ACCEL Schools Announces Full Array of Learning Options for 2020-21 School Year

COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ACCEL Schools has announced three learning options for 43 community schools in Ohio for the 2020-21 school year. Parents may choose from Traditional, Online, and Blended learning options for the Fall semester.

As a charter school management organization that operates over 50 brick-and-mortar, blended, and virtual schools in five states, ACCEL Schools is uniquely positioned to support the full array of options with its internal expertise and resources. Regardless of learning model, all students will follow the same curricular scope and sequence each week to achieve mastery of Ohio Learning Standards organized in the proprietary ACCEL Management Platform© (AMP).

"The beauty of AMP is that students have the opportunity to stay on track with their learning regardless of whether they can come to school or not," says Ron Packard, President of ACCEL Schools. "This is crucial, as we do not know how long the pandemic will play out nor what additional guidelines our schools may be asked to follow throughout the year. With AMP, parents can choose whatever option is best for their family, and if that option gets restricted, their student can continue to progress as planned through the Online model."

In ACCEL's Traditional model, students will receive in-person learning at the school five days per week. Safety guidelines established by the CDC and Ohio Department of Health will be rigorously followed, including daily assessment for symptoms, hand washing and sanitization, cleaning and sanitizing shared surfaces, and following a mandated face covering policy. Extracurricular activities will be planned following the ODH and ODE guidelines for schools throughout the year.

In the Online model, students will learn from their home environment under the guidance of classroom teachers supported by parents. Schools will loan laptops to students on an as needed basis and reimburse the cost of home Internet for students who meet the eligibility requirement which includes ongoing attendance and participation. "Grab and Go" meals will be available as part of the free breakfast and lunch program.

The Blended model is a combination of the Traditional and Online models. Students will learn at the school building two days of the week, and then log-on from home for the remaining three days of the school week. In-person and online activities will be planned according to ODH guidelines, and laptops will be loaned to students on an as needed basis. Students participating in the National School Lunch Program will eat breakfast and lunch on site on the days they are at the school, and families will be able to pick up "Grab and Go" meals for at-home learning days.

"We believe families deserve the ultimate choice in schooling options anytime, and especially during the unique circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic," says Packard. "It is our goal to ensure every student has access to a safe, and high quality education, and parents can make whatever choices they need to make for their family."

Ohio families will have the opportunity to make their learning choice beginning Monday, July 13th in order to give schools optimal time for planning. The chosen option will be in place until the end of the first semester. If a parent wants to change options before the end of the semester, they may work with the school's principal to move to a different model. To make their learning choice, parents can visit www.accelschools.com/fall2020 or call (216) 750-1200.

ACCEL Schools serving Ohio are:

ACCEL Schools is an established network of over 50 traditional, virtual, and blended schools that operates K-12 schools in five states. Schools in the ACCEL Schools network benefit from critical expertise and resources such as online coursework, learning management systems, parent communication tools, best practices in blended learning, and professional development for teachers. Learn more at www.accelschools.com

SOURCE ACCEL Schools

Related Links

www.accelschools.com