Westwood Community School District Meeting the needs of At Risk youth!

1. Westwood Community School District • Meeting the needs of At Risk youth! Glen Taylor

3. We offer a researcher centric, constructivist, project based, online high school experience for At-Risk teens. • We offer two tracks for students to engage in learning. Not School (100% on-line) and My School (Lab min. of two times a week).

4. Policies Impacting Innovation • Our program currently runs under a Seat Time Waiver awarded by the State Superintendent. • The waiver ensures that we can operate this innovative program and still receive state funding. • A push is currently being made in the Legislature for Cyber Rules to govern this process.

5. The Cyber High School • We began the program in February with 180 Researchers and now have 540 active researchers on-line. • We provide computer workstations and connectivity for all researchers in the program. • We employ approximately 108 employees working as project managers, technicians, experts and mentors. • We are open 365 days a year and 24/7. We have staff online throughout the night.

7. WCHS is modeled after a research based program in the United Kingdom • The Not School Program has a 98% reengagement rate, have serviced 6,000 students and has 9 years of documented success. • Westwood has a formal partnership with the Inclusion Trust, an entity of the Ministry of Education in the UK. • The Westwood Team experienced the program firsthand as well as formed a PLC with the U.K. Program. 7

8. How It Works! • Researcher: The student • Mentor: A certified teacher available online only • Expert: An expert in a specific content subject area: Highly Qualified 8

9. Local Project Team: • Team Leader: The team leader will be a Michigan certified teacher and will service all researchers within the community. The Team Leader is responsible for ensuring students are engaging in the program. • Technician: The technician is available to support researchers (students) with technical difficulties that may arise and will ensure student access to functioning hardware/software and connectivity. • Logistics Coordinator: Will assist the community with enrollment, inductions, reporting, and home visits. 9

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11. Westwood Cyber High School (WCHS) Goals: • Offer disengaged teens, an innovative, non-traditional path to earn their high school diploma. • Develop life long learners, equipped with 21st century skills they can use to obtain a higher education or employment. • Create opportunities for students to obtain credits towards an advanced degree and/or trade skills. 11

12. 16.5 Westwood Cyber Researchers 5 3

13. An average of 90 % agree or strongly agree that PBL and WCHS is a better way to learn.

14. 100% of the researchers state that project activities are useful. 95% state teachers know their subject area well.

15. Retention

16. Parent Survey Data Results

18. 92% of parents would Recommend WCHS

19. Staff Survey Data Results

21. Learning at WCHS • Proficiency Based ( The only way to earn credit is through demonstrated proficiency). • Student Centered! • It is our job to engage students in a continuos conversation about learning wrapped in the state content expectations. • We have no courses. • Story of a Project

22. Contact Information • Glen Taylor Executive Director of Innovation/ State and Federal Programs taylorg@wwschools.net 734-846-6446