The Ogburn Online School

There are many students who switch to online high school in the mid-year. Reasons behind this switching might be boredom, grave social or health issues, need for individualized attention, financial issues, relocations or parental job changes. Most parents look out for a transition into a virtual high school because:

• Online high schools have gained prominent grounds in terms of imparting world-class secondary education
• Online schools makes it easier for the student to adjust to the change in coursework
• Online schools facilitate the relocating parents as there is no restrictions for a study place.

From an academic as well as emotional standpoint, planning the transition beforehand can be very beneficial. Here are some tips to make the transition for you and your child stress-free and relaxing:

• Planning beforehand:Transferring is not a rapid decision. It takes months of contemplation. Keeping yourself equipped for the challenges can diminish the road blocks. Try to make the transition happen at the end of the grading period in the child’s present school. You can set your own start date at the new virtual school. However, you might not be able to hit the target start date. But, in case it gets a bit haywire, you can contact the online school’s enrollment and guidance division to help your child to make a smooth switch to the new school.

• Seek for Accreditation:It is vital to check the accreditation status of the virtual high school before enrolling your child. Accreditation guarantees top-quality education along with the right amount of training to prepare the student for his or her future endeavors. These online schools hire specialized and proficient set of teachers to impart education. You might consult with the parents of the currently enrolled students to know more. You need to make sure that the school provides a wide variety of courses for your child with the opportunity to explore more.

• Begin early with enrollment:The enrollment process might take a while for completion. So, set out early by talking to the Enrollment Officials without delay. Get knowledge on the deadlines and the list of hard copies required such as birth certificate, application forms, previous degrees etc.

• Communicate with your child and the school officials:Teachers and counselors of the school are always there to readily help you with your queries. But, you need to maintain transparency with them in order to make your child’s coursework go smooth. Listen to your child’s needs or issues and address them to the school officials. An Academic Adviser might be assigned to guide you and your child with the schedule, after the admission. A clear wave of communication is all it takes.

• Make sure credits are transferred:A little complication might arise when the current school does not provide report card for the fall semester and delays it till the spring semester. There remains no proof of the child’s course completion. Before such a situation arises, parents should consult with the new school’s enrollment officials to come up with a possible workaround as a resolution such as some alternate documents.

You can refer to these guidelines to ease the process of transition.

You might also find that your child’s new school has a different criteria for graduation. This is likely to baffle you and your child. In such cases, you shall require the guidance of Academic Adviser right from the initial stage. It might even require your child to attend supplementary classes to cover up for the new schedule. Check if the extra classes can be possibly attended at summer so that your child can graduate on time without any unpleasant scenario.Transferring high schools can be a nerve-wracking task for you as well as your child. However, you can get away with the traumas by taking some precautionary measures from the beginning. Start researching from the moment of approval of your transfer. Think how the transfer might impact your child’s academic performance and take safety measures accordingly. Important factors such as your child’s course credits, transcript, and the list of criteria for graduation.You, your child, the Academic Adviser and the teachers might form a collaborative team and develop robust class schedules. This power-packed schedules shall help your child to have a clear mind about which classes he needs to attend and the number of assignments he needs to complete per day.A change of school has to be tackled with great caution. Changes are not that easy to be accepted mentally, especially for your child, from an academic as well as an emotional standpoint. Late plans and unorganized executions can cause your child’s poor academic performance.In an online high school, there shall be no face to face interactions. So, the child should be made aware that he has to work solo, though online high schools provide wide opportunities to socialize via smart online tools. Whatever it is, prepare the child mentally for the changes that he would face, even with the learning style.Since the switch is into an online high school, the child shall not take much time to cope up academically as well as mentally. He can conveniently work from the comfort of his home, without having to worry about introducing himself face-to-face to new peers or new teachers. It would be a great relief for the child.Also, make sure to do a bit of prodding as it might be required for your child in the initial phase, especially if he or she is making the transition from a traditional school environment. He is used to working in the stubbornly rigid learning system, so he has to be prompted in the beginning.Take measures from your side to eliminate a majority of the hassles that might arise. In case of any unwelcomed surprises, no need to worry alone. Always feel free to get in touch with the enrollment officials and the online teachers to get yourself out of the situation. An online high school is always there to make things easier for your child’s transition.