Starting and Maintaining a Virtual School:

Scott Merrick’s EdWeb ShareJune 26, 2014

Tennessee’s First, Highest-Achieving Leader Since 2011

Quick Personal Notes:

? ? ?

I have a beautiful, talented wife and two beautiful, talented grown kids.

I drive a 2009 Smart Car and I like to relax in a canoe on my favorite lake.

I’ve done other things.

See the “about.me” link at the end of this presen-tation)

Mission: • To provide Tennessee students with an individualized, dynamic, and

empowering virtual education developing graduates who are college, career, and community ready.

Vision: • Leading the field of virtual education with innovation and creativity while

inspiring v-students to become stewards of their own education, life-long learners, and excited about the future of education.

But I LOVE doing this:

We are structured a little different from a traditional school….

We are innovators…• FIRST Virtual Public School in TN• Serving the 42nd largest school district in the country (of 13,588)• Nontraditional K-12 School (Currently 9-12)• Part and Full-Time enrollment offered• Facilitate teaching and learning virtually via the District’s Learning

Management System (LMS): Blackboard• First-Time Credit NOT to be confused with Credit Recovery• “Performance Concerns” aka “Mastery=Attendance”• After-School focused tutoring sessions• EOC and AP Learning Labs • SACS accreditation • NCAA accreditation• 3D synchronous online meetings via Kitely.com• MNPS Virtual Academy , (FIRST IN THE WORLD!!!), The

Virtual Academy of Business and Marketing

• District Career Fair• Focused Electives• Student Portfolio• Capstone Project

And…Click to learn more

http://ncacinc.com/ http://www.wsmv.com/story/24547140/president-obama-coming-to-nashville

NCAC: President Obama’s Speech:

3D Synchronous Online Meeting Space in Kitely:

We are continuously refining our operations…

• No GPA restriction for Part-Time, 2.0 GPA requirement for • Full-Time• Pacing Guides and grading (students receive 9-week report cards)• Student-scheduled Discussion Based Assessments (DBAs)• No Senior exemptions from virtual exams• Virtual School Attendance and Truancy Policy (15% off-pace

requires intervention with Juvenile Court)• Students can choose to work ahead and accelerate• NEW testing protocols and remote proctoring via ProctorU• Student Orientation, Midmester, and Final Review sessions

offered• DLOs in every course, every semester• Detailed printed Student Handbooks available online

We offer ALL core courses needed to graduate…

Also AP, Dual Enrollment, and Electives

Class of 2011!

Class of 2014!

We have a beautiful Student Center where students can work if they wish.

And Events:Onsite tutoring (Math Mondays, Science Tuesdays, and Language Wednesdays) Teacher PD

and Events:

Science Center Field Trip Prom!

and Events:

Zoo visit EOC testing

and Events:

Student Advisory Board Proctored testing

and Events:

CPR Certification MNPS Project Expo

and Events:

Faculty meetings online and onsite: Potlucks:

and Events:

Caving! Graduation!

We provide choices for MNPS students and families…

• Earn your High School diploma online

• Honors credit in many courses

• AP courses• Advanced Credit for Middle

School students• Dual Enrollment at NSCC• Summer schooling options• Work full-time or more

flexibly part-time• Care for your child or your

parent

We are exploding!“Merrick’s Law…”

We are NOT for profit!Please read this Tennessean article, published April 19, 2014

We are always here to answer ANY of your questions…

Got Questions? We Got Answers? Call MNPS Virtual School between

9:00AM and 5:00PM At: (615) 463-0188 Ext. 3900.

Contact Information:

Scott Merrickv-Lead Teacher, v-Online Learning Specialist, v-Academy

Coach, and v-MNPS All-Stars Lead Learner4805 Park Avenue, Suite 300

Nashville, TN 37209(615) 463-0188 Ext. 3900

Scott.Merrick@mnps.org http://vlearn.mnps.org

http://about.me/scottmerrick http://scottmerrick.net