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What is University View Academy (UVA)?
University View Academy (UVA) is a tuition–free, online public school for grades K–12 offered to residents across Louisiana. UVA provides live online sessions along with asynchronous content and assignments created by Louisiana-certified educators. Our curriculum works best when coupled with strong parental involvement in the learning environment. Internet is required to access the tools students need to learn in an online setting.
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Is UVA a homeschool program?
No, UVA is a Louisiana Public Type 2 Charter School authorized by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). The Louisiana Department of Education has jurisdiction of the oversight of the operations of the charter school pursuant to Louisiana statutes.
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Is UVA accredited?
Yes, University View Academy is accredited through the Louisiana Department of Education through its contract with the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE).
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Do UVA students participate in state testing?
- As a public school, UVA is required by state and federal laws to administer state-standardized tests to students in specific grades. Participation in state testing is required and occurs in person. Virtual state testing is not offered at this time.
- High school students must participate in state testing to progress through courses and satisfy graduation requirements.
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Do I need to apply with the State of Louisiana for home study approval?
- No, UVA is a Louisiana public charter school, not a homeschool program. We receive federal and state funds as a public school and must comply with state regulations regarding our curriculum and course completion timelines. We must administer mandated testing for state, national, and certification test agencies.
- See “Do UVA students participate in state testing?”
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How does the enrollment process work?
- The enrollment process begins once an application is submitted through our website. Once submitted, one of our admissions specialists will contact you to review the application and documentation submitted. The admissions team will work with you to review the documents and the application.
- Once this process is completed, the application will move forward for review. The admissions team will communicate with you when there is space available or when your student is placed on the waiting list.
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How do new families get started?
- New families begin a one-week orientation and training course on the first day of school (commonly referred to as the Start Date). This orientation course can be started on any personal computer, tablet, or smartphone while waiting on the school laptop to arrive.
- When the laptop arrives, the box includes instructions to log in to the laptop and connect to your Wi-Fi network. The orientation and training course includes instructions to continue the course on the student’s school-issued laptop. The course also provides step-by-step instructions to log in to the student’s account (i.e., Learning Management System) and for Learning Coaches to create the Observer account at the appropriate stage in the course.
- The orientation and training phase is supported by a team of UVA employees who provide pacing guidelines and support to our new families during onboarding, followed by ongoing support for our Learning Coaches throughout the year.
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Is student supervision required during the school day?
- All students are required to have a Learning Coach. A Learning Coach is an adult who oversees the day-to-day learning activities of a student in the learning environment, wherever that may be – at home, the parent’s workplace, etc. Learning Coaches do not teach but must ensure students are completing assignments, communicating with their teachers, and staying on pace.
- Learning Coaches of older students who do not require assistance can perform some of their responsibilities remotely. However, there must be a commitment from the Learning Coach to use the available monitoring tools and resources during the time the student is learning.
- Young students and students who require assistance should have a Learning Coach present in the learning environment to ensure the student remains focused, to provide hands-on assistance that reinforces skills, to help when contacting the teacher, and to provide guidance and support that keeps the student engaged in school during designated school hours.
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Who can access the student account?
- In addition to the student, Learning Coaches who create an “Observer” account have access to the student’s account. Learning Coaches are given instructions to create the Observer account during UVA’s new family onboarding cycle.
- To add a Learning Coach that is not a Guardian to your student’s account:
- Contact Admissions and Attendance for assistance with completing the Designated Learning Coach Form for each enrolled student.
- To add an additional Guardian to a student account:
- Contact Admissions and Attendance to add an additional guardian account for each enrolled student.
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Can my student determine his/her own pace?
UVA allows flexibility in the sense that your student can login and complete assignments at various times of the day. Your student must complete assignments by the assigned due date. Your student will not be able to complete the course early, but students can begin assignments when they are posted by the teachers and can complete them in advance of the due date. Teachers establish the pacing guide for course content to ensure students have ample time to complete assignments by the end of the grading period.
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Do teachers monitor students throughout the school day via the computer?
No, teachers provide live instruction, office hours, and small group sessions at scheduled times throughout the week. They will work with students individually as required. Our students are not monitored by the teacher via camera throughout the day.
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Is attendance taken daily?
UVA provides all coursework to its K-12 students entirely in a virtual environment. As a result, attendance is defined and monitored differently than in a physical school setting.
UVA defines attendance according to a student’s activity in Canvas on a weekly basis. The school week begins on Monday at 12:00 a.m. and ends on Sunday at 11:59 p.m. Attendance will be determined based on student activity at any hour of any day within the seven-day period and includes work completed on weekends. Regular attendance and engagement through coursework completion in the online learning management system and supplemental educational programs are essential to a successful school experience.
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What programs will I be using as a part of daily instruction?
- UVA has a variety of technology partners.
- Our Student Information System (SIS) is called JCampus. This platform is where the majority of student data is housed and managed.
- Our Learning Management System (LMS) is called Canvas. All learning content is housed here. This system is where students get assignments, work on projects, and take assessments. Learning Coaches can monitor these activities for their students to make sure they are on pace and performing.
- Our teachers deliver live instruction via an online platform several days per week. During these learning circles, teachers work directly with students to build, reinforce, model, extend, and/or provide context for learning.
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Will students receive materials and books?
- Every student will receive a laptop to use while enrolled in UVA. Elementary students will have consumable workbooks and manipulatives for math courses.
- Middle school and high school students will receive supply kits, novels, textbooks, workbooks, and other resources. Early College and advanced courses may have textbooks and other digital resources available as part of the course. Students in Special Education will be provided with materials based on their IEPs.
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What is the UVA grading scale?
Regular/AP Courses Dual Enrollment A 90-100 90-100 B 80-89 80-89 C 70-79 70-79 D 60-69 60-69 F 0-59 0-59 The grading policy at University View Academy is defined by Louisiana law. -
Who receives a laptop?
Every enrolled student receives a laptop. Once a student is enrolled, UVA’s technical support team will mail the computer within the first week of enrollment. They are shipped to an enrolled student’s mailing address. Laptops cannot be shipped to PO boxes. Since our program is tailored to these devices, students are expected to use the laptop provided to complete their schoolwork.
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How do I get technical support?
MIS, our technology support partner, can be reached via phone at 225-286-1600 or toll-free at 833-286-9905. They are also available by the chat feature located at the top right corner of every webpage. MIS is available for support Monday through Friday from 7 AM to 5 PM.
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What if I haven’t received the laptop?
If there is a delay in getting your student’s laptop, call our technology partner MIS to confirm shipping at 225-286-1600.
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Will UVA students receive any other equipment?
No, each student will only receive a laptop computer.
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Do UVA students receive Summer EBT benefits?
University View Academy (UVA) does not participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). However, state and federal guidelines govern Summer EBT. As a result, children who attend UVA will only be eligible to receive Summer EBT funds if their household currently participates in SNAP, TANF, and Medicaid.
If the household already participates in these programs, the household will be enrolled automatically in the Summer EBT program. Households do not need to fill out an application.
Households who do not participate in these programs are not eligible to apply to receive Summer EBT. UVA is not involved in the determination or distribution process. For additional information, visit https://sunbucks.la.gov/.
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Does UVA provide transportation?
Since UVA is a virtual school, transportation is not provided. Parents or guardians are expected to provide their own transportation to and from all state testing as well as any school-sponsored events.
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How do I withdraw my student from UVA?
In the event a student needs to be withdrawn from UVA, the guardian must contact the following UVA personnel by email and complete the necessary paperwork:
● Grades K-8: K8reporting@uview.academy
● Grades 9-12: HSreporting@uview.academy