Robotics Club: Extracurricular Activities and Online Learning
Connections Academy TV Commercial — Online Learning Experience that Develops your Whole Child
Connections Academy, Leading Virtual School Provider, Graduates Record Number of High School Seniors
Connections Academy, http://www.connectionsacademy.com, a leading, fully accredited provider of high-quality, highly accountable virtual schooling for students in grades K through 12, is celebrating the graduation of its largest ever senior class at the end of this 2010-2011 academic year. More than 1,100 12th graders from Connections Academy virtual public schools – plus the online private school National Connections Academy – are celebrating their achievement during traditional commencement ceremonies in their local communities.
Connections Academy’s 2011 graduating class is 89% bigger than its class of 2010 graduates, reflecting the rapid growth of the virtual school program. More than 61 percent of Connections Academy graduates will continue their education and immediately enter four-year colleges and universities or community colleges and approximately 39% will attend vocational schools, enter the military, start careers or pursue other plans.
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New year, new school? Virtual schools ease transition
Educators say many families switching their kids’ schools mid-year are turning to virtual schools like Connections Academy, for a variety of reasons.
First, more families than ever have embraced virtual education in general: Some 2 million American K-12 students now get some or all of their education virtually, according to research firm Ambient Insight. Second, the format of virtual schools eases a student’s adjustment period – and physical transitions for both student and family. Finally, family finances sometimes come into play. Virtual public schools – like all public schools – are tuition free and virtual private schools like National Connections Academy cost a fraction of traditional “bricks and mortar” private schools. Yet they deliver the academic rigor and highly personalized educations that are hallmarks of independent schools. So families with children enrolled in traditional private schools who are struggling to meet hefty tuition obligations often find they can save significant money and still get an independent school-caliber education.
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E-Learning Industry on the Rise
The for-profit e-learning company K12 Inc. grew 40 percent last year, generating $385 million in revenue by providing virtual courses to 70,000 students across the country.
Connections Academy, another such provider, generated about $120 million in revenue serving up online courses to some 20,000 students. And recently, the education technology company Plato Learning announced that it is now offering online Advanced Placement courses, marking the first time the company will do so as part of its courseware for school districts.
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Connections Academy, Leading Virtual Education Provider, Featured in NBC News “Education Nation” Event
The TodayShow.com news feature detailed the rapid growth of the Connections Academy network of virtual K-12 public schools, as well as the overall boom in virtual public education in the United States. Connections Academy opened its first two schools in 2002, serving 400 students; today the school network spans 18 full-time schools across 17 states, and serves more than 30,000 students. Connections Academy also operates supplemental programs in two additional states and a national private school, National Connections Academy, serving students nationwide. Nationally, more than 2 million K-12 children are learning online, and their ranks grow by almost 20 percent each year, according to research by Ambient Insight. Currently, 45 states have significant supplemental online learning programs, or significant full-time programs, in which students take most or all of their courses online.
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Prince George’s to open first online classroom
This is the first web-driven curriculum effort offered by the county, and the program will be run jointly through a one-year $326,000 contract with Connections Academy, a Baltimore-based online education provider. The program was budgeted for in the county school system’s fiscal 2011 budget. Credits in subjects such as English, algebra, history, biology, environmental science, world languages and technology will be offered, allowing students to work toward their diplomas.
The contract includes curriculum, expert online teachers and staff training, said Mickey Revenaugh, Connections Academy’s senior vice president for state relations. There are no other school systems in Maryland running a similar hybrid program through Connection Academy, he said.
The program is geared toward students who have difficulty learning in the traditional classroom, said Diane Kanu, acting director of portfolio schools for the county.
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Video: What is virtual school? Learn about Connections Academy
93% of Parents Give Connections Academy, Leading Virtual School Provider, Top Marks for Eighth Consecutive Year
Connections Academy, a leading national provider of high-quality, highly accountable virtual public and private schools in the U.S. for students in grades K–12, continues to get high marks from parents, results of a recent survey show. In its 2009-2010 Parent Satisfaction Survey, an overwhelming 93% of parents gave the overall Connections Academy (CA) program an “A” or “B” grade. 2009-2010 marks the eighth consecutive school year that at least 90% of CA parents graded the virtual schools so highly – and recommend CA to other parents.
This strong vote of support from CA parents reflects the program’s continued success, even as more CA schools are in operation — and serving more students — than ever. Connections Academy has operated its national network of virtual schools since 2002, and has grown by double digits each year since then, thanks to booming demand for its high quality, highly accountable virtual schools. CA served approximately 25,000 full-time students during the 2009-2010 school year. In 2010–2011 the Connections Academy public school network will span 18 virtual K–12 schools in 17 states, and its nationwide private school, National Connections Academy, will serve students throughout the U.S.
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