virtual Teacher Handbook

REVISED ON 10/6/16

ISSUE 3.1 | 2016-2017

VIRTUAL TEACHER HANDBOOK

Academy & Academic Services Table of Contents Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 3 Differences between Odysseyware Academy and Odysseyware Academic Services Students ............. 4 Odysseyware Academy Students ...................................................................................................... 4 Odysseyware Academic Services Students ........................................................................................ 4 Role of Teachers ............................................................................................................................... 5 Responsibilities of Virtual Teachers ................................................................................................... 6 Basic Instructional Services ............................................................................................................... 6 Weighting System ........................................................................................................................... 11 Communication .............................................................................................................................. 13 Student Supports ............................................................................................................................ 20 Escalation Processes ....................................................................................................................... 23 Academic Integrity Policy................................................................................................................ 24 Technology Requirements .............................................................................................................. 26 Attendance and Leave Policies ........................................................................................................ 27 Professional Development .............................................................................................................. 28 Confidentiality ................................................................................................................................ 29

VIRTUAL TEACHER HANDBOOK 2

Academy & Academic Services

Introduction Welcome to Odysseyware! This Teacher Handbook explains our policies, procedures, instruction, and curriculum guidelines. It outlines your responsibilities as a virtual teacher with Odysseyware (OW) and is the first place you should refer to if you ever need to know next steps when working with a student. These policies have been implemented to best serve our students and partner school needs, while meeting the requirements of our accreditation. The policies outlined provide you with the standard way we work with students. On occasion, there may be schools that make requests outside of our standard operation. You are informed of any changes to standard practice. We strive to model team work and proactive communication from the Odysseyware Academic Services and Academy Leadership Team so that you, as a teacher, are knowledgeable and empowered in your role. It takes each member of OW to provide real learning and sincere, intentional caring to our students. As a member of the Odysseyware team, there may be additional job duties that are asked of you outside of the listed responsibilities. If you ever have any questions that are not answered by this guide, please contact your lead teacher at your earliest convenience.


Academy & Academic Services Differences between Odysseyware Academy and Odysseyware Academic Services Students As an Odysseyware virtual teacher, you are serving two types of student populations: students who are enrolled in our fully-accredited virtual school (Odysseyware Academy Students OWA) and students who are enrolled full-time through another school that partners with Odysseyware (Odysseyware Academic Services Students OWAS). The descriptions below will help you understand how to support these two student groups.

Odysseyware Academy Students These students are seeking a credit from Odysseyware Academy and we have full autonomy over academic decisions made for these students. In fact, there are certain policies and procedures that MUST be upheld, in order to fulfill the requirements of our accreditation through AdvancED. An Odysseyware Academy Academic Advisor is assigned to the student to help them with overall academic issues. You can work directly with this individual to ensure you have a full picture of the student's needs.

Odysseyware Academic Services Students These students are NOT seeking a credit from Odysseyware Academy. Instead, our teachers are providing instructional support for these students who are earning credit through their school. The partner school may have requested special adjustments to student grading scales, policies, etc. Since we are not the creditissuing institution, we can make certain changes, based on the needs of our partner schools. Please refer to the Odysseyware Implementation Plan for more information regarding partner schools. A mentor at the partner school is assigned to the student to help them with overall academic issues (sometimes the mentor has multiple roles at the school such as the partner administrator). You can work directly with this individual to ensure you have a full picture of the student's needs.


Academy & Academic Services Role of Teachers Teachers of Odysseyware Academy Students Teachers are responsible for providing academic services to individual families, partner schools’ directly enrolled students, and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) enrollments. They are responsible for the academic decisions made on behalf of this student. Odysseyware Academy (OWA) teachers are responsible to:  Grade and provide comprehensive feedback to students.  Maintain weekly office hours (as outlined herein).  Engage in synchronous learning opportunities with students.  Proactively communicate with students through personalized communication.

Teachers Providing Academic Services Teachers providing academic services should ensure that they are aligned to the partnering schools' needs as outlined in the Odysseyware Implementation Plan for each individual partnering school. These teachers are expected to display sincere and intentional caring as they interact with students and support academic growth and development. Our teachers are highly qualified instructors who are equipped to provide quality instruction and remediation to student’s assigned to specific courses.

Additional responsibilities for Teachers Providing Academic Services: Contact program mentors or approved partner administrators to help make major decisions as it relates to student needs. Follow the information explained within the Odysseyware Implementation Plan(s) for each partner school for more specified guidelines for providing individual student services.


Academy & Academic Services Responsibilities of Virtual Teachers General Requirements As an Odysseyware Virtual Teacher, you are expected to meet the following basic requirements: 

Maintain designated state certification(s), including any required professional development and paperwork required for on-time renewal.

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Submit official proof of cleared fingerprints to the Glynlyon Human Resources department.

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Maintain an acceptable internet connection, per the outlined specifications in this handbook.

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Maintain effective and efficient record keeping, which includes but is not limited to adding communication notes in Genius.

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Contribute experience and expertise to the continuous process of improving curriculum and instruction.

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Be familiar with Odysseyware computer applications, such as Outlook/Calendar, Issue Tracking System (Fogbugz) etc.

Basic Instructional Services Odysseyware Virtual Teachers are expected to perform the following duties that fall within the Basic Instructional Services provided by Odysseyware Academic Services and Academy: 

Course Preparation

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Review newly-assigned courses to gain an understanding of content.

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Report any issues with course assignments or content immediately.

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Develop materials list for each assigned course that can be sent to new students, if applicable. o

Places to Find Required Reading Lists and Supply Lists 

In each of the courses in the Odysseyware LMS (V.2.), Click on the “Courses” Tab

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In the Course search text box, type the first few letters of the course name to filter the list.


Academy & Academic Services o

To see the course contents, click the Preview (eye) symbol.

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Open the first unit.

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Click “Course Overview”. This provides a synopsis of the course and literature lists, additional literature needed, and supply lists if it is a course that requires supplies.

The Odysseyware website : https://www.odysseyware.com/course-catalog, also contains resource information. You can download the core course catalog and the Career and Technical Education (CTE) course catalog. 

Identify components of the course where extra support may be needed and create related supports for students, as needs arise (additional resources, warning of big projects up ahead, etc.).


Academy & Academic Services Note: you may not be able to identify all of the necessary supports BEFORE your students start – it’s understood that this is an ongoing process. 

Compose a letter welcoming students to their course. Each letter should include the teacher's name, course title, and student and teacher expectations. Teachers should also include information where students can locate your office hours and a link to your virtual office.

First Steps for New Enrollments  Review that students are enrolled in the correct course in the Odysseyware LMS (V2).  Verify student’s course enrollment with the Registrar if the student seems to be placed in the incorrect course or section.  Verify that enrolled students reside in a state(s) commensurate with your state issued certification (unless the student is an Individual Family or Direct Enrollment with OWA).  Send Welcome Letter to all your new students through Genius

Grading and Feedback  Grade lessons, quizzes, and tests within one business day (M-F), same day if possible.  Grade larger projects within four business days, sooner if possible.  Provide personalized written feedback on every essay, project, and other large constructed response items. This is a great opportunity to build rapport with your students as feedback is one of your main modes of communication. Feedback should acknowledge what the student specifically did well and point out specific areas for improvement. (Even better, provide the student with resources for improving their skills.) 

Familiarize yourself with the teacher handbook and specific partner Implementation Plan(s) so that you can follow-through with preset grading policies. Updated partner Implementation Plans can be found on our SharePoint site at: https://glynlyon.sharepoint.com/owa/teacherworkspace/_layouts/15/start.aspx#/Lists/Partner%20Detail%20Fo rms/AllItems.aspx.

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Close out courses within one business day of student completing all of their work.

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Communicate frequently with students and their support network.


Academy & Academic Services Items to Remember about Grading The score that appears after a lesson has been submitted may not be the final score for that unit. This score may change when the teacher graded questions have been assessed. In the Gradebook, the yellow exclamation point represents an assignment that still needs grading while the green check mark represents an assignment that has been graded.

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Encourage students to look over their work after it has been submitted. Much of the work is computer-graded, but it is possible for an extra space, an extra letter, or a word spelled incorrectly to be counted as incorrect on Fill -in-theblank questions.

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Remind your students to message you, call the Academic Hotline, call you during your office hours, or attend your synchronous tutoring sessions to request missed credit for the above fill in the blank items, or receive additional supports.

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As the instructor, you may grant full credit, partial credit, or no credit, depending on your assessment of the student's response. It is very important to provide detailed feedback when partial/no credit is given.

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Ensure that student work is uploaded into the LMS and not attached to an email. OWA needs to be able to access student work from the site. This is especially important for our NCAA student athletes. If a student uses Google Docs, they will not be able to share the file directly from Google to you as their teacher. They will need to download the assignments and upload it directly into their assignment submission box using the acceptable formats.


Academy & Academic Services Retake Policy  OWA students can retake one quiz per unit and one test per course.  For OWAS students please refer to the Odysseyware Implementation Plan. If no policy is noted please use the OWA Test/Quiz retake policy. Note: Approved Partner staff may request additional retakes. Approved requestors will be listed on the Odysseyware Implementation Plan.  All additional retake requests should be logged in Genius. Note: Lessons should not be opened once a student has met the pass threshold set by OWA or Partner School.

Test/Quiz Unlocks Odysseyware Academy policy, as noted in the Student Handbook, is to complete all tests and quizzes in one sitting. Occasionally, students will need a quiz unlocked due to technical issues. If you feel that unlock requests have become excessive, ask the student to take the following steps:  Student should not move onto new quizzes or tests until issue is resolved.  Student must work with Tech Support to resolve current issue before proceeding.  If excessive unlocks continue, teacher explains the OWA policy of completing tests and quizzes in one sitting. Teacher assigns alternate test/quiz where available.  After two unlocks on the same test/quiz, students are informed that this is their last attempt. Students will receive a zero on the assignment if they do not complete in that final attempt.  For Academic Services students, follow the retake policy found in the partner’s Implementation Plan.

End Date Process When a student is 100% complete with their course, the teacher will: 

Go into student’s account in Genius.

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Click on “Current Enrollments.”


Academy & Academic Services 

Check the finished course and click on “Completed” button under the current enrollment table.

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Once a course is completed it will no longer be visible in a student’s “Current Enrollments.”

Teachers also complete a student when a partner school admin or advisor reaches out to you asking to zero out a student’s course and complete it. Please forward your correspondence to the registrar.

Note: At no time should a teacher drop a student because they have reached their end date. This is completed by the Registrar/Enrollment Specialist.

Weighting System For OWA courses, each unit is weighted as an equal part of the semester average. Individual unit grades are calculated using the following weights: Units with Projects

Units without Projects

Tests =

Tests =

43%

Quizzes = 25%

Quizzes =

36%

Projects = 25%

Lessons =

21%

30%

Lessons= 20%

While many partners follow OWA’s unit weightings, some individual Partner schools may have different weighting for their courses. Please refer to the Odysseyware Implementation Plan for unit weights for these partners. NCAA student athletes have custom weightings that change Project weightings to 30% and Lessons to 15% to match weightings provided in our approval.


Academy & Academic Services Grading Scale OWA uses the following grading scale for individually/direct-enrolled students. Individual partners may have their own grading scale which is available via Genius. Please consult the individual Partner Implementation Plan to ascertain grading ranges per district.

A+

97.00–100%

C+

77.00–79.99%

A

93.00–96.99%

C

73.00–76.99%

A-

90.00–92.99%

C-

70.00–72.99%

B+

87.00–89.99%

D+

67.00–69.99%

B

83.00–86.99%

D

63.00–66.99%

B-

80.00–82.99%

D-

60.00–62.99%

F

0–59.99%


Academy & Academic Services Communication Communicate frequently with students and their support network. Although much of the communication necessary for students to complete their coursework is asynchronous, such as emails, system messages, feedback, etc., students may often need live support, in the form of a quick phone call or a more extensive live lesson or tutoring session.

Office Hours Post office hours in Genius and as part of your signature (please use provided signature template below) on all outgoing email correspondence. (Office hours are approved by Manager prior to posting.) Please include verbiage in your welcome letter that directs students on where to find office hour information. JOHN SMITH SCIENCE TEACHER P 888.399.4267 x [your extension] A 804 N. 2nd Ave. E. I Rock Rapids, Iowa 51246 H [Your Office Hours] E [[email protected]]

 Teachers are required to hold office hours for their students each week. This is a scheduled time where you are available by phone, e-mail and within an open synchronous session for engaging learners.  Consult with your Manager to schedule your “core hours,” consisting of a minimum of four office hours per week.  Be physically located in your home office and online during posted office hours. Home office is defined as a quiet space where one is logged into their Adobe® Connect™ room and connected to their IP phone. (Please do not forward IP phone to another line.)  New teachers are provided an Adobe Connect link. These links should be sent to your newly enrolled student and posted in Genius.  Provide 48 hours’ notice to your students and manager, when rescheduling office hours. (Permanent or long term changes to office hours are approved by Manager prior to posting.) All permanent changes must be communicated to students two weeks or more in advance, AFTER approval has been granted.


Academy & Academic Services Academic Hotline Be sure to remind your students that the Academic Hotline (1-888-399-4267) is available if they need immediate help, M-F 9am-3pm Eastern Standard Time. Full-time and part-time hourly teachers are part of our Academic Hotline queue, answering questions from students in a variety of courses. All other part-time teachers may request to participate in “Academic Hotline” staffing or may be asked to fill in for full-time teachers, but will not be required to staff the hotline as part of their regular duties.

Teacher Individual Phone Lines 

Encourage students to pick up the phone and call your Odysseyware extension when they have questions. Even if you’re not available when they call, they can leave a message for you. We do ask that you return all phone messages within one business day.

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Don’t be shy about calling students! See more info under the “Student Communications” section.

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Please be sure your phone is active during your scheduled office hours so your students can reach you. (Your phone will need to be logged into to retrieve messages).

Emails and Messaging Teachers are asked to frequently check and respond to messages within Outlook, the Student Information System (SIS) or the Learning Management System (LMS) (V2) to promptly assist students in resolving any questions or concerns they may have.  Assume goodwill when communicating with students, parents and partner staff.  Respond to all communication from students, partners and Odysseyware employees within one business day. (Same Day is encouraged.) This includes, phone messages, Outlook emails, and Odysseyware LMS (V2) messages.  Maintain professionalism in all written communication.  Check e-mail multiple times throughout the day to keep abreast of student, parent and partner needs.  If enrolled students do not have an email address, please notify the Registrar.  For important issues that need immediate attention, please forward information to your Manager for assistance in resolving. Note: This measure should only be utilized in the event you are unable to resolve the issue in an expedient manner.


Academy & Academic Services Logging Communications in Genius Genius Communication logs are the main location where we document our ongoing contact with students, their parents, and their mentors. It is extremely important that this log is comprehensive and accurate. You can find a student’s communication log under the “Students” tab when you choose “Add Communication.”

Communications Requiring Genius Log The following types of communication MUST be logged in Genius: Messages sent via Genius messaging  The original message is logged automatically, but subsequent replies that arrive in your Outlook email also need to be copied/pasted into communication log. Messages sent via Odysseyware LMS (V2)  You’ll need to copy/paste these messages into a new communication log in Genius Phone calls received via the Academic Hotline  Phone calls (inbound and outbound) about a student, including failed attempts at phone contact


Academy & Academic Services This includes phone calls with the following individuals:  Student  Parent  Mentor or other designated school contact  Academic Advisor  Another teacher, including Extended Services Coordinator  Documentation of student attendance to office hours

Communications NOT Requiring Genius Log The following communications do NOT need to be logged in Genius, unless the content of the communication is something you’d want to be sure to officially document in our system of record.  Help button messages within Odysseyware LMS (V2)  Assignment feedback text within Odysseyware LMS (V2)  Full text from Adobe Connect chat

What to Include in Genius Log When logging communications in Genius, be sure to include the following information:  Who you communicated with and their title, if applicable  Name of partner school  Method/mode of communication (phone, Genius message, email, etc.)

Subject and details of the communication, including:  What was discussed  Any text copied/pasted directly from another written message, including subsequent replies  Description of actions taken as a result of the communication, if applicable


Academy & Academic Services As you’re logging communications in Genius, make sure your comments are fact-based, objective, and free from personal interpretation. Remember, our partner mentors and partner admins can see the contents of the student communication logs too, so professionalism in documentation is of the utmost importance.

Log communications like this: Sharon K’s mother called the academic hotline today 4/3/16 upset because her daughter’s math teacher had not graded several assignments in Unit 3 and her daughter was unable to move forward. Sharon is “extremely upset and worried that she will not finish the course by her end date” according to Mrs. K. Ms. Shantz went into the student’s logs for Unit 3 and found that the student had not logged on for over two weeks. She called Mrs. K to explain the situation. She sent a follow up email with the logs as evidence to the mother. Mrs. K let me know she would call me back. When Mrs. K called me back she let me know that Sharon had not been honest about working in her courses. They are working on a plan to get back on track, it is looking like 3 assignments per day, and will contact her math teacher if they need help.

Do NOT log communications like this: Mom called extremely angry math teacher did not grade work. Her daughter is bawling in the background and she demands we get this resolved immediately. I checked the logs and let her know daughter was not truthful because there was no work submitted for the last two week. Sent screenshot. Mom to call back. Mom called back. Student lied. They are working on plan.

Here are some helpful hints for logging communications in an objective and professional manner:  Describe only behaviors and leave out interpretive details ("students has not responded" vs. "student has been ignoring my emails")  Re-read what you've written before hitting "send" or "save.” If you’re feeling strong emotions, take a little break before logging the communication.  Log the communication in a timely manner so as not to forget details  Designate communications that include information for internal use only. These communications can only be seen by Odysseyware Academic Services and Academy administrative team.  Report any situation where a student is in danger of harming themselves or others as outlined in the ma ndated reporting guidelines immediately. Log all information of steps taken as "Confidential."


Academy & Academic Services Communication Expectations The following outlines the minimum communication expectations for teachers to students and their parents (for OWA) or assigned partner mentors (for OWAS). Of course, it’s expected that you’ll determine any additional communication required, as well as the most effective method of communication for each student. Each of the following required communications needs to be logged as a Genius communication log.

Student Communications These types of communication are meant to support student academic achievement and to establish and maintain a positive working relationships with students, parents, partner schools. Welcome email sent prior to student beginning course 

Please see examples with required content at the link here

One Proactive Personalized Communication (PPC) 

This communication is targeted specifically to each student’s needs, so that they know what they’re doing well and what they need to work on. Communication may include encouragement, helpful hints, status updates, current progress and resources for enrichment or remediation. If emailing, include something in your message that requires a response from the student so you’ll know if you’re connecting with them or not. Examples include: o

o

A Personalized note, based on THAT student which includes: 

Words of encouragement based on their work/situation

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Either a resource or suggestion for remediation or enrichment, depending on student needs

An invitation to your office hours, including days, times and link 

o

Snapshot of student’s progress in the course

This snapshot should include individualize academic goals for the student 

Link to student resource center (coming soon!)

If you’re not “connecting” with the student for two consecutive weeks (they’re not responding to your proactive communications), please attempt other forms of communication to see if you can get in touch. This should include reaching out to their assigned partner mentor or parent to ensure that the student is receiving your communications.


Academy & Academic Services Alert Partner Mentor (or Parent, if OWA) of any patterns of concern, including, but not limited to, academic integrity incidences, multiple unlock/unblock requests, etc.

Additional Communications to be logged: 2 week & 1 week end date warnings  Reminds students that their courses are soon ending and shares ideas for completing on-time. Struggling/Unengaged Students communication  Contact struggling students according to escalation process in teacher handbook Extended Services Communication Weekly  Contact Extended Services students based on guidelines in teacher handbook (Pg. 18) NCAA Students  Weekly live communication (regularly-scheduled phone call or attendance in live office hours session) Disciplinary issues, as they arise  Contact students for disciplinary issues according to escalation process in teacher handbook Substitute Notification  Parent (if OWA) or Mentor (if OWAS) Communication  Struggling/Unengaged students, or students not responding to communications, as defined by "Handbook" according to escalation process (Pg. 20)  Disciplinary issues, as they arise  Welcome letter (copy from student)


Academy & Academic Services Student Supports We have 2 different levels, or tiers, of instructional support for our students. A student’s level is determined by his or her school administrator or parent. You will be expected to provide the higher level services outlined in Extended Services, if a student is assigned to you. All teachers are required to teach students at all instructional levels.

Basic Enrollment This enrollment level is for students who can work independently on their courses with minimal support. This tier includes providing Basic Instructional Services (support, grading, and feedback from the OW virtual teacher, access to weekly live office hours, and access to the Academic Hotline). In Genius, students with the Basic Enrollment support level are identified by a yellow box around Basic information on the Student’s tab.

Extended Services This tier is for students who may lack basic skills, have significant learning gaps, or have attendance or behavior issues, resulting in the need for an increased level of support from their teachers. This tier includes Basic Instructional Services, as outlin ed above. Additionally, Tier 2 students receive adjusted course settings, accommodations, and support as outlined in their Extended Services Summary Sheet. This document is located in the External Files on the Student Tab. If you are unable to locate the file, please contact your Manager. In Genius, students with the Extended Services support level are identified by a white box around Basic Information on the Student’s tab. (These additional services must be mutually agreed upon prior to the student starting their classes with Odysseyware Academy and are not guaranteed to meet all requirements of a student's IEP or 504 plan.  Consistent delivery of Extended Services, as listed on the student's Extended Services Summary sheet.  Adjustment of course settings or assignments, as required.  A weekly invitation to the student to attend live, weekly tutoring sessions. (May be during teacher's office hours)  Weekly proactive communication with the student and their parent or mentor to make sure their needs are met.


Academy & Academic Services Live Tutoring Our commitment is to tutor Extended Services students live each week via the Adobe Connect virtual classroom. To meet this need, all teachers should have weekly live tutoring sessions scheduled with their Extended Services students. We’ve seen this work best to have an appointment set up for the same time each week. (This session CAN be scheduled during your regular weekly office hours.) Even for our standard level students, there’s no replacement for being able to tutor a student who’s struggling in a live setting. As a skilled teacher, you know when kids are struggling. Each week, please proactively reach out to struggling students and invite them to group or 1-on-1 live sessions so they can get the help they need. (This may be outside the 4 designated office hours each week.) When students reach out to you for help with their course, please schedule time with them to jump into a live session to work through their questions.

Services for NCAA student athletes We have certain responsibilities for NCAA students per our NCAA approval that are different from other enrollments. You receive an email upon NCAA student enrollment in your course and a note is included in the LMS (V2). When an NCAA student is assigned to you, please be sure to note the following supports. Credit Recovery mode 

An NCAA student cannot take a course in credit recovery mode. If you notice this, please contact the Registrar. Multiple Courses

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An NCAA student cannot take more than one course in the same academic discipline at the same time (e.g., Biology and Chemistry).

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An NCAA student cannot take courses that are sequential at the same time (e.g., Algebra I and Algebra II simultaneously or English I A and English I B). Late Night Labs

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NCAA students need to be registered for Late Nite Labs when they take a science course.


Academy & Academic Services Pacing and Extensions 

The shortest period of time an NCAA student is permitted to complete a course is 12 weeks and the longest is 20 weeks- no extensions are allowed (8 week minimum and 12 week maximum for block scheduling). Grading

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An NCAA student is permitted to repeat a lesson, assignment and/or assessment as follows: o

Lessons: As needed to increase mastery of subject matter. (Weighting for lessons is 15%).

o

Quizzes: If a score is less than 70%, an alternative quiz including different questions may be assigned. Only one alternative quiz offered per unit.

o

Unit Tests and projects: If a score is less than 70%, an alternative test or project including different questions may be assigned. Only one alternative test allowed per course. (Weighting for projects is 30%).

Log All Communication 

Be sure to log ALL teacher/student interaction and communications in the Communications feature. We have to keep documentation of teacher/student interaction.

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NCAA students need to attend office hours each week for each course they are enrolled in. Attendance needs to be logged in the Communications Tab. Contact the Academic Advisor if student doesn’t attend so they can follow up.

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Increased teacher/student interaction and communication with these students- at least two times per week. Testing

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Students need to have a parent/adult proctor the final exam. Contact the Academic Advisor for a copy of the proctor form.


Academy & Academic Services Escalation Processes Inactivity in courses: If a student has not worked in his or her course for one week: Reach out to the student to inquire as to why the student has not logged into their courses. (Reasons may include illness, family emergency, death of a loved one, courses are difficult, vacation, difficulty managing time, etc.) If a student has not worked in his or her course for two weeks: Reach out to parent and school personnel to inform them of the lack of activity and investigate possible concerns. Continue to monitor student progress and reach out to student, school and parents.

Not responding to communication: If you note a pattern of students not responding to communication that specifically states a response is expected: Reach out to parents/school to verify that the student’s contact information is correct. If information is correct and student continues to not respond to communication after one week: Inform the parent/school about the lack of communication responses from students. Responding to communication in a timely manner is an essential skill that students need to find success in today’s workforce.

Inappropriate student behavior/communications: If you have a student that is engaging in inappropriate behavior/communications: Contact the school and copy your lead teacher with information on the student’s behavior and any action/response you took. Notate contact in the communication log in the Student Information System. For individual family students, contact the parent and Academic Advisor.

Students earning a failing grade: If a student’s grade falls below 60% at any point in the course: Contact the student to create a plan for bringing up the grade. This contact/interaction should occur each week until the student has reached at least a passing score in the course. (Pass Rate will vary by Partner School policy.)


Academy & Academic Services If a student has completed all assignments and earned an overall failing grade at or before the 20 week mark: The course will be completed after reaching out to school (student and parent for Individual Family) to discuss opportunities for the student to bring up their grade (See Retake Policy). If an extension or new enrollment is required, the Partner or Individual Family parent must contact our enrollment specialist. Please note that a student could be reinstated in a course per a Partner request. For course close out policy and procedure, please consult: End Date Process Document

Academic Integrity Policy As we know the internet can be an awesome resource. While students can use the internet to facilitate learning, there are some students who do not use this resource appropriately. Two main instances of academic integrity issues are plagiarism and cheating.

Definition of Plagiarism  The act of passing off the literary or academic work of another as your own (including ideas, thoughts, direct quotes, reports, essays, research papers, projects, publications, articles, etc.).  The act of intentionally or unintentionally copying and pasting literary or academic work from another source or reference material without properly citing the source as a reference (including journals, newspaper articles, internet sources, magazines, etc.).  The act or attempt of reusing your own work that may have been previously submitted for another assignment or course.

Definition of Cheating  The act of giving or receiving answers on assessments including lessons, projects, quizzes, tests or final exams.  The act of allowing someone else to complete a quiz or test on your behalf in courses that you are enrolled.  The act of seeking or providing (publishing) Odysseyware Academy curriculum content, questions, or answers to internet sources or answer banks.  The act of using materials during closed book assessments (including lessons, notes, the internet, text books, etc.).  The act of copying answers that have been previously submitted by another student.  The act of working with another student to complete an assignment, test, quiz or project (including working side by side, accessing another student’s work by logging in as them, and/or printing completed materials to share).


Academy & Academic Services For Odysseyware Academy Students Policy for Lessons and Projects *with teacher’s discretion* First Assignment offense—Warning One  Parent/guardian and school are contacted by teacher or Academic Advisor.  Student must redo the assignment (must be lesson or project) for full credit after phone conference with the teacher.  Academic integrity issues is noted in the Student Information System. Second Assignment Offense—Warning Two  Parent/guardian and school are contacted by teacher or Academic Advisor.  Student must redo the assignment (must be lesson or project) for 75% credit.  Letter/email documenting second plagiaristic offense is sent and an academic probation warning is issued.  Student must meet synchronously w/ teacher to discuss Academic Integrity Policy before reattempt.  Academic integrity issue is noted in the School Information System. Third Assignment Offense—Warning Three  Parent/guardian and school are contacted by teacher or Academic Advisor.  Assignment receives a zero grade and student has no option for resubmission.  Student receives a warning about potential failure of course with habitual plagiarism. Fourth Assignment Offense  Habitual plagiarism may result in failure or withdrawal from course.  Meeting is held between lead teacher (manager) and Partner Admin to decide final outcome. Policy for Tests/Quizzes/Exams First Offense  Student receives automatic zero grade on the assessment. Additional Offenses  Student receives automatic zero grade which may result in failure of units and ultimately the course.  Habitual plagiarism may result in failure or withdrawal from course.


Academy & Academic Services For OWAS Students Consult Individual Partner Implementation Plan and follow policy listed. If no policy is listed follow the Odysseyware Academy Academic Integrity policy and contact your manager before beginning the escalation process.

Technology Requirements In order to meet the needs of our students, you must be able to meet the following minimum requirements for your home office.

Internet Connection 5 Mbps download speed / 2 Mbps upload speed minimum (10 Mbps download / 2+ Mbps upload recommended). Must submit screenshot of results from http://www.speedtest.net

Internet Connection Type  Cable or DSL (No satellite, cellular, microwave or wireless repeater).

Computer requirements  Must be a computer (not a tablet or tablet-like device).  Operating System (current versions): Windows 7+, OS X10.11  Memory (RAM): 4GB+

Wiring  Phone hardwired to router/switch (No wireless usage with phone). Must have Ethernet jack to plug in Cisco Voice Over Internet Phone (not a phone jack). See image: http://www.udel.edu/topics/connect/ethernet/oldjack2.jpg  Address to ship equipment where it will be signed for.  You must be able to be physically located in your home office during times when you are working synchronously with students. This includes during office hours, live tutoring, and student phone calls. A home office is defined as a quiet space with VOIP phone logged in, Adobe Connect up and running and uninterrupted availability for students.


Academy & Academic Services  All phone calls to and from students must be done on the Glynlyon-issued VOIP phone only (Please do not forward IP phone to another line). Note: If internet connection is shared with other devices in the house, internet connection bandwidth should be enough to accommodate peak usage or personal device usage should be limited/restricted during working hours.

Attendance and Leave Policies Teacher Holidays All teacher positions are 12-month positions. Odysseyware holidays include the eight federal holidays located on the paydays and holidays calendar for Glynlyon. You should request a substitute for any work day (M-F) when you will be unable to check and respond to communication or grade assignments within the required timeframes outside of the listed holidays (See Requesting a Substitute Policy below.

Requesting a Substitute Anticipated Leave As soon as you know your dates of absences (we ask at least one or more weeks advance notice), please do the following:  Contact your Lead Teacher about need.  Lead teacher will offer potential substitute suggestions.  Email the suggested substitutes with the dates of your absence, asking if they are able to cover. Copy all including lead teacher.  If no one in your department is able to cover, contact Lead Teacher for next steps. Once you have found someone to cover, you MUST: Email: (1) Your Manager, (2) Your coverage and (3) Office Manager with the following information:  Coverage dates  Your Genius login information (depending on the length of your absence, your e-mail information needs to be provided as well).  Teacher to email students the substitute’s office hour and contact information.


Academy & Academic Services Additional Requirements for absences longer than 5 days  Forward email and phone to substitute for coverage.  Teacher to email students information on substitute before leave of absence begins.  Teacher to email students upon return. Emergency Coverage  If a substitute is needed for a short term leave with little to no notice, please contact your lead teacher.  Email your students immediately with an update.  If you will be out for more than 24 hours and unable to grade, your Manager will put a sub in place.

Responsibilities of a Substitute If you agree to sub for a colleague during their absence, you are responsible for the following:  All Grading, which is includes Projects (the same level of care and constructive feedback you provide to your students, should be given in this situation as well).  All messaging, which includes responding to Help messages as well as outlook messages.  Invite students to your office hours.  Additional Responsibilities for Absences longer than 5 days:  All Calling, which includes At-Risk students and Extended Services students as well.

Professional Development Additional Certifications Teachers may be asked to apply for additional certifications Odysseyware will often reimburse teachers for fees related to gaining reciprocal state certifications. Approval for reimbursement must be approved, in writing, before beginning the certification process. Contact your lead teacher to discuss and get the proper form. All Reimbursements must be submitted on the Expense report Excel sheet to your Manager. Items are only eligible for reimbursement if pre-approved, in writing, by your Manager.


Academy & Academic Services Faculty Meetings At Odysseyware, it is our goal to engage staff in bimonthly faculty meetings with the purpose of exploring best practices, reviewing and exploring new tools, sharing instructional strategies and fostering a sense of community. This is a time where we are able to celebrate accomplishments, address special problems, or highlight current initiatives. Staff meetings are held at various times, when scheduled, in an effort to accommodate an array of staff schedules. All Odysseyware teachers are expected to attend all staff meetings.

Departmental Meetings To encourage collaboration, foster a sense of community and share resources, Odysseyware has teachers meet with their fellow teachers on a monthly basis.

One-On-Ones To provide opportunities for individual employees and managers to discuss online teaching practices, monthly one -on-one meetings between each teacher and their lead teacher are put in place to facilitate these conversations. Employees are given opportunities to reflect on their teaching and given guidance in areas where improvement is needed. Teachers provide student data monthly to their managers to drive these discussions on successes and areas of need. Data from one on one is used for evaluative purposes.

Confidentiality Federal law provides for the confidentiality of student records. Each instructor must take care that student records not be revealed to anyone other than the student/ parent/guardian. Odysseyware, in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, prohibits the release or disclosure of students’ educational records/ personal information to anyone other than the student her/himself or any part of the content of a student’s education records without the prior, written consent of the student. Some (relatively common) examples of the inappropriate disclosure of education records by instructors are:  Showing a student’s examination or paper to another student without removing all information on the examination that would make the identity of the first student easily identifiable.  Posting student documents without removing all personally identifiable information (name) or obtaining the prior written consent of each student involved.


Academy & Academic Services Odysseyware Virtual Teachers are expected to maintain the confidentiality of student’s personal and educational records. We ask that teachers do not use a student's name in the subject line of an email. Also when a partner school includes the student’s name in the subject line, please change the subject line to first initial, last name. Odysseyware Academic Services and Academy administration will review with its teachers, the FERPA COMPLIANCE GUIDELINES document and expects that all teachers will sign this document as a part of the new hire process. (Please be sure you have obtained, signed and uploaded this form to your Genius page.)
