Virtual Learning

Birmingham Public Schools provides virtual learning options for students enrolled at Groves or Seaholm, allowing them to learn asynchronously. These classes are offered through reputable third-party providers like Michigan Virtual, Edmentum, Stride Learning Solutions, and others. The instructors are certified teachers from Michigan, although they are not employed directly by the school district.

Virtual courses consist of?

Virtual courses are completely asynchronous and do not offer live instruction through platforms like Zoom or any other videoconferencing tool. Students are given a unique login and password to access the third-party provider's platform. Once logged in, students will have access to the entire class materials, including readings, videos, assignments, and assessments. It is expected that students take responsibility for their own learning and work on their virtual class(es) for approximately one hour each school day.

All assignments and assessments are submitted through the platform, where instructors will grade the work and provide feedback. To learn more about virtual courses, you can watch a video by Mitch Nobis, a BPS teacher who mentors all of our students enrolled in these courses. Additionally, you can find links to course catalogs for our primary providers, Edmentum and Stride Learning Solutions (Peak).

Important Details

Signing Up

Meet with your high school guidance counselor. They are there to provide guidance about whether virtual learning could be right for you in addition to helping you decide which course(s) fits best into your Educational Development Plan. There is an online learning agreement form that must be completed by both the student and you and caregiver, and turned to your counselor at least 10 school days before the start of the new trimester. Forms submitted after deadline are subject to denial and can be re-submitted for a later date. Completed forms are emailed to Principal Dave Brooks (dbrooks@birmingham.k12.mi.us), who oversees virtual learning for grades 9-12.

What Happens Next?

Mr. Brooks will register you for your virtual course(s) through a provider that is offering the course(s) requested by the student. If a course is not available, your counselor will be notified. Once your course registration is accepted, you will receive login credentials to their platform. On the first day, the course(s) will be open and available for you to access. You are expected to begin the course work at that time.

Responsibilities?

It is mandatory for you to communicate weekly with your mentor teacher, Mr. Nobis. This communication can occur through email responses, Zoom, phone calls or in-person. We use these weekly communication methods to report your online learning attendance to the Michigan Department of Education (MDE). Failure to communicate weekly with Mr. Nobis may result in future denials of online learning requests.

Online Class

You must report to the classroom or computer lab that Groves/Seaholm has designated for online learners. Please see your counselor to determine what room you should be reporting to. Juniors and seniors who wish to go off-campus to work on their online course(s) must fill out the "Blended Learning Waiver and Release of Liability" form and return it your counselor, along with your online learning agreement form.

Additional FAQs

Additional FAQs

Transcript?

At the end of the trimester, online course(s) will close and the teacher(s) will finalize grade(s). Final grades are submitted to the Registrars at Groves/Seaholm to be added to transcript.

Dropping courses?

Families are responsible for reimbursing BPS for the cost of the virtual course(s), if a student drops more than 10 days after starting. Virtual courses are typically $300.00, depending on the provider.

Fail virtual course(s)?

Failing grade(s) will still be submitted to be added to high school transcript. Additionally, future virtual course enrollments could be denied.

Who should I contact?

If you've spoken with a counselor about virtual learning, but you still have questions then you should email Principal Brooks at dbrooks@birmingham.k12.mi.us.

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