Frequently Asked Questions

Application and Enrollment

What are the age restrictions?
Students must be residents of Washington State, and must be 20 years of age or younger when they enroll. Students who are 14 years of age or younger AND who will not be turning 15 on or before the last day of school must demonstrate completion/mastery of the eighth grade through standardized testing and/or a portfolio of completed work.

Do students have to start in the 9th grade?
Students may start in 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grade, but must complete 5 credits to get their diploma from the school. A semester class is usually .5 credits.

Can students enroll and begin classes at any time of the year?
Students can enroll any time during the year, but must begin their classes at the beginning of the Fall or Spring semester.

What are the minimum admission requirements?
Insight School of Washington recommends admission/non-admission based on the following requirements for acceptance:

Reading level at or above 7th grade competency and/or no more than 2 grade levels below the student’s current academic year
Writing level at or above 6th grade competency
Math level at or above 5th grade competency

How do I know if Insight School of Washington is right for me?
For some of you, online learning will be a new way of pursuing your education. Even if you are comfortable with chat rooms, discussion boards, e-mail and computer applications, using “21st century tools” for rigorous academic work comes with new challenges for many students. Your iMentor and Teachers will do whatever they can to support you, but completing your schoolwork is your responsibility. Online learning requires self-discipline, motivation, time management and commitment on your part.

What is the status of my application?
All applications are currently being reviewed by Insight School of Washington and Quillayute Valley School District. They are date and time-stamped and you will be contacted in the order in which your application was received.

What can I do to improve my chances of acceptance?
If information is needed, you will be contacted.

When will I know whether I’ve been accepted?
You will receive notification after we have received all required enrollment documents and your courses are selected and approved by an Academic Counselor.

What do I do if my student has been denied acceptance?
A letter of appeal should be prepared and addressed to the Superintendent of the Quillayute Valley School District, 411 S Spartan AVE, Forks, WA 98331. Include all pertinent information related to the reason for appeal. Remember to include your full address including zip code, and telephone number(s) where you can be reached. You can expect a response within two weeks.

How many students will get into the school?
We would like to accept all students who qualify and want to attend. If there are too many, there is a waiting list, based upon the date that the enrollment information form was submitted.

When does the Fall 2008 semester start?
September 8, 2008.

When can we select classes?
Course selection will begin in June, 2008.

I’ve been expelled. Will I get into Insight School of Washington?
Each case will be reviewed based upon records from your current or former school district. As a Washington State Public School, current expulsions from another district will be honored. We will not enroll a student under current expulsion or documented behavior in the past that has been a threat to teachers, students or administrators from another district.

Can I attend part-time?
Students must take a minimum of 4 Insight classes, which is full-time status. Only students who reside in the Quillayute Valley School district may attend Insight School of Washington on a part-time basis.

Online Learning & Technology

Do I need to have a computer to attend Insight School of Washington?
Every full-time Insight School student is provided with a laptop and printer.

Who is responsible for ink/toner replacement for the printers?
Insight Schools will provide full-time students with a starter set of ink/toner with the initial printer shipment. It is then the responsibility of the family for future ink/toner replacement.

What are the internet connection requirements for a student to be successful?
The minimum ‘connection requirement’ for students who attend our schools is dial-up speed. Faster transmission speeds and more powerful computing platforms may provide a richer experience, but are not required.

When will my computer arrive? How will I get it?
Your laptop computer will be shipped before orientation and the start of the school year

How do you protect against cyber predators?
Cyber predators today are something that all schools, online or not, must deal with. At Insight Schools, the education we deliver and the tools for virtual socialization we provide (discussion boards) are located behind secure, password-protected servers. Insight-issued laptops are outfitted with software to block the more sensitive sex and violence oriented sites, which can be areas where cyber predators seek out children.

Although nothing but strong parenting coupled with educating our children of the risks of cyber predators can stop predators from being completely successful, our program encourages students to socialize online behind safe ‘doors’.

General

How do you offer socialization in an online high school?
The level of socialization a student wants is a decision of the family and the student. However, Insight offers both virtual and face-to-face opportunities to interact with other students and families.

The classes that students take provide many opportunities for interaction through discussion threads and ‘virtual classrooms’ where students are together at the same time communicating through two-way voice over IP, instant messaging, and application sharing.

Virtual socialization also includes participation in clubs (e.g., journalism, student government, yearbook) organized and run virtually. Face-to-face socialization includes periodic events organized by Insight and held in different locations across the state of Washington. Through our prior experiences, students have told us that they found they could build great relationships with other students through the community-building structure we provide.

What about athletics and other extracurricular activities like band and drama?
Per WIAA Rules, full-time students at Insight School of Washington may participate in school sports at his/her resident public school. Other activities like Band, Drama, Orchestra, etc. will not be allowable at the resident public school because of a student’s full-time status with the Quillayute Valley School District/Insight School of Washington.

Will school dances be held? A graduation ceremony?
Yes, there will be dances and a graduation ceremony. Periodically, Insight School of Washington will hold events in different geographic locations throughout the state.

Can I participate in Running Start?
You must be a full time student at Insight School of Washington to take any Running Start classes.

Is Insight accredited?
Insight School of Washington received a full six-year accreditation from the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools (NAAS in December 2007. The NAAS has published standards that it uses in its evaluation of schools. These standards speak to the quality of the curriculum, the expertise and qualifications of the instructional staff, and the level of service and support for resolving student issues. The Insight School Design mirrors these guidelines in all key respects.

Where does the name “Insight” come from?
To gain insight is to find the true nature of something, to find an answer to a difficult question. Insight School of Washington works with students for whom traditional high school is not the best setting. It helps students find insight into how they can succeed in their own education given their own personal aspirations and abilities.

The emphasis on the ‘I’ in our logo represents four things. First, it represents our principle of the celebration of the individual and the uniqueness in each individual’s abilities, dreams, and history. Second, it symbolizes the fact that our program is delivered over the Internet. Third, it relates to our program being a self-directed, fully supported, independent study program. Finally, it represents interaction in our courses, between students, and between families.

Courses & Instruction

Does online learning in an independent study format work well?
Yes. For many students, online independent study learning is an excellent means by which their personal strengths can be drawn out, while their weaknesses can be addressed. An online independent study program addresses students with different learning styles. It also allows students to engage in meaningful one-to-one interactions with instructors in a more anonymous environment that rewards curiosity and exploration without retribution. Finally, it offers engagement through interaction and access to information made possible through technology at a pace and time that suits teens.

What roles do teachers play?
Teachers, all of whom are Washington certified, are able to focus their time on teaching, mentoring, and engaging with students rather than on classroom management because of the professionally prepared curriculum and the independent study nature of the program. Teachers are able to prioritize building relationships with each and every student and understand their particular needs because the means for interaction are primarily one-to-one.

Teachers work closely with students as subject matter experts to help with the exploration, comprehension, and application of course concepts. Teachers answer day-to-day questions and assess the student’s performance through assignments, exams, and quizzes. Teachers work closely with students and their families on the formation, progression, and evaluation of the student learning plan.

Do your courses require textbooks?
Some courses require books. Insight provides required books to all students. Optional books can be purchased in Insight’s online bookstore. Certain courses require the student to purchase software or additional course materials. These are noted in the Course Descriptions.

How do you teach lab courses like Biology or Chemistry?
The content component and structure of our biology courses (SCI 200, 210 and 220) are the same as our other courses. We make use of the latest technology to walk students through virtual labs and dissections.

How do you satisfy the physical fitness requirement?
We have a set of courses (HEPE 110, 111, 112) that emphasize individual physical fitness and nutrition. These courses require the student to form, measure, and report on their individual fitness as they complete individual physical fitness exercises.

Are there assignments and due dates?
It is important that students complete assignments and stay within close proximity to a schedule. Staying current with assignments will allow teachers to more effectively provide group as well as individual assistance. Completing assignments will provide the student with knowledge necessary to be successful in future coursework.

Our curriculum provides due dates for assignments. Students should complete assignments on the assigned dues dates.

How do you prevent students from cheating?

Insight takes academic integrity very seriously and has a number of methods to prevent plagiarism and inappropriate collaboration. We use a number of online tools designed specifically for identifying plagiarism in type-written assignments. Our online quizzes and exams require proctor passwords and the feedback for online quizzes is designed to include “flags” that signal instructors when a student is copying from another student. Date and time stamps and clocks that measure the amount of time spent on the online quiz can also be used to identify inappropriate student collaboration.

A more subjective, but no less effective, tool for identifying cheating is the instructor’s knowledge of the student’s ability, past work, and verbal “print”. Keeping in mind that much of the relationship with the student is built via the written word, a student’s “word print” is as unique and identifiable in an online classroom as a student’s face is in a face-to-face classroom.

Although no school—online or otherwise—can guarantee 100% academic honesty, we’ve taken all reasonable measures available to us to monitor student activities and to identify cheating when it happens. Instances of academic dishonesty will be dealt with immediately and in accordance with School policy. Prior to enrolling in classes, students and their parents are required to sign an academic honesty policy.

How do parents stay involved?

We sincerely hope that parents will be deeply involved in their student’s experience at Insight School of Washington, although we recognize that for some students this may not be possible. Although the level at which parents involve themselves is a family decision, we hope parents at least support their son or daughter in their studies, keep informed of their progress, and encourage them to stay on top of their work. Parents will be provided access to up-to-date information about their son’s or daughter’s progress throughout the semester via the Insight School of Washington regular update mailings.

We also recognize that as students enter the high school years, they often seek to become more independent. Our program is designed to support exploration of that independence, but always providing necessary guidance and expertise through the Insight iSupport Team where needed.

How frequently will I get progress reports/how do parents get information?

Parents are provided access to our student information system, and can access the system at any point with username and password. Grades are updated weekly. Insight teachers are always available to consult with parents by email or telephone.

What support do you offer students?
Support comes in many forms: academic support, student services, and technological support.

All students are provided with an iSupport Team led by the student’s iMentor, the team member who serves as the primary point of contact with the family. Additional members of the team include the student’s teachers (subject-matter experts), Academic Counselors, and special education coordinators as needed. The purpose of the iSupport Team is to provide guidance and communication, to help with learning strategies, and to enable success.

Students and their families will also be able to access Insight’s Student Services Team for policy questions, academic records, and other operational-type questions. The Technological Support Team will help families with course access issues, lost passwords, and hardware issues.

What is your student-teacher ratio?

Our ratio of certified staff to students is just under 21 to 1. And, since students do a significant portion of their work interacting with our professionally developed interactive curriculum, our teachers can focus their time working individually with students.

Do I have to be home while my child is doing schoolwork?

No. Although your son or daughter will benefit from your encouragement and, knowing that you care about his or her progress, the Insight iSupport Team is available for support. One benefit of our program is that your son or daughter can study at his or her own time, place, and pace—you will be able to observe your student “going to school” during your off hours.

How much time does a typical student spend doing schoolwork?
Students should expect to spend 25 hours per week on their courses to meet the assignment due dates and complete the course requirements for the semester (more for Honors and AP Courses). In an online course, time management is critical to success.

Do Insight credits transfer back into other high schools if needed?
Insight School of Washington is a public online high school. As such, assuming students satisfactorily complete their courses, credits will transfer back into other high schools.

Does Insight offer summer school courses?
Summer courses are not yet available as part of our program. We’re looking into how we may provide those to our students in the future.

Graduation/Diploma

Do students take the WASL?
Students who are enrolled as full-time students in Insight School of Washington are required to take the WASL. Insight staff will make arrangements to have students take the WASL in locations that are geographically close to where they live.

Can I transfer credits in from a homeschool portfolio? From standardized exams?
Students can be in 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade when they enroll. Generally speaking, students can transfer in high school credits or earn credit for home-school work to apply towards their graduation requirements at Insight. Students who enroll with high school credits or with work from a homeschool portfolio must meet with an Insight Admissions Counselor to evaluate satisfactory completion of the work as it relates to Insight standards.

Who issues the diploma? What does it say?
The Quillayute Valley School District (QVSD), the school district that authorizes and governs the School, issues the diploma. Graduating students will be issued a diploma from Insight School of Washington from the Quillayute Valley School District.

Can my child apply to college after graduating from Insight?
Absolutely. When your son or daughter graduates from Insight School of Washington, he or she will have a valid diploma from the Quillayute Valley School District, a Washington state school district. With that diploma comes all the records that are required for the college application process: valid transcripts, SAT/ACT scores ”attached to” a public high school, instructor recommendations, school extra curricular activities, a student portfolio and culminating project (Class of 2008 and beyond).

There are incremental benefits for college-bound students who graduate from Insight School of Washington. First, students can choose from multiple academic options—AP, Honors, and College Prep—designed specifically to achieve the goal of getting into college. These academic options offer the necessary courses, preparation, and challenge. Second, the view of colleges over the last several years towards independent study programs is that they do a better job preparing students for college because of the time management and individual responsibility skills they imbue. Colleges are finding more and more that students from programs like Insight School of Washington make the transition into college more readily than their counterparts.