A-RVA Frequently Asked Questions

1.	Q	Who is eligible for A-RVA?
	A	Any student residing in the Apollo-Ridge School District.

2.	Q	Is A-RVA or online learning right for me?
	A	Every student is different and have varying strengths and weaknesses. Participating in A-RVA or any online learning program takes hard work, dedication, and a strong work ethic. Students that possess these skills have the opportunity to do well in the program. Students who are still developing these skills, tend to struggle.

3.	Q	Is there a cost to participate in A-RVA?
	A	There will be no cost to a full-time A-RVA student who resides with the Apollo-Ridge School District. Tuition fees may apply if you are not a resident of the Apollo-Ridge School District, taking a course for credit recovery, or taking courses for enrichment.

4.	Q	Do I have to take all of my courses online?
	A	No. You can mix and match online courses with traditional courses that we offer here at Apollo-Ridge Middle School. We call this a "Hybrid Model". Please let the guidance counselor know if you are interested in this model.

5.	Q	What will my child’s daily academic schedule look like in A-RVA?
	A	A-RVA is designed with flexibility in mind. The Westmoreland Intermediate Unit provides courses taught by local teachers. You will have the flexibility to complete your course work according to the schedule outlined by the teachers. Most courses give one week's worth of content/assignments at a time. In most cases, A-RVA students will have one week to complete that week's assignments.

6.	Q	Who teaches the online courses?
	A	The Westmoreland Intermediate Unit provides courses taught by local teachers. Districts that provide teachers include: Burrell, Kiski Area, Derry Area, Greater Latrobe, Franklin Regional, and possibly Apollo-Ridge.

7.	Q	Will I be able to participate in Apollo-Ridge sports, clubs, extra-curricular activities, face to face tutoring, band, chorus, etc.?
	A	Absolutely!

8.	Q	Can I still go to LENAPE?
	A	Absolutely!

9.	Q	What diploma will I receive?
	A	You will receive an Apollo-Ridge School District diploma. You will also be eligible to participate in the Apollo-Ridge School District Graduation Ceremonies.

10.	Q	Don’t other cyber schools offer the same type of support?
	A	NO! Outside cyber charter school do not offer the same level of personal attention and support that you will receive while staying an Apollo-Ridge student and participating in A-RVA. While cyber education never will be, nor should it be, a full day of watching a computer screen, the use of recorded lessons and live interaction opportunities, along with accountability for attendance and performance not provided elsewhere, makes A-RVA the best option for families not comfortable with in-person instruction for various reasons.

11.	Q	How does attendance work if my child would attend A-RVA?
	A	This will be explained during the A-RVA enrollment process.

12.	Q	What advantage does A-RVA have over other cyber options?
	A	The short answer is SEVERAL!! A-RVA is the Apollo-Ridge Virtual Academy, a cyber education option for education that is run completely by the Apollo-Ridge School District. Students enrolled in A-RVA are 100% Apollo-Ridge students, where students enrolled in other cyber charter programs or not. A-RVA students receive greater support from the teachers provided by the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit. Some of the other benefits to A-RVA include: - Participate in athletic and extra-curricular activities offered at Apollo-Ridge - Attend Prom/School Dances - Participate in the Apollo-Ridge Graduation Ceremonies - Participate in a "Hybrid" program (Some in-person classes and some virtual/cyber classes) - Participate in Apollo-Ridge Concert, Marching, & Jazz Bands - Participate in the Apollo-Ridge Choir Ensemble - Attend face to face tutoring (Tuesday's & Thursday's) at school - Experience a high quality, rigorous curriculum - Allows for a seamless transition between our brick and mortar school (in-person classes) and cyber/virtual school If you are considering a cyber option, without question A-RVA is the choice for you.

13.	Q	How can I see how my child is progressing through their virtual/remote learning?
	A	Parents at any grade level should have their child’s username and password for every program they use including Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, etc. Your child’s school email address and password is no exception. We will provide each parent/guardian a copy of their child’s A-RVA username and password. Parents can log in on any device to view their assignments (both items that they need to turn in and items that they already turned in), virtual lessons, etc. If for some reason you can’t log in, please talk to your child. They likely changed their password and you will need to get the new password from them.

14.	Q	What tips or advice do we suggest for parents/guardians?
	A	We understand that virtual/remote learning is not easy on parents, students or teachers. We have attempted to create a model that is consistent from teacher to teacher to lessen any confusion students may encounter. We also understand parents/guardians are not teachers. With that said, here are the only two things we are asking parents to do: 1. Create a structured schedule for your child to follow and hold them to it. Students thrive in structured settings. Yes, virtual learning can be unstructured. If you create a structured schedule that fits you and your child’s needs, you will see significant progress and success. 2. Trust but verify! Your kids are smart. Do not let them fool you. They can do this and they know how to do it. Ask yourself how many times your child came to you for tech support with their cell phone… Exactly…. They know how to do it and if they do not, they know how to contact their teachers to get the help they need. We ask that each parent “Trust, but verify”. That means ask your child each day if they completed their work. Regardless of their answer, you have the ability to check using their username and password to verify that they completed their assignments. If they did not do their work, hold them accountable and force them to complete the assignments that are due for the day. A recipe for disaster is allowing assignments to pile up. Students struggle when they see a mountain of work staring them in the face. Not allowing assignments/work to pile up is directly correlated to how well students will do in a virtual/remote setting. Remember, trust what your child says, but verify that they actually did it.