Embedded Files
Hello PA Virtual Families,
Thank you for your partnership as we continue into this challenging school year and together work for increased achievement and engagement of all our students. We hope this page assists with questions you may have concerning PA Virtual's Attendance Procedures. As always if you have any questions or concerns, please contact your Family Support Coordinator.
What the Compulsory School Age (UPDATED 2020)?
in Pennsylvania, Compulsory School Age, refers to the period of a child's life from the time the child enters school (which may be no later than at the age of 6 years), until the age of 18 or graduation from a high school, whichever occurs first (22 Pa. Code § 11.13).
Why did I receive a call that said my child had not logged in today?
If a student is ill and unable to log-in to Blackboard to attend school (also known as daily attendance), the parent or guardian must notify the FSC or complete the absence excuse form no later than 9:00 AM. If a phone call has not been received, Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School will notify the parent or guardian at 10:00am and then again at 2pm if an absence excuse has not been received. The Absence notification will come in the form of an automated call, text and an email. If the student is ill with a communicable disease (e.g., chickenpox, measles), the parent or guardian should notify the school nurse.
What is a provisional absence notification?
If a student has an unexcused class or daily absence, the student will have a temporary unexcused or unlawful absence on file. The parent will be notified with a detailed email the following morning of when the absence occurred. We ask the absence excuse be submitted within 3 days so we can update the student's official attendance record.
What if I can’t log into a class because of technical issues or Blackboard doesn’t allow my child to sign in?
Please know we will work with you and if there are technical problems we will adjust attendance accordingly once you contact your Family Support Coordinator.
What does it mean to be a Synchronous or Asynchronous Learner?
PA Virtual will identify the best learning path for each student’s academic success. The two paths are Synchronous and Asynchronous. Synchronous means that participation in live sessions and within coursework each school day is required to be considered present. A student on the Asynchronous path will need to log into Blackboard daily and complete their teacher provided online lessons.
What do I do if my child is a Synchronous Learner (attends live sessions and logs in for attendance) and we cannot attend a live session or log in on a specific day?
It is always best to inform your Family Support Coordinator and your child’s teacher if you cannot attend a class. This keeps communication open and your child’s attendance record up to date.
How do we handle the requirement for a medical note after 10 absences?
Based on PA Virtual attendance policy, the school administrators may request a medical note in order to excuse an absence after 10 absences. However we will continue to work with your family if the excuses are due to technical reasons or similar reasons that are beyond your control.
I have scheduled all day field trips, 2 day trips to a museum, a week out of town… do I inform my family support coordinator in advance?
Yes, anytime you are aware that you will not be able to attend a live session or log in, please inform your family support coordinator. Attendance can be adjusted up to 3 days after the absence.
What is daily/class attendance equivalence?
Missing four (4) virtual (synchronous) classes will be equivalent to one (1) unexcused or unlawful absence for daily attendance purposes.
What is student engagement in synchronous classes (NUE- Absence Code)?
To be marked present in a synchronous class, students who are required to be in a virtual (synchronous) class session are required to do so for the entire class period, in an active and participatory manner. Students show active engagement by being ready for class, responding to their teacher when called upon, collaborating with their peers and completing all assigned school work during the entire duration of their synchronous classes. If a student does not respond to the teacher prompts throughout class, the teacher will mark the student as unexcused for that class period with a NUE absence code.
Learning Coaches-We thank you for your ongoing partnership!
Report abuse