end time depends on the pace of the hike- most hikes will take 1-3 hours)

Where: Four different locations around the state (click on the link for info/directions)

Fountain Valley Trail: Roxborough State Park, Littleton (no dogs)

Lost Lake Trail: Grand Mesa National Forest, Grand Junction

North Cheyenne Canon Park: Colorado Springs

Devil’s Backbone (Raven’s Roost and North Loop): Loveland

There is no cost to the hike. As a fundraiser project, we will be promoting the Colorado Outdoor Search and Rescue Cards and taking a general collection on the day of the hikes. The COSAR cards and general collection will provide funds for search and rescue teams throughout the state. A $500 matching fund has been established by the staff and faculty of Insight School of Colorado. Jaryd’s father, Allyn Atadero, is a part-time teacher with Insight and will lead the hike at Fountain Valley Trail on September 10.

You can read more about the The Jaryd Atadero Story here.

Colorado’s 7th Annual Cyberschools Day at the Capitol with a turnout of over 700!

2011-02-28T14:22:00.002-07:00

Last Thursday’s 7th annual Cyberschools’ Day at the Capitol was a day full of learning, socializing, and celebrating our choice in the online public school option in Colorado. Students, parents, families, teachers, administrators, friends and supporters of online education gathered to show our legislators that cyber schools are an important part of the public education system and to celebrate this choice.

This was our 2nd year in a row The Colorado Coalition of Cyberschool Families (CCCF) partnered with The Colorado Cyberschool Association (CCA) to sponsor our Day at the Capitol.

According to the registration, we were joined by 12 different multi-district online schools.

Our day’s activities began at the Sherman Street Event Center. All throughout the morning Pre K- 12 student activities were available and made possible by our wonderful cyberschool teachers who were assisted by several high school student volunteers. Parents also had sessions available to them throughout the morning. We were privileged to be joined by Ben DeGrow, Independence Institute, for a very informative presentation on school choice and how and where to access resources that are available to parents. We heard from Eric Anderson, SE2, who presented a Talking to Your Legislator class and parents had the opportunity to write letters that were later delivered to their representatives. We had a legislative update from our Colorado lobbyists and then a college prep presentations from College in Colorado.

The weather was nippy but the sun became brighter as we came on the scene of the West Steps at the Colorado State Capitol for our Rally.

The Civil Air Patrol Valkyrie Cadet Squadron’s Color Guard brought a very special presence to our Rally this year. The presenting and posting of the Colors and the National Anthem was a great way to officially open our Rally.

Colorado Virtual Academy Graduating Senior, Sean Cooney shared how he credits his success to this model of learning, his teachers and other faculty, and his mentor.

Representative Tom Massey, representing the 60th District since 2005 and Chair of the House Education Committee spoke to our families. His support for this online public school option was evident as he shared his remarks.

Senator Shawn Mitchell who represents District 23 spoke next and he really rallied up our families as he shared his continued support of public online schools. His passionate remarks were powerful and we were very appreciative that he took the time to answer questions from our parents and our students.

Denise Mund, CDE’s Director of the Unit of Online Learning also joined us on the West Steps showing her continued and valued support of the online public school option.

In celebration of January’s National School Choice Week, The Colorado Coalition of Cyberschool Families hosted an essay contest and at our capitol day we announced the winners. Congratulations to Aryana & Patricia J. who tied for second place with Bart Titlon. They each won a $100 gift card! The grand prize winner was Chase & Juanita Redfield. They won a $150 gift card AND their family is our 2011 CCCF Spokesfamily.

After our rally, our families gathered on the capitol lawn for a picnic lunch where there was a whole lot of networking among our online community.

It was a day full of appreciation for the choice in public school options that Colorado offers and a day to celebrate Our Children!

2.2.11 Public Hearing on Online Learning issues

2011-01-29T14:03:00.001-07:00

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Public hearing on Online Learning issues at the HB 1412 Advisory Committee hearing.

HB 1412 Committee Members

2.2.11 Agenda can be found here.

10 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
CASB, 1200 Grant Street, Denver, CO

Great Choice Douglas County Friday night Twitter Chat

2011-01-27T11:03:00.000-07:00

In celebration of National School Choice Week, Great Choice Douglas County is hosting a Twitter Chat. Friday night's discussion topic is Online Learning.

To join in the discussion, follow @Gr8ChoiceDougco to retrieve the LIVE link to the Twitter Chat-room.

National School Choice Week

2011-01-23T14:43:00.002-07:00

National School Choice Week, January 23-29, is a week to raise awareness and build support on a national level for educational options.

The Colorado Coalition of Cyberschool Families (CCCF), an affiliate member of Colorado Cyberschools Association, is sponsoring an essay contest in celebration of National School Choice Week.

Colorado cyber school students are invited to participate in the contest in celebration of National School Choice Week.

Get all the details here for a chance to win:

GRAND PRIZE

$150 Visa® gift card

Become the official 2011 spokesfamily for the Colorado Coalition of Cyberschool Families, be featured on the CCCF website and in a 2011 publication

Special recognition at the 2011 7th Annual Cyberschools’ Day at the Capitol on 2.24.11 in Denver

RUNNER-UP PRIZE

$100 Visa® gift card

Featured spot on the CCCF website

Special recognition at 2011 7th Annual Cyberschools’ Day at the Capitol on 2.24.11 in Denver

Good Luck and be sure to join National School Choice Week:

Facebook

Twitter

10 Elements of High Quality Digital Learning

2011-01-04T10:47:00.001-07:00

Digital Learning Now!

In August 2010 The Digital Learning Council was launched, which included a diverse group of leaders who came together to develop a roadmap of education reform.

Below are the 10 ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITY DIGITAL LEARNING

1. Student Eligibility: All students are digital learners.

Actions for lawmakers and policymakers:

• State ensures access to high quality digital content and online courses to all students.

• State ensures access to high quality digital content and online courses to students in K-12 at any time in their academic career.

2. Student Access: All students have access to high quality digital content and online courses.

Actions for lawmakers and policymakers:

• State does not restrict access to high quality digital content and online courses with policies such as class size ratios and caps on enrollment or budget.

• State does not restrict access to high quality digital content and online courses based on geography, such as school district, county, or state.

• State requires students take high quality online college-or career-prep courses to earn a high school diploma.

3. Personalized Learning: All students can customize their education using digital content through an approved provider.

Actions for lawmakers and policymakers:

• State allows students to take online classes full-time, part-time or by individual course.

• State allows students to enroll with multiple providers and blend online courses with onsite learning.

• State allows rolling enrollment year round.

• State does not limit the number credits earned online.

• State does not limit provider options for delivering instruction.

4. Advancement: Students progress based on demonstrated competency.

Actions for lawmakers and policymakers:

• State requires matriculation based on demonstrated competency.

• State does not have a seat-time requirement for matriculation.

• State provides assessments when students are ready to complete the course or unit.

5. Content: Digital content, instructional materials, and online and blended learning courses are high quality.

Actions for lawmakers and policymakers:

• State requires digital content and online and blended learning courses to be aligned with state standards or common core standards where applicable.

6. Instruction: Digital instruction and teachers are high quality.

Actions for lawmakers and policymakers:

• State provides alternative certification routes, including online instruction and performance-based certification.

• State provides certification reciprocity for online instructors certified by another state.

• State creates the opportunity for multi-location instruction.

• State encourages post-secondary institutions with teacher preparation programs to offer targeted digital instruction training.

• State ensures that teachers have professional development or training to better utilize technology and before teaching an online or blended learning course.

7. Providers: All students have access to multiple high quality providers.

Actions for lawmakers and policymakers:

• State has an open, transparent, expeditious approval process for digital learning providers.

• State provides students with access to multiple approved providers including public, private and nonprofit.

• States treat all approved education providers- public, chartered and private – equally.

• State provides all students with access to all approved providers.

• State has no administrative requirements that would unnecessarily limit participation of high quality providers (e.g. office location).

• State provides easy-to-understand information about digital learning, including programs, content, courses, tutors, and other digital resources, to students.

8. Assessment and Accountability: Student learning is the metric for evaluating the quality of content and instruction.

Actions for lawmakers and policymakers:

• State administers assessments digitally.

• State ensures a digital formative assessment system.

• State evaluates the quality of content and courses predominately based on student learning data.

• State evaluates the effectiveness of teachers based, in part, on student learning data.

• State holds schools and providers accountable for achievement and growth.

9. Funding: Funding creates incentives for performance, options and innovation.

Actions for lawmakers and policymakers:

• State funding model pays providers in installments that incentivize completion and achievement.

• State allows for digital content to be acquired through instructional material budgets and does not discourage digital content with print adoption practices.

• State funding allows customization of education including choice of providers.

10. Delivery: Infrastructure supports digital learning.

Actions for lawmakers and policymakers:

• State is replacing textbooks with digital content, including interactive and adaptive multimedia.

• State ensures high-speed broadband Internet access for public school teachers and students.

• State ensures all public school students and teachers have Internet access devices.

• State uses purchasing power to negotiate lower cost licenses and contracts for digital content and online courses.

• State ensures local and state data systems and related applications are updated and robust to inform longitudinal management decisions, accountability and instruction.

Colorado Online Teachers of the Year!

2010-12-15T12:21:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to our Colorado Online Teachers of the Year!

Elementary Teacher of the Year goes to Peggy Barnholt, Colorado Connections Academy

AND

Secondary Teacher of the Year Award goes to Kristin Kipp, Jeffco's 21st Century Virtual Academy

According to the National Board for Professional Online Teaching Standards (2007), “… the single most important school-related factor in raising student achievement is the quality of the teacher in the class.”

CDE and the Unit of Online Learning recognizes these 2 outstanding online teachers.

VSS 2010

2010-11-17T18:00:00.000-07:00

According to Susan Patrick, President and CEO of the iNACOL, "Blended learning is the future of education allowing each student to have personalized learning experiences, competency-based pathways based on mastery of rigorous learning objectives and perform at the highest levels or take more time and keep pace. The use of online learning to work at their own pace within next generation learning contexts is going to revolutionize education in the years to come – and the innovations are happening quickly to help more students become college and career-ready."

iNACOL Hosted the 2010 Virtual School Symposium (VSS2010) in Glendale, AZ. The Virtual School Symposium Overlay 2010 provides some great powerpoint presentations that were shared at the conference.

Colorado Cyberschools celebrate Red Ribbon Week 2010

2010-10-29T10:46:00.003-06:00

Wednesday's Red Ribbon Week celebration was another fun event this year for our Colorado Cyberschools with approximately 200 students, parents, and supporters of online education participating. We were privileged to be joined by the Colorado National Guard, a DEA agent, the helicopter pilot, and Miss Colorado Springs who all shared remarks with our group. Then our families had the opportunity to check out the helicopter and experience the 8-acre corn maze at Botanic Gardens Chatfield where children searched for the several marmots hidden in the maze. It was one very cold, very windy day, but a great day of shared learning across our Colorado Cyberschools, socializing, and pledging to be "Drug Free and Career Focused"

Check out the video below and the pictures in the slide show of Red Ribbon Week 2010 on the right sidebar.

"Let Your Light Shine: Live Alcohol, Tobacco & Illegal Drug Free"

2010-10-22T09:11:00.004-06:00

This year Colorado Cyberschool students across the state will celebrate Red Ribbon Week once again.

Our Theme: "Colorado cyberschool students pledge to be drug free and career focused"

The Colorado Coalition of Cyberschool Families
and

The Colorado Cyberschools Assosiation

Hosts its 2nd Annual

Red Ribbon Week

Who: All Colorado cyberschool students and families
All Colorado cyberschool teachers and admin
Drug Enforcement Administration
Colorado National Guard

When: Wednesday, October 27th
12:30p.m.

Where: Botanic Gardens at Chatfield
8500 Deer Creek Canyon Road

Littleton, CO 80128

Red Ribbon Week…

The nation’s oldest and largest drug prevention program in the nation.
Reaches millions of Americans during the last week of October every year.
Is a week to participate in community anti-drug events and to wear red ribbons.
Is when young people pledge to live a drug-free life.
Is a time to recognize and pay tribute to DEA Special Agent Enriqué “Kiki” Camarena.

Special Agent Kiki Camarena:
Enrique (Kiki) S. Camarena was born on July 26, 1947 in Mexicali, Mexico. He graduated from Calexico High School in Calexico, California in 1966, and in 1968 he joined the U.S. Marine Corps. After serving in the Marine Corps for two years, he joined the Calexico Police Department as a Criminal Investigator in 1970. In May of 1973, Kiki started working as a Narcotics Investigator with the El Centro Police Department.

He stayed with the El Centro P.D. until June 28, 1974 when he joined the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). His first assignment as a Special Agent with DEA was in a familiar place - Calexico, California. In 1977, after three years in Calexico, he was reassigned to the Fresno District Office in Northern California. Four years later, Kiki received transfer orders to Mexico, where he would work out of the Guadalajara Resident Office. For four and one-half years in Mexico, Kiki remained on the trail of the country's biggest marijuana and cocaine traffickers. And in early 1985, he was extremely close to unlocking a multi-billion dollar drug pipeline. However, before he was able to expose the drug trafficking operations to the public, he was kidnapped on February 7, 1985. On that fateful day, while headed to a luncheon with his wife, Mika, Kiki was surrounded by five armed men who threw him into a car and sped away. That was the last time anyone but his kidnappers would see him alive.

It is believed that Special Agent Camarena's death actually occurred two days later, but his body was not discovered until March 5, 1985. He was 37 years old and was survived by his wife, Mika and their three children, Enrique, Daniel and Erik. During his 11 years with DEA, Kiki received two Sustained Superior Performance Awards, a Special Achievement Award and, posthumously, the Administrator’s Award of Honor, the highest award granted by DEA.

History of Red Ribbon Week:
Shortly after Kiki's death, Congressman, Duncan Hunter, and high school friend Henry Lozano launched Camarena Clubs in Kiki's hometown of Calexico, California. Hundreds of club members including Calexico High School teacher David Dhillon wore red ribbons and pledged to lead drug-free lives to honor the sacrifices made by Kiki Camarena and others on behalf of all Americans.

Red Ribbon Week eventually gained momentum throughout California and later the United States. In 1985, club members presented the "Camarena Club Proclamation" to then First Lady Nancy Reagan, bringing it national attention. Later that summer, parent groups in California, Illinois, and Virginia began promoting the wearing of Red Ribbons nationwide during late October. The campaign was then formalized in 1988 with President and Mrs. Reagan serving as honorary chairpersons. Today, the eight-day celebration is sponsored by the National Family Partnership (previously known as the Federation of Parents for Drug Free Youth), and has become the annual catalyst to show intolerance for drugs in our schools, work places, and communities. Each year, during the last week in October, more than 80 million young people and adults show their commitment to a healthy, drug-free life by wearing or displaying the Red Ribbon.

The Assistant Secretary of Defense designated 23-31 October 2010 as Red Ribbon Week.

Red Ribbon Week is celebrated by an estimated 80 million people across the nation including elementary, middle school and high school students who make this pledge:

“No Use of Illegal Drugs, No Illegal Use of Legal Drugs.”

We wear a red ribbon to symbolize taking a stand against illegal drug use.

The Red Ribbon Coalition is a great resourse to get the history, basics, and online training to get your Red Ribbon Week celebration organized.

Kids vs. Bureaucrats

2010-09-17T09:19:00.003-06:00

Listen as John Stossel talks with Colin Hanna, Let Freedon Ring, Ron Packard, Founder of K12, and Rose Fernandez, parent and Learning Coach of students enrolled in WIVA.

Learn about Connections Academy

2010-09-06T07:00:00.001-06:00

How does virtual school work?

K-12 Online Learning Conversations

2010-09-05T17:50:00.000-06:00

Insight Schools K-12 Online Learning Conversations From the 2009 Virtual School Symposium

Performance and Growing Popularity of Online Schools

2010-08-28T08:40:00.000-06:00

KUNC's Grace Hood discusses why online schools remain a popular choice with comments by Scott Groginsky, Senior Policy and K-12 Initiatives Director at Colorado Children's Campaign and Judith Stokes, Assistant Superintendent of Branson Online and president of the Colorado Cyberschools Association.

2010 K-12 Online School Performance: KUNC reports

8.26.10 Next Meeting: 2009-2010 Advisory Committee for Online Learning

2010-08-23T06:00:00.006-06:00

The purpose of the Advisory Committee is to serve as a valuable complement to the staff and the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) by offering advice and support on a variety of issues relevant to Online Learning.

Next Meeting: August 26, 2010 1-3 PM
Location: Colorado Association of School Boards, 1200 Grant Street, Denver, CO

Note: Please do not park in the CASB parking lot. Side street parking or paid parking is available nearby.

2011 Colorado Teacher of the Year

2010-08-22T08:38:00.000-06:00

Each year, the Colorado Teacher of the Year Program honors an exceptionally dedicated, knowledgeable and skilled teacher to represent the entire profession in Colorado. The Colorado Teacher of the Year will automatically become Colorado's nominee for the National Teacher of the Year competition sponsored by the ING Foundation, Target and the Council of Chief State School Officers.

The Department of Education is now accepting nominations for the annual Teacher of the Year award. The deadline is Friday, Sept. 10 no later than 4 p.m. To access an application click here and then go to Click Here for Additional Information.

Discussion of online education in Colorado

2010-08-16T11:59:00.000-06:00

Mike Clem with Distance Learning Program of DPS interviews Judith Stokes, Asst Superintendent, Branson School District and also president of CCA. Judith talks about Branson School Online which began in 2001 and is one of many online multi-district schools in the state of Colorado. Judith also explores online education with her unique perspective as a parent, teacher, and administrator.

Discussion of online education in Colorado

Working Together To Enhance The Cyberschool Experience

2010-08-11T11:24:00.000-06:00

In September 2009, Ben DeGrow Policy Analyst, Education Policy Center in Colorado, interviewed Judith Stokes and Lori Cooney on the topic of the cyber school experience in Colorado.

Judith Stokes is president of the Colorado Cyberschool Association (CCA) and Lori Cooney is president of the Colorado Coalition of Cyberschool Families (CCCF). This 15-minute clip talks about our Colorado online schools and how our two organizations partner to enhance the cyber school experience in our state.

Thank you to Ben and the Education Policy Center for making this podcast possible!

Podcast