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VVA K–5 Students & Families Handbook, 2022–2023
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Students & Families,
Grades K–5

2022–2023 HANDBOOK

Table of Contents

Welcome to Virtual Virginia

VDOE Statement of Nondiscrimination

The Virtual Virginia Learning Model

Student Support

Technology Requirements

Local School Division Responsibilities

Local School Responsibilities

Local School Mentor

Enrollment

Enrollment Fees

Withdrawing from Courses

Attendance (Grades K–5)

Textbooks, Materials, etc.

Academic Calendar

Accessing Courses

Grades

Late Work Policy

Early Warning System

End-of-Course Assessments

Academic Integrity and Ethics Agreement

Acceptable Use of Technology

Student Code of Conduct

Student Communication Policy

Right to Privacy

ADA & ELL Compliance

Appendix A: Academic Integrity and Honor Statement

Appendix B: Student Acceptable Use Policy

Appendix C: Student Code of Conduct

Appendix D: Pace Recovery Plan Template

Appendix E: Student & Parent/Family Participation Agreements

Note: This handbook is subject to change at any time. Virtual Virginia reserves the right to make changes to this handbook as needed and without prior notice.

Welcome to Virtual Virginia

We are excited that you are joining Virtual Virginia (VVA) this year. Virtual Virginia is a program of the Virginia Department of Education serving students in Virginia schools by providing flexible options for the diverse educational needs of students and their families. As a partner of Virginia public school divisions, the Virtual Virginia program offers equal access to a K–12 Instruction Program of online courses for students. VVA is committed to providing high-quality, rigorous course content with the flexibility to meet schools’ and students’ varied schedules.

Virginia public school divisions & Virtual Virginia partner together to ensure learners have access and opportunity that complement those available in the physical school. Each learner enrolled through a public school remains part of the local school division, yet completes some, or all, of their coursework and learning online through Virtual Virginia. This handbook answers many of the questions you may have about Virtual Virginia and provides quick access to information. Please make sure you are familiar with all of the Virtual Virginia policies and procedures outlined here.  

Virtual Virginia and Virginia public schools partner to support learners in being successful in online courses. VVA provides access to content, resources, instruction, and the online learning environment, while each public school provides a counselor/coordinator, school-based mentor, textbooks, materials, and student services.

Venn diagram illustrating how Virtual Virginia and public school partner to support successful online learners

Virginia has a long history in providing distance-learning opportunities for learners. Beginning in the 1980s, AP and world language courses were offered via satellite television to students throughout Virginia via the Virginia Satellite Education Network (VSEN) program. The primary mission of the program was to serve rural and underserved students with courses that were either unavailable because of the lack of highly qualified instructors or too few students to offer the course.

Several years ago, the program changed to include web-based delivery and to add AP, world language, core, and elective courses. The program became known as the Virginia Virtual Advanced Placement School (VVAPS). In 2005 the Virginia Department of Education saw a need to combine the VSEN and VVAPS programs and move toward embracing online education. Through that process, the VDOE created the Virtual Virginia (VVA) program. Over the years thousands of learners in Virginia and across the nation have successfully completed courses using Virtual Virginia, and Virtual Virginia continues to expand course offerings to help meet the individual needs of students.

This handbook will detail the guidelines that have been developed to ensure that the Virtual Virginia student and the parent/family understand the expectations and requirements of the program.

Virtual Virginia students are active participants in online learning. They work with talented instructors and interact with them to help them achieve their educational goals. Students enrolled in VVA experience opportunities to interact with other students around the state, around the nation, and from other countries. Students develop strong relationships with their instructors and their fellow students. They get an opportunity to learn technology skills in addition to subject-area knowledge. Lastly, students are expected to effectively manage their time and to keep up with course assignments.

Virtual learning and online courses offer flexibility in the learning environment, but some things remain constant, including the need to individualize instruction, communicate regularly, and closely monitor student learning. Virtual Virginia instructors utilize local school mentors and local school counselors as direct points of contact to ensure student success.

VDOE Statement of Nondiscrimination

The Virginia Department of Education and Virtual Virginia comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Americans with Disabilities Improvement Act of 1990, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

The Virginia Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, political affiliation, or against otherwise qualified persons with disabilities. The policy permits appropriate employment preferences for veterans and specifically prohibits discrimination against veterans.

For further information on Federal non-discrimination regulations, contact the Office for Civil Rights at OCR.DC@ed.gov or call 1-800-421-3481.

The Virtual Virginia Learning Model

Virtual Virginia courses utilize both asynchronous and synchronous approaches to instruction, through which students will work independently and collaborate with their teachers and peers. Asynchronous instruction is designed for students to complete course work independently at a designated course pace. Examples of asynchronous instruction may include reading content, viewing media, completing assignments, taking a quiz/assessment, or working on a project. Students have flexibility to choose when they complete asynchronous tasks, but they must adhere to the course pacing and due dates.

An essential component of Virtual Virginia instruction is regular interaction between teachers and their students, including email, phone communications, and synchronous instructional sessions via video web conferencing. Students can attend daily synchronous instructional sessions led by their teacher. Students taking courses asynchronously are expected to review daily recordings and set an appointment with their teachers for additional help. All students have the opportunity for daily group and 1:1 instruction.

Virtual Virginia courses meet or exceed rigorous curriculum standards, including the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) and the College Board Audit Certification for Advanced Placement (AP) courses. All Virtual Virginia courses are staffed by highly qualified Virginia, licensed instructors with virtual office hours posted within the courses. These virtual office hours provide ample opportunities for students to contact their instructor(s) via telephone, using email, or communicating through a live web-based conferencing tool. In addition to the local mentor, students may access the services of the Virtual Virginia HelpDesk for technical issues.

Student Support

Public school students enrolled in Virtual Virginia remain affiliated with their local school division, and the enrolling school and Virtual Virginia partner to create a successful learning experience. The student will be assigned a local school counselor and mentor to support their learning, and Virtual Virginia will provide the teacher of record as the instructional support. Virtual Virginia additionally provides Registrar and HelpDesk support to enhance the academic experience of Virtual Virginia students.  

Virtual Virginia Registrar

The Virtual Virginia Registrar provides registration support for all Virtual Virginia students through collaboration with representatives of the local school division, VVA administration, faculty, and staff.

Virtual Virginia students, parents/families, and local school counselors and mentors may contact the VVA Registrar. Enrollment questions can be sent to registrar@virtualva.org.

Virtual Virginia HelpDesk

Virtual Virginia operates a toll-free technology support line for students and local school personnel to use for assistance with any technology issues related to Virtual Virginia courses.

Technology Requirements

The Virtual Virginia HelpDesk is available to work with students, local schools, and division staff to ensure that students have assistance in using the necessary computer hardware and software. The Virtual Virginia HelpDesk does not take the place of the school’s on-site technical support team. Local school technical staff must work with the Virtual Virginia technology staff to:

•        Verify that the student has regular access to the internet, adequate bandwidth, and a workstation/device that meets the minimum hardware and software requirements in this document.

•        Act as a resource for the installation of programs and problem-solve any technical difficulties throughout the course.

•        Communicate with the Virtual Virginia HelpDesk as needed.

All Virtual Virginia students, including those working outside of the local school setting, must have access to the required hardware and software listed in the Virtual Virginia Technology Handbook.

The Virtual Virginia Technology Handbook can be found on the Virtual Virginia website.

Internet access is required to take any Virtual Virginia course. To take full advantage of the interactivity of the courses, regular broadband access is strongly recommended.

Local School Division Responsibilities

Local School Responsibilities

        

Local School Mentor

Mentor/student partnerships are important to student success. Each student enrolled in Virtual Virginia must be assigned a mentor by the local school. The local school principal, assistant principal, or other assigned local school designee assigns a mentor to each student enrolled in a Virtual Virginia course. A local school teacher may serve as a mentor; however, the mentor does not have to be a licensed teacher.

A local school mentor must be assigned to each student via the Virtual Virginia registration system. If the mentor assigned to a student is changed or needs to be updated after enrollment occurs, the local school is responsible for entering this change in the registration system.

Regular mentor responsibilities may include:

Enrollment

Students who are enrolled in and attend a Virginia public school may elect to enroll in a Virtual Virginia course with prior approval of the local school. Students may be enrolled as full time students or in VVA course(s) as a complement to local school courses. The school counselor or designee registers the student online through the Virtual Virginia Student Information System (SIS) registration system.

For a student to enroll in a Virtual Virginia course, the local school must agree to award the assigned credit for the course. If the course includes a relevant end-of-course assessment, the local school will administer the assessment and award Verified Credit. Credit is posted into the student’s record by the student’s enrolling school.

There is no limit to the number of courses that a student may take if the school approves the course registration and the student meets the course prerequisites.

The enrolling school is responsible for maintaining a current counselor and mentor of record for each student enrolled in Virtual Virginia courses throughout the academic year.

Homeschooled students may also register for Virtual Virginia courses. The homeschool counselor of record, who may be the parent/family, may enroll the student, and the families are responsible for payment of all fees associated with the course. The homeschool is responsible for issuing credit and reporting transcripts.

Enrollment Fees

Virtual Virginia (VVA) supports a statewide program allotment of 6,000 free public school enrollments in VVA-instructed courses for the school year. Schools may register free 6–12 enrollments until VVA reaches the statewide program allotment of 6,000 free enrollments. Please note that all free public school enrollments are on a first-come, first-served basis until the statewide cap is reached.

Once VVA exceeds the statewide allotment of 6,000 free enrollments, all public school enrollments can be served via fee-based enrollments. For Virginia public school enrollments, enrollment fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. No Virginia public school enrollment fee will be refunded after payment has been made.

An enrollment fee is required for all courses taken by Virginia private school, homeschooled, out-of-state, and international students. For Virginia private school, homeschooled, out-of-state, and international enrollments, no enrollment fee will be refunded after 30 calendar days following the course start date. Enrollment fee payments are the responsibility of the enrolling party. Students are not considered officially withdrawn from a course until they are removed from the Virtual Virginia registration system by the local school or by VVA administration. If a student is withdrawn from the course(s) before 30 calendar days following the course start date, contact Cynthia Evans at cynthia.evans@doe.virginia.gov to request a refund of the enrollment fee(s). Enrollment fees are not automatically refunded.

Withdrawing from Courses

Withdrawing from a Virtual Virginia course must be done by the local school counselor who originally registered the student.

Students must continue to submit assignments until the online withdrawal is processed locally and recorded in the Virtual Virginia Student Information System (SIS). Student grades may be negatively impacted by assignments not submitted until the date of withdrawal. Students who stop participating in the course without officially withdrawing will continue to receive zeroes for work not submitted until the end of the course, at which time their schools will receive a final grade. The notation of a formal withdrawal on the student record is a local school decision.

Students who do not login, are inactive, or fail to complete coursework over a consecutive 8-day period will be administratively withdrawn from VVA courses. No refund will be provided as a result of an administrative withdrawal.

No enrollment fees for homeschool, private school, or out of state enrollments will be refunded after 30 calendar days from the course start date.

Attendance (Grades K–5)

Meaningful interactions between the student and teacher are critical for student success in Virtual Virginia courses. Daily attendance will be recorded for Kindergarten through 5th grade through the required synchronous sessions.

School division attendance policies for online learning vary across the state. VVA reports daily attendance through the VVA student information system (SIS), and schools/divisions may retrieve this information for local attendance reporting needs according to local school/division policies.

Students in Courses with Synchronous Meeting Times (Grades K–5)

For students in grades K–5 who are enrolled in courses with synchronous meeting times, attendance is reported based on students' presence in daily synchronous instruction sessions, Monday through Friday. A student is reported as present when their camera is on, showing them engaged in the instructional session. (A student with an approved, camera-related exception recorded in their learning plan is not subject to the "camera-on" requirement.) If a student is unable to attend a synchronous session, they are responsible for watching the session recording in the Course Video Library.

If a student cannot attend a synchronous session, the parent/family must notify the VVA instructor. The parent/family will communicate directly with the local school regarding excused or unexcused absences.

Trailblazers Students (Asynchronous, Grades 3–5)

For Trailblazers (asynchronous) students in grades 3–5, attendance is reported based on daily activity in students' individual VVA course(s) within the learning management system.

Below are the expectations of Trailblazers (asynchronous) students in grades 3–5:

  1. Watch daily recordings in the Course Video Library.
  2. Students must check in with each of their teachers weekly via:
  1. small-group sessions,
  2. 1:1 meetings to check for understanding, and
  3. either email or phone calls.
  1. Students must stay current with their course pacing and assignments and demonstrate consistent progress.
  2. Students may set additional 1:1 meetings during the week.
  3. Students not maintaining an overall course grade above 70% or with consistent late work may be assigned a required synchronous meeting time.
  4. Students must log in daily to their course. Attendance will be measured through Canvas and reported via the Virtual Virginia SIS.
  5. Students who drop below 50% for 2 weeks may be assigned additional synchronous meeting times or withdrawn from the course.

If a student is reported as absent for 4 consecutive instructional days (not including weekends), the mentor, student, parent/family and counselor will receive a no login or activity warning message.

Students who are identified by this system a second time or who are inactive or fail to complete coursework over a second 4 calendar-day period may be administratively withdrawn from the VVA course.

A student with a consistently low course average also may be administratively withdrawn from the VVA course according to the following course average thresholds and timeframes:

Students with an average under 20% who are withdrawn after the first month of a semester are not eligible for reinstatement. Students with an average under 40% who are withdrawn at the end of a quarter are eligible for reinstatement. To be reinstated in a course, a student will be required to participate in an academic conference involving the student, parent/family, counselor, and VVA administrator. The student will need to demonstrate adequate progress on goals established during the academic conference. Reinstatement conferences must be held within two weeks of the withdrawal date.

If the student does not demonstrate adequate progress by the designated check-in date, they may be withdrawn from the course. A reinstatement conference involving the student, parent/family, school-designated personnel, and VVA administrator is required to reinstate students in a Virtual Virginia course, and the student may be placed on a Pace Recovery Plan (PRP) (see Appendix D). The PRP is designed to support learners as they demonstrate progress on current assignments, complete missing coursework, and catch up with their cohort. Students who do not adhere to the PRP in its entirety will be administratively withdrawn from VVA courses.

View sample K–5 synchronous instruction schedules at https://virtualvirginia.org/elementary/elementary-synchronous.

Textbooks, Materials, etc.

All textbooks, materials, equipment, supplies, and computer access needed to participate in a Virtual Virginia course should be provided by the local school. In the case of homeschooled, private, and out-of-state students, the parent/family will provide these resources. A list of required resources can be found at virtualvirginia.org.

Local schools must provide all textbooks, materials, equipment, and supplies, along with any other services for students with ELL, Section 504, IEP or other documented accommodations. Virtual Virginia does not assume responsibility of the local school to provide services or resources for students with documented disabilities.

Academic Calendar

The Virtual Virginia Academic Calendar is available at the Virtual Virginia website. Virtual Virginia reserves the right to update or modify the academic calendar as needed.

Students are expected to follow the Virtual Virginia due dates in the course calendar. Students and local school mentors are responsible for notifying the Virtual Virginia instructors about any calendar conflicts (for example, a school-sponsored field trip, a school-related sports event, etc.) well in advance and should make sure that assignments are completed in a timely manner. Virtual Virginia course pacing calendars are located in each course homepage. Keeping pace and submitting assignments on time are essential for a successful online student.

Accessing Courses

The local school counselor is responsible for providing students with their Virtual Virginia usernames and passwords.

Once a course begins, students can access Virtual Virginia courses by following these steps:

  1. Go to https://www.virtualvirginia.org.
  2. Click the Login button at the top right.
  3. Under "Choose your program," click the dropdown menu and select "Virtual Virginia Program (K–12)." Click Login.
  4. On the Dashboard that appears, click "Launch" on a course tile to enter that course in the Canvas learning management system.

Note that each Virtual Virginia student is required to complete all orientation activities before beginning each Virtual Virginia course in which they are enrolled.

If students have trouble accessing Virtual Virginia courses, they should contact the VVA HelpDesk.

Grades

Local school division calendars and grading policies vary widely throughout the state; therefore, the local school mentor and/or counselor/coordinator will retrieve the student grades as needed and determine the letter grade according to the local school grading scale. Virtual Virginia does not have a specific letter grading scale. Virtual Virginia course semester grades are based on the percentage of total points on all graded assignments in a course semester. The local school will convert the numerical grade provided by Virtual Virginia to a letter grade based on the local school's grading scale. Honors points, weighting, and other special considerations are made at the discretion of the local school counselor.

Please note that Virtual Virginia final assessments are required for all students, and the final assessment grade is calculated into the final course grade. The Virtual Virginia final course grade will be made available to the school counselor of record.

Late Work Policy

Timely submission of assignments is the hallmark of a successful Virtual Virginia student. All assignments will have a due date published in the course calendar. If a student does not complete the assignment by the due date, a grade of zero will be recorded for that assignment.

Grades K–2: Student assignments will remain open for submission for 2 weeks after the original due date. Late penalties will not apply.

Grades 3–5: Student assignments will remain open for submission for 2 weeks after the original due date with a late penalty of up to 5% off per week.

Virtual Virginia policy requires that any request to submit late work over two weeks past the original due date must be made by the local school mentor, counselor or principal. The student’s parent/family must work with the local school mentor, counselor or principal to request an extension for assignments over two weeks late. The counselor/mentor must document the steps the local school will take to support this student as he or she completes the work.

In addition, assignments due during the week before course end dates will not be given the normal two-week grace period. If these assignments are not submitted on time and no extenuating circumstance is verified by the local school counselor, the student will receive a grade of zero for these late assignments.

Occasionally, an extenuating circumstance prevents a student from completing a semester or a course by the assigned end date. To grant semester or course extensions, Virtual Virginia administrators must receive a written request from the local school counselor or principal explaining why the student was unable to complete the work on time, and the counselor/mentor must document the steps the local school will take to support this student as he or she completes the work. The written request must be received fourteen days prior to the end of the Virtual Virginia term.

Early Warning System

The early warning system (EWS) provides advance notification to the student, mentors, parents/families, counselors, and instructor in situations where a student’s current cumulative average is below 70% or 50%. Automated emails for students who meet this criteria will be generated by the Student Information System (SIS), Genius. A student’s current course grade may be accessed via the VVA SIS.

When a student course average falls below a 70% in a VVA course, the student, parent/family, counselor, mentor, and VVA teacher are sent an early warning system notification about the current course performance. The notification will encourage the student to engage, and share tips for supporting students with the counselor, mentor, and parent/family.

If a student is identified with a course average consistently below 50% by the early warning system in a VVA course, the local school and VVA will conduct a conference with the student’s parent/family to discuss how to support and assist the learner. The conference will focus on strategies to improve performance, learning mastery, and student success. The local school counselor or mentor must document the steps the local school will take to support this student.

Administrative Withdrawals

A student with a consistently low course average may be administratively withdrawn from the VVA course according to the following course average thresholds and timeframes:

Students with an average under 20% who are withdrawn after the first month of a semester are not eligible for reinstatement. Students with an average under 40% who are withdrawn at the end of a quarter are eligible for reinstatement. To be reinstated in a course, a student will be required to participate in an academic conference involving the student, parent/family, counselor, and VVA administrator. The student will need to demonstrate adequate progress on goals established during the academic conference. Reinstatement conferences must be held within two weeks of the withdrawal date.

If the student does not demonstrate adequate progress by the designated check-in date, they may be withdrawn from the course. A reinstatement conference involving the student, parent/family, school-designated personnel, and VVA administrator is required to reinstate students in a Virtual Virginia course, and the student may be placed on a Pace Recovery Plan (PRP) (see Appendix D). The PRP is designed to support learners as they demonstrate progress on current assignments, complete missing coursework, and catch up with their cohort. Students who do not adhere to the PRP in its entirety will be administratively withdrawn from VVA courses.

End-of-Course Assessments

All students enrolled in Virtual Virginia courses are required to complete end-of-course final assessments and do not follow local school final exam exemption policies.

Students enrolled in Virtual Virginia courses that have Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments must take the test at the local school during the testing window indicated by the local school counselor.

Academic Integrity and Ethics Agreement

Virtual Virginia students are required to fully commit to academic integrity. Students are required to agree to abide by the following set of expectations:

If a student plagiarizes work in any manner, the student is subject to disciplinary action including possibly being given a zero for that assignment, removal from the course with a failing grade, or other consequences. Additional consequences may also be enforced at the discretion of the local school counselor or principal.

Acceptable Use of Technology

All students enrolled in Virtual Virginia courses are expected to conduct their communications in a professional and respectful manner. Inappropriate language, behavior, or use of the learning management systems will result in local school disciplinary action and possible removal from the Virtual Virginia program by Virtual Virginia administration.

Each student enrolled in Virtual Virginia courses will acknowledge his/her willingness to abide by Virtual Virginia’s Acceptable Use Policy and the procedures outlined therein will apply to all online courses.

Student Code of Conduct

All students will be required to agree to abide by the Student Code of Conduct. The code outlines expectations for appropriate student behavior and the consequences associated with failure to adhere to the code.

Student Communication Policy

Communication between students and Virtual Virginia instructors is key to student success in a Virtual Virginia course. Students enrolled in a Virtual Virginia course will be required to regularly communicate with Virtual Virginia instructors.

Virtual Virginia instructors will contact students by web conferencing software, email, and phone.

Right to Privacy

Virtual Virginia will abide by the student privacy guidelines set forth by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The following individuals have access to student records: Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) personnel, the Virtual Virginia administration, the professional staff of the student’s school (teacher/school counselor), and appropriate administrative support staff members and other professionals who have a legitimate educational or legal interest in student records. Final grades are available to the student’s local school at any time upon the student's completion of an online course. A student's parent/family should request a copy of final grades from the local school.

The names of Virtual Virginia students, their images, and their coursework will not be published on the public Virtual Virginia Web site without student and parent/family consent.  

Each Virtual Virginia student is provided a unique password that will allow him/her to access the online course. It is the responsibility of the student to keep his/her password secure.  

As noted in Virtual Virginia’s Acceptable Use Policy, communication through email, discussion board, chat, web conferencing, and other communication tools provided by Virtual Virginia is subject to monitoring by Virtual Virginia staff without other prior notice. Synchronous sessions may be recorded, and the recordings may also be monitored.

Inappropriate use of any Virtual Virginia communication tool, such as using these tools for profanity, use on social media platforms, or cyberbullying, is grounds for discipline including but not necessarily limited to the following: family contact, local school contact and application of local student code of conduct consequences, administrative removal from Virtual Virginia courses, or contact of law enforcement agencies in instances where violation of local, state, or federal laws is suspected.

ADA & ELL Compliance

Students who are enrolled in and attending a Virginia public school may enroll in a Virtual Virginia course with prior approval of the local school, and must be enrolled by a local school counselor or other school assigned designee. The local school agrees to provide all appropriate services to students enrolled in Virtual Virginia courses, including those with documented disabilities or those receiving ELL services. The local school agrees to provide a local school counselor, a local mentor, all student services, and all counseling services for each student enrolled in a Virtual Virginia course. Virtual Virginia does not assume the local school responsibility to provide Section 504, IEP, ELL, or other documented services for students enrolled in Virtual Virginia courses. The local school may require the student’s local school mentor to have an appropriate certified endorsement to provide any documented student services.

In the Virtual Virginia registration process, school counselors are asked to identify qualified students with documented disabilities in the Virtual Virginia Student Information System (SIS) by indicating if the student has a Section 504, IEP, ELL, or other documented services. For students with Section 504, IEP, or other documented services the school counselor and local mentor must develop a plan for the local school to address the documented student services, and share any appropriate accommodations needed in the Virtual Virginia learning management system prior to the course start date. Local school counselors and mentors are required to provide all students services to ensure student success in the Virtual Virginia course, and in the event of any complaint the local school will assume the recipient responsibilities.

Appendix A: Academic Integrity and Honor Statement

At Virtual Virginia the students, faculty, and staff join together in a unique learning community. Creating a community of trust is an essential part of this process. Maintaining high standards for academic integrity and honesty significantly contributes to the creation of our community of trust.

The faculty and staff of Virtual Virginia expect students to maintain a high standard of academic integrity.

A commitment to submit original work for evaluation and to neither give nor receive aid on course quizzes, tests, or projects when prohibited by the instructor is evidence of the academic integrity expected of our students. In the event that guidelines are unclear, our students assume the responsibility for communicating with the instructor as to not compromise the integrity of the work they submit.

The faculty and staff of Virtual Virginia expect students to maintain high standards of academic honesty.

Virtual Virginia student academic honesty is demonstrated through submitting original work that provides appropriate credit to all sources used. Academic dishonesty involves attempts by students to show possession of knowledge and skills they do not possess through cheating or plagiarizing. Examples of academic dishonesty include cutting or copying and pasting the work of others without properly attributing the work to the owner; collaborating with other students on an assignment without prior approval from the instructor; altering or misusing documents; impersonating, misrepresenting, or knowingly providing false information as to one’s identity; cheating on examinations (receiving help not specifically approved by the instructor); and plagiarism.

STUDENTS MUST ACCEPT THE TERMS OF THIS ACADEMIC INTEGRITY AND HONOR STATEMENT BY CLICKING AN AGREEMENT WHEN THEY ACCESS THEIR COURSE CONTENT FOR THE FIRST TIME.

Appendix B: Student Acceptable Use Policy

Virtual Virginia recognizes that appropriate use of technology resources is the responsibility of all individuals involved in the educational process. To this end Virtual Virginia:

•        Recognizes that parents/families are ultimately responsible for setting and conveying the standards students should follow when using media and information sources

•        Provides Virtual Virginia students access to a learning management system with the expectation that they will exercise appropriate usage

        

Sharing links to personal social media pages of any social media information is not permitted within Virtual Virginia’s learning management system.

Virtual Virginia resources are valuable educational tools for students. Their use and access are a privilege. They must be used in a responsible, safe, ethical, and legal manner. Use of technology resources in an inappropriate manner may result in removal from Virtual Virginia courses, disciplinary action(s) in accordance with relevant Virtual Virginia and local school division policies, and/or legal action.

Communications via Virtual Virginia software and resources should not be considered private. This includes, but is not limited to, the email, discussion board, and messaging tools in the learning management system and other Virtual Virginia resources. Students who have the privilege to use Virtual Virginia online resources are expected to do so in accordance with the following rules:

•        Use the online resources only for school-related, educational activities.

•        Be polite and use appropriate language.

•        Do not engage in the use of profanity, obscenities, or sexually explicit material.

•        Do not use expressions of bigotry, racism, and/or hate.

•        Do not intimidate, bully, harass or embarrass.

•        Maintain individual anonymity and privacy.

•        Do not reveal personal addresses, phone numbers, social networking identities, or other personal information.

•        Use resources appropriately.

•        Do not engage in acts of vandalism (malicious attempts to harm or destroy files, material, software, or equipment of others).

•        Do not use course software or network resources to display or convey personal, political, or commercial messages.

•        Do not use the accounts of others.

•        Do not trespass in the work, files, or folders of others.

•        Retain privacy of individual passwords.

•        Do not exploit the technology for dishonest purposes (cheating, plagiarism, etc.). Any collaboration on class work with others must have prior instructor approval.

•        Do not store coursework on public or shared network drive.

•        Do not use the technology for illegal purposes.

•        Adhere to copyright laws and restrictions. Do not transmit material in violation of federal or state law or regulation. (Such material includes, but is not limited to, commercial software, copyrighted material, threatening or obscene material, or material protected by trade secret.)

CYBERBULLYING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED BY VIRTUAL VIRGINIA.

Virtual Virginia administrators will cooperate fully with local, state, or federal officials in any investigation related to any illegal activities conducted through Internet access.

STUDENTS MUST ACCEPT THE TERMS OF THIS ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY BY CLICKING AN AGREEMENT WHEN THEY ACCESS THEIR COURSE CONTENT FOR THE FIRST TIME.

Appendix C: Student Code of Conduct

Philosophy

Virtual Virginia provides an atmosphere of respect conducive to teaching and learning in which the intellectual, physical, emotional, and social needs of students are met. Students, parents/families, administrators, instructors and all other staff members are responsible for creating a learning environment in which education can prosper. It is the primary responsibility of students to maintain a climate of mutual respect and trust so the dignity of the individual can be protected and the pursuit of opportunities for each student may be realized. It is the responsibility of administrators, instructors, and all other school staff to be consistent and fair in the application of all Virtual Virginia policies and regulations.

Student Rights

A student has all rights expressed and guaranteed by the United States Constitution and by federal, state, and local laws. These rights do not permit a student to disrupt the educational process, break school rules, present a health or safety hazard, or disregard directions of those in authority. Individual rights do not include infringing upon the rights of others in the school community. To the extent permitted by applicable law, students have the right to:

•        A public education without regard to gender, race, religion, national origin, or any reason not related to their individual capabilities

•        An orderly school environment which will allow optimum learning, emphasizing the values of responsibility, kindness, fairness, and safety

•        Express themselves in speech, writing, or symbols, consistent with their constitutional rights and Virtual Virginia policy

Student Responsibilities

It is the primary responsibility of students to maintain a climate of mutual respect and trust so that the dignity of the individual is protected and the pursuit of opportunities for each student may be realized. Students are responsible for:

•        Knowing and complying with any rules or regulations of Virtual Virginia, as well as local, state, and federal laws

•        Participating in course activities regularly and completing class assignments and/or requirements

•        Contributing to a climate of mutual respect for all within each school so that the hopes and ambitions of all individuals may be realized

Parental Responsibilities

Each parent/family has the duty to assist local school counselors, mentors, and principals in enforcing the Student Code of Conduct and the attendance policies so that education may be conducted in an atmosphere free of disruption and threat to persons or property, and supportive of individual rights.

Each parent/family must agree to coordinate with the local school counselor and local school mentor when addressing student performance in a Virtual Virginia course.

Prohibited Behaviors

No student shall violate any laws and/or rules and regulations of Virtual Virginia. The following are general categories of prohibited conduct. Specific conduct violations and accompanying consequences are listed below. The Academic Integrity and Honor Statement (Appendix A) and the Student Acceptable Use Policy (Appendix B) also define expectations for student behavior and should be considered a part of this Student Code of Conduct.

•        Alcohol and Drugs—The unlawful distribution or dispensation of alcohol, anabolic steroids, any narcotic drug, hallucinogenic drug, amphetamine, barbiturate, marijuana, or other controlled substance as defined in the Drug Control Act, Chapter 34, Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia, or as defined in schedules I through V of 21 U.S.C. 812, or imitation controlled substances or drug paraphernalia. Drug paraphernalia shall mean those items described in §18.2-265.1 of the Code of Virginia and imitation controlled substance shall mean a pill, capsule, tablet or other item which is not a controlled substance, an alcoholic beverage, anabolic steroid, or marijuana, but which by overall dosage unit, appearance, including color, shape, size, marking or package, or by representations made, is intended to lead or would lead a reasonable person to believe that such a pill, capsule, tablet or other item is a controlled substance, an alcoholic beverage, anabolic steroid, or marijuana.

•        Defiance of the Authority of School Personnel—Students shall comply with any oral or written instructions made by school personnel within the scope of their authority as provided by Virtual Virginia policies and regulations.

•        Dishonesty—Honesty shall be practiced in the entire educational experience. Cheating, plagiarism, forgery (including computer forgery), lying, or any other acts of dishonesty shall not be tolerated. This includes unauthorized or illegal use of computers or computer networks. Students must adhere to the principles in the Academic Integrity and Honor Statement.

•        Disruptions—Students shall not behave in a disorderly manner or in any other manner that interrupts or disturbs the orderly operation of the classroom. This prohibition includes encouraging or promoting illegal behavior.

•        Gambling—Gambling in any form is prohibited in association with any school activity.

•        Sexual Harassment—Students shall not sexually harass another student or any school employee, volunteer, student instructor or any other person present in school facilities or at school functions.

•        Threatening Behavior—Students shall not threaten students or staff members with physical harm.

•        Vandalism—Students shall not maliciously or willfully injure, deface, or destroy Virtual Virginia hardware, software, or other resources or the personal hardware, software, files or resources of individuals. In addition to criminal sanctions against offending students, the Code of Virginia allows the school board to collect up to $2,500 in damages from parents of minors who destroy school property.

•        Verbal Abuse and Vulgarity—Students shall not verbally or graphically curse or abuse anyone; use vulgar, profane, or indecent language; or display any obscenity or indecency. Students may not bully, intimidate, or make derogatory comments about others.

•        Violence—Students shall not contribute to aggressive behavior that is disruptive or dangerous.

CYBERBULLYING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED BY VIRTUAL VIRGINIA.

Consequences

Violations of the above mentioned prohibited behaviors may result in one or more of the following consequences:

•        Parental contact and issuance of a grade of zero in instances of plagiarism or cheating

•        Local school contact and application of local student code of conduct consequences

•        Administrative removal from Virtual Virginia courses with a failing grade

•        Contact of law enforcement agencies in instances where violation of local, state, or federal laws is suspected.

STUDENTS MUST ACCEPT THE TERMS OF THIS CODE OF CONDUCT BY CLICKING AN AGREEMENT WHEN THEY ACCESS THEIR COURSE CONTENT FOR THE FIRST TIME.

Appendix D: Pace Recovery Plan Template

In situations where students fall behind pace and a course average is below a 40%, or because of legitimate extenuating circumstances verified by a mentor, counselor, or principal, VVA will use the following email template to communicate new due dates for missed work.

The purpose of this plan is to allow the student to catch up with the pace at which he/she should be progressing through this course. This plan is necessary because the student has fallen behind in assignments and needs to accelerate to return to the normal schedule of the course.

                Lesson/Assignment:

                Original Due Date:

                New Due Date:

                Lesson/Assignment:

                Original Due Date:

                New Due Date:

If any of the due dates from this pace recovery plan are missed, the student will receive a zero for that assignment and no additional opportunities to complete the work will be offered.

At the conclusion of this recovery plan, the student should return to their cohort’s regular pacing.

Appendix E: Student & Parent/Family Participation Agreements

The Student & Parent/Family acknowledgments below must be signed by both student and parent/family. The local school counselor is required to obtain signatures prior to each Virtual Virginia course start date, and keep this documentation on file in the school counseling office for the remainder of the academic year.

Through continuous communication and effective time management can students be successful in a Virtual Virginia course. To ensure that local school counselors, students, and parents/families are aware of the policies and procedures that accompany this commitment, please complete the Student and Parent/Family acknowledgments below.

Student Acknowledgment

I understand that for each online course, there are a minimum number of assignments that must be completed each week. Failure to submit the minimum number of assignments on a weekly basis may result in my removal from the course and may result in a failing grade being reported on my academic transcript.

I also acknowledge that I will follow all policies and procedures outlined in the Virtual Virginia Student and Family handbook.

Student Signature:        ___________________________________________________ 

Date:                        __________________________

Parent/Family Acknowledgement

I acknowledge that I must coordinate with the local school counselor and local school mentor when the performance of my son/daughter in a Virtual Virginia course needs to be addressed.

Parent/Responsible Family Member Email Address:        

_______________________________________________________________________

Parent/Responsible Family Member Signature:        

_______________________________________________________________________

Date:                        __________________________

Important Note: Many types of email accounts, such as work email accounts, are not secure. As such, employers or email service providers may have access to any confidential information (such as grades or performance) that Virtual Virginia communicates through email.

Virtual Virginia 2022–2023 Handbook: Students & Families, Grades K–5