Recently, Governor Asa Hutchinson and the Arkansas Department of Education announced that public schools will reopen for the 2020-21 school year. The El Dorado School District has been working to create opportunities for learning that provide rigorous curriculum while also maintaining the safety of our students and staff.
In order to provide your child with a rigorous education, we must provide a strong academic setting that ensures student learning, whether face-to-face or technology-based. Grade-level standards or higher will continue to be taught, regardless of the COVID-19 circumstances. We must also assess (test) students to identify proficiencies and learning gaps and plan support accordingly.
El Dorado School District is offering two school options for the 2020-21 school year:
1) Blended On-site Instruction and 2) 100% Online Instruction through Wildcat Online Academy.
Blended On-site Instruction:
On-site instruction will be provided at all of our schools in a setting that follows the guidelines of the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH).
Blended on-site learning is a combination of face-to-face instruction along with online instruction in the classroom that allows for an easy transition to online learning in the event of school closures. For details about on-site learning for your child, read our FAQs for Blended Instruction.
Wildcat Online Academy:
The Wildcat Online Academy (WOA) will provide a 100% online option for students, taught by El Dorado School District teachers.
The Wildcat Online Academy option allows ESD students in grades K-12 to choose online instruction that is designed and monitored by our certified teachers and/or support staff. While the instruction is mainly delivered via Google Classroom, teacher, student, parent, and peer interaction may occur through video conferencing, email, online classroom chat and comment features, phone calls, and face-to-face meetings.
Benefits
District-provided Chromebook
ESD curriculum, teachers, intervention, and support
ESD Pre-AP and AP courses and most electives
ESD parent and student resources, AAA sports, and select events (grades 5-12)
ESD progress reports, report cards, diplomas, and transcripts
Cost
While ESD provides all coursework in a traditional school format for free to all students, some optional courses and optional course formats do include fees. Online coursework is an optional format. Online students will incur a non-refundable fee of $25 per semester. This fee totals $50 per year for a student enrolled in a 100% online program. Scholarships will be available on a limited basis.
Other Requirements
Online students in grades K-6 grade are required to have a learning coach, an adult who will monitor and ensure that the student logs in for scheduled instruction and adheres to the policies and procedures of the online courses.
Student Enrollment
Students interested in enrolling for the fall of 2020 need to complete the Wildcat Online Academy 2020 Intent to Enroll Form by July 8. Enrollment is limited to students zoned to ESD or those with approved out-of-district transfers. If you need any additional information, please click on the links below or contact Michelle Henry at (870) 864-5006.
Helpful Links:
Tips for Successful Virtual Learning
The El Dorado School District takes the safety of our staff and students seriously. We plan to take the necessary precautions to provide a safe and secure learning environment for everyone. At this time, we are waiting for direction from the Arkansas Department of Health for specific details related to reopening of schools in August and will provide updates as they become available.
