PORTLAND, Ore., Jan. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, hundreds of students will go online to participate in orientation sessions with Insight School of Oregon, Oregon's new online high school. When classes begin on January 29th, students will log on to well-designed virtual classrooms that leverage teachers and technology to provide a quality education with flexibility.
J.D. McMahan, Head of School for Insight School of Oregon, has 30 years of education experience in Oregon across rural and urban districts. "I have been a school administrator for a long time, and I'm only getting more excited about the ways we can help kids be successful in high school," said McMahan. "Insight is an option that works for students who struggle with their traditional high school experience because they are advanced learners, pursuing full-time careers in athletics or the arts, holding down jobs, having a difficult time socially -- you name it."
Insight sophomore Josh Smith's family was drawn to the school because it allows him to focus on academic achievement, bringing him closer to his goal of becoming an archeologist one day.
"Josh is an independent thinker who likes to be on task and get things done," says his mother, Carol. "Online schooling is a great fit for him because he can work at his own quick pace, and still enjoy one-on-one time with his instructors. We like that his teachers don't have to struggle to balance academics with distractions like behavior problems and discipline issues that can be common in traditional schools."
An avid chess player, Josh also looks forward to participating in clubs and social activities at Insight.
Insight School of Oregon is based in the Lincoln County School District, which authorized and oversees the school; the Oregon Council for Online Learning (OCOL), a non-profit entity, governs the school. In addition to state-certified teachers, Insight students also have iMentors who help students stay on track with their goals. Full-time students receive a school-issued laptop and printer, as well as an Internet stipend.
School administrators will provide opportunities for students to interact beyond the classroom, knowing that socialization is an important part of the high school experience. For example, at Insight School of Washington, students have formed more than 20 online clubs with topics ranging from journalism to video gaming to debate; and biweekly webcasts have taken the place of school assemblies.
"It's exciting to launch a school in our home state," said Insight Schools CEO, Keith Oelrich. "Our educational model is designed to serve high school students throughout all of Oregon. The number of high school age kids who are not in high school is beyond alarming -- our mission is to provide an option that serves as many of those kids as possible, adding flexibility and personalization without sacrificing academic quality."
About Insight School of Oregon: Insight School of Oregon is a, full-time, diploma-granting online public high school authorized by Lincoln County School District and governed by the Oregon Council for Online Learning (OCOL). For more information, see http://www.insightor.net/.
About Insight Schools, Inc.: Insight Schools, Inc. is the nation's largest network of tuition-free, diploma-granting, online public high schools. To learn more, call 800-975-8006 or visit http://www.insightschools.net/.
Insight Schools, Inc.
