JEDI Virtual School

                 Frequently Asked Questions

Choosing a school is an important decision. We want you to be well-informed. If you have other questions, feel free to contact our staff

If I am not enrolled in a consortium district, can I take a course from JEDI?

The courses are provided at no additional cost  for JEDI Virtual School students  enrolled through a JEDI consortium district (Whitewater,  Fort Atkinson, Jefferson, Cambridge, Palmyra/Eagle, Parkview, Lake Mills, Deerfield, Marshall, Sun Prairie, and Wautoma) .

Any student who has open-enrolled or paid tuition in any school district in the consortium may also be enrolled in the JEDI Virtual School.    

What does it cost? 

 Students who are not enrolled in one of the consortium districts may purchase a seat in any of the courses for a fee  per half credit.  To enroll, use the Application Form under "How to Enroll" to begin the process.

• Is JEDI Virtual School the same as home schooling? 

Students enrolled in JEDI are attending a public school, however they do their schooling at home.

  JEDI offers  Board approved comprehensive middle and  high school curriculums that are aligned to State standards and is accessible to students online.

 JEDI students are guided by a Personal Education Plan.  The plan is cooperatively developed by the student, the parent, guidance and/or special education representatives, and a JEDI representative.  This planning process gives much more parental control regarding course selection, learning site, and learning pace. 

• What kind of diploma will my child receive after completing JEDI Virtual School? 

The parent and student decide whether the student will receive a JEDI/Cambridge High School diploma or work toward receiving a diploma from their local high school.

• My child has an IEP and has been enrolled in Special Education in our home school district.  Does JEDI enroll students with special needs? 

Yes, JEDI is a public high school, and accepts students with disabilities.  The virtual program designed would be cooperatively developed as a part of the student ’s appropriate Individual Education Plan (IEP) within the resident district.

• What kinds of safeguards are in place to keep my child safe while working on the Internet? 

The main content of all of JEDI courses is available directly through our secure, online student classroom area.  In some cases, links might be provided so that students can take advantage of other information available online.  It is suggested that filtering software is used on your child’s computer and that you use parental supervision to protect your child from unwanted information on the Internet.

• Our family travels quite a bit.  Would that be a problem in the JEDI program? 

JEDI is the perfect environment for a family that travels.  As long as WiFi or broadband access is available, your child will be able to complete the lessons.

• What tools are available for students to communicate with each other? 

Students enrolled in the same class communicate with each other through virtual classroom discussions using a discussion board.  Student instant messaging and email is also available. 

• As a parent, how can I check on my son / daughter’s progress? 

All parents are given access to the student login and password so that they may go into their child’s classes and monitor the assignments that have been completed and the grades. We encourage all parents to be actively involved in their student's progress and are happy to assist them.

• Is JEDI Virtual School Affiliated with any for-profit organizations?

JEDI is a completely non-profit organization , funded solely by course and consortium fees.  Unlike many other virtual  schools, none of the funding received for the operation of JEDI is given to any outside organization.

• What happens if we complete the Open Enrollment forms in February and later change our minds about attending JEDI? 

The Open Enrollment process is directed by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, and has very specific directions.  The information is available at the following website:  http://dpi.wi.gov/sms/psctoc.html.

You may request open enrollment to a school with the assurance that you may change your mind at any time before the requested school year begins.

 If a decision is made not to follow through with the open enrollment, the parent should notify the non-resident district immediately so that when the open enrollment information is sent out at the beginning of the school year, your student will be listed as not open enrolled. 

• What is a charter school? 

A charter school is a public nonsectarian school created through a contract or “charter” between the operators and the sponsoring school board or other chartering authority. 

The Wisconsin Charter School Law gives charter schools freedom from certain state rules and regulations in exchange for greater accountability for results.  The charter defines the missions and methods of the charter school. The chartering authority holds the school accountable to its charter.

The basic concept of charter schools is that they exercise increased autonomy in return for this accountability.  They are accountable for both academic results and fiscal practices to several groups: the sponsor that grants them, the parents - who choose them, and the public that funds them.

• What types of courses are offered at JEDI Virtual School? 

JEDI offers comprehensive high school and middle school curriculums including core, elective, and enrichment coursework.   

• What makes JEDI different than other online schools? 

While there are many choices for online schooling.  JEDI is one of the few online schools that is not run by an outside entity. 

JEDI is operated by a Governing Board made up of appointed members from the  school districts of the JEDI consortium.  Therefore all funds acquired by the JEDI Virtual School go directly into the educational programs offered by the school, not to a for-profit organization.

• Is there required participation in state standardized testing? 

Students taking part in the JEDI Virtual School are required to take all of the State standardized testing that other public high school students must take, includeing the 10th grade testing.

• My child wants to participate in high school sports.  Will he/she be able to do that in the JEDI Virtual School? 

JEDI students are eligible to participate in WIAA (Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association) sanctioned activities if they meet their district and WIAA eligibility requirements.

• How much time does it take to complete a course? 

While the pace of course completion is established by the student, students are given a maximum of five months to complete a half-credit course.

The student may complete courses as quickly as they choose, but all work submitted must be of passing quility to ensure a passing grade and credit being earned.

If a student feels that may not complete a course in the five month period, a course extension must be requested at least a week BEFORE the scheduled end date.

The extension is e-mailed to your coach, who will forward it to JEDI staff to complete your request.

 Not all courses will be allowed an extension. We always encourage students to be consiencious and shcedule they due dates to finish on pace.

• How will students be evaluated? 

Students will be given quizzes, tests, as well as regular assignments and projects to assess their understanding of the subject matter they are learning.

• How do I get help from teachers if I am having difficulty with my course(s)? 

Teachers can be contacted via their email or on the phone during  established office hours. 

• Where do we get textbooks and how much do they cost? 

All materials needed for students enrolled in the JEDI Virtual High School will be provided by the school at no charge to the student.

• Is the curriculum accredited? 

JEDI offers a Board approved comprehensive high school curriculum that is aligned to State standards.  The course content mirrors that of the courses offered in the other high schools in the districts.  All teachers hold appropriate  licenses.

• What grades do you cover? 

Currently JEDI Online Charter School enrolls students from grade  6 to 12.

• How is a student’s grade placement determined? 

For students entering the program, initial grade placement is determined after a review of an official transcript, other documentation and information provided by the student and parent during the application process.  Grade advancement will be based on cumulative credits earned while enrolled in the program.  The school district’s decision on grade placement is final.

• What is the role of the learning coach? 

A trained learning coach is provided to full-time virtual students to be a consistent guide in the JEDI Virtual School student’s learning.  The coach will monitor the student’s progress and keep in close contact with the student via phone, email and even in person visits, if needed. 

• How is a student’s educational plan determined? 

The educational plan for a JEDI Virtual School student is determined first by the student’s educational needs and then by their interests. With the assistance of student services personelle, guidance, and parents, students  select core and elective courses at a pace that meets their ability level. Students can work toward meeting the requirements of either a JEDI/Cambridge High School diploma, or a diploma from their local high school.

• What access to technology should the student have? 

Students will need to have a computer system with a broadband Internet connection and Windows 2000, or better, platform.

Students also need permission to turn off pop-up blockers as well as install and run regular updates for JAVA.

 

• Which students are viable candidates for Internet-based courses? 

Online courses can be a valuable option for many different types of students, including the following: College-bound students in need of advanced or specialized coursework, credit deficient students needing specific courses in order to graduate, students wanting to improve their skills in specific subject areas, remedial students who require one-on-one support and/or credit recovery options, gifted or advanced students who want expanded educational offerings, summer school students, students with scheduling conflicts, students who have been expelled, home bound students or students who may not otherwise have a particular course offering available.

• What is it like to take an online course? 

An Internet-based approach to learning uses interactive online technology and requires active participation in each course.  Online courses provide a rich multimedia environment with engaging, high-quality content for individualized discovery through the learning process.  Students engage in dynamic learning activities and student-selected learning paths, which are multimedia-enforced and presented to the student using “live” streaming video technology.

• How do we get started? 

Click Here for more information about how to enroll.