Ferndale School Board Sets Sights on Opening of District's Digital Learning Center
The School Board held a regular meeting August 20.
The opening of the Ferndale Public Schools Digital Learning Center was the talk of the district's school board meeting Monday evening.
As an alternative solution to high school students working toward their diploma, the Digital Learning Center will offer a different approach to those who struggle with traditional schoolwork. Using top-notch digital technology, this blended-learning consists of online lessons developed by teachers in the Ferndale Schools and beyond, and is for those students previously enrolled in Alternative Education classes. The Center will hold its first day of class on Sept. 4.
Various school groups including the Technology Committee and Community Relations discussed the future of the DLC at the meeting. Here are some key points.
Development of the Digital Learning Center
- Taft Education Center, home of the DLC, has been cleaned and prepped
- Student computers have been ordered and are beginning to arrive; teacher laptops are expected to arrive within the next few weeks
- Network equipment will soon be replaced with the installation of the expanded wireless network in all classrooms to follow
- 45 module creators and 134 curriculum modules are in some state of development
- Student pre-enrollment began this month; 115 students were enrolled by Aug. 13, compared to just 54 students on the first day in previous years
- A majority of the DLC staff have been hired; 16 Academic Case Managers along with one Counselor have been recently hired
- Three staff positions remain open: a Data and Project Specialist, Math Academic Case Manager and Science Academic Case Manager and are expected to be filled within the next week
- All staff will participate in nine days of professional development, student recruitment and enrollment work beginning August 20
- Interest in the DLC will be recruited through advertisements on media including WADL Television and WJLB Radio
Darin Francis
4:10 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
From my perspective, I think this is a good thing. Online learning/DLC's/etc are not new especially when it comes to kids who are at risk for dropping out. See Florida Virtual School, K12 Inc, several charter programs in Ohio and Pennsylvania and the online virtual schools started recently in Michigan that are paired with Universities. Most of the kids enrolled in this kind of program are disadvantaged, have special needs, or both. These are kids who desperately need an education but may not be able to be at school during the full school day for a whole host of reasons. We are fortunate enough to be living in an age where kids can get a second chance at a diploma. 5 years ago, that kid would have only had the option of working on her diploma at a night school with very few resources if she could get there. Our graduation rates are going up, not down in Michigan and it is because we are providing more children better options. There is a bigger picture here. We have a unique opportunity to serve a community wider than our own. We should work toward a better education for all our students. This new program reflects that value. I support Ferndale on this. The data suggests that these online programs work.
Judy
1:51 pm on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
I do understand all of this but I just see it has being to late for some adults who have been struggling with school for some time but don't get me wrong , I do love what there doing and I think its a great and new way of learning in this times of changes. ( I hope this makes any sense)
Easydude
5:42 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Virtual schools lack communitcation. The number of students who will convince their parents attend a home virtual school. Taxpayers beware, the ripple effect of charter schools. The more charter schools opening throughout the state means less money for our own city schools. Thus, we will be stuck paying bonds on public schools once they are closed...lol.
Judy
10:01 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
that is true they may be learning that way but what about the communication
Judy
10:00 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
I think this is a good thing however what about adults that are still struggling with school and they miss the cut off because they may be over 20 but they struggles so they take one or two classes at a time mainly because they are an adult with ADHD and no help
jennifer
9:57 am on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
While it may be a "money grab," remember that state funding for schools has been drastically cut. So if districts have to be creative to bring in revenue in order to keep buses and "extras" in the k-12 curriculum that our community values (arts, music, foreign language before high school, etc.) and prevent pay-to-play for extra-curriculars, I'd rather we do that in the form of something that potentially makes a difference and helps people. It's preferable that we count on revenue from programs like this which are more likely to be sustainable than work around funding laws until the state catches on and changes them (again): http://www.candgnews.com/news/bsd-partnership-allen-park-district-bring-536k
jennifer
12:01 pm on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
From what I understand, the students of the DLC will still be meeting with counselors and tutors regularly at Taft. There will just not be a large number of students there at a single time, which cuts staffing costs and makes security less of an issue. I haven't done more research into it than that, so I can't really say if I have an opinion on the curriculum or model.
I don't think FPS is only interested in money. And, as a parent of a child at a district elementary school, I appreciate their financial security and the resources that are offered.
That said, I do agree that district brand, message, and marketing could be much improved. I just don't think that the DLC (or any alternative ed program) is mutually exclusive with that, and thus eliminating it is not the answer. Clearly, the service is needed. School improvement for k-12 is something I hear a lot about as a parent, and they have restructured things this year to address it very quantitatively. Regardless, a better communicated strategy would be a good thing... which comes down to marketing.
Good food for thought for upcoming school board elections, in any case.