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Lake-Lehman wants online learning program to catch on
LEHMAN TWP., Oct 13, 2009 (The Citizens' Voice - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
Lake-Lehman officials hope more cyber charter school students opt to use a new program affiliated with the district, which would help reduce its more than $350,000 annual cyber charter tuition bill.
Lake-Lehman is offering an online learning program called VLINC -- Virtually Linking Instruction and Curriculum -- through Luzerne Intermediate Unit 18, which started it in 2008. Unlike with other cyber schools, VLINC allows students to use the Lake-Lehman curriculum, take part in school activities and graduate from the district, Superintendent James McGovern said.
About eight or nine of the approximately 35 district students in cyber schools use VLINC, and he said hopefully more will switch. VLINC saves the district money: it costs $4,500 a year per student, as opposed to about $10,200 for a student to use a non-affiliated cyber charter school, McGovern said. School districts are required to pay students' tuition to cyber charter schools.
Lake-Lehman also uses VLINC to offer students classes it would be difficult to hire a teacher for, such as Mandarin Chinese, he said.
In other business, school board member Peter Farrell said Lake-Lehman made its adequate yearly progress goal on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment tests for the sixth straight year.
"Six years in a row -- that's a big accomplishment," he said.
Farrell credited McGovern and the teachers, as well as the students who took a real interest in learning. McGovern said the credit belongs to the teachers, stating, "They do all the work. I just say 'yes' to a lot of things."
The board plans to give the Back Mountain Memorial Library $6,000 for the 2009-10 school year instead of $5,000. Board member Charles Balavage suggested the change, since he said the state budget gives school districts a little bit more than expected, but cuts library funding.
eskrapits@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2072
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