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Ripon’s online option will be offered from Florida Virtual Schools
online learning

The Ripon Unified School District added an alternative online curriculum for distance learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Florida Virtual Schools is now available for the district's sixth- through- 12th- grade students who choose to learn from home.

Trustees, at a special session held last Tuesday, agreed to provide families with two options upon the return to school on Aug. 12 -- a traditional five-day in-school classroom instructional model only with additional health and safety measures, and an off-campus distance option for parents who do not feel comfortable and prefer that their child not return to a regular classroom environment.'

FVS has access to more than 190 courses, including core, world language, elective, honors, and AP, and will be managed by RUSD teachers, according to Kathy Coleman.

The Director of Curriculum and Categorical Programs added this distance learning option allows families to keep their students enrolled at the school of their attendance area

Elementary school students would be required to commit to the program at a minimum of one full trimester at a time while high schoolers must commit to one full semester at a time.

For younger students, in particular, kindergarten through fifth graders, there's Seesaw, which is described as "a tool for in-class and at-home learning, creating a powerful learning loop between students, teachers and families."

Seesaw will allow students to participate in standards-based activities and create work via individual journals using photos, drawings, videos, notes and other links.

As for teachers, they can communicate with individual students along with classes and parents through Seesaw, using text, video or audio responses.

Teachers, in addition, can use existing activities and / or district-adopted curriculum, Coleman said.