Wissahickon School Board Votes to Implement Online Summer School

Monday night approved implementing a blended online summer school program, which will begin this June.

The online summer school program will be used for the remedial summer school online that runs late June through the end of July. Wissahickon has, in the past, offered 12 courses to Wissahickon and Upper Dublin students who failed the courses during the traditional school year, at a cost of $325 per course.

Dr. Christopher Marchese, Assistant Superintendent told the School Board that the benefits of the online program include:

• A 21^st Century Learning Environment
• Courses will be student driven
• Courses will be aligned to the current Wissahickon School District curriculum.

The school administration has chosen VLN Partners, LLC as the partner company to develop the 12 courses for the summer school program. VLN Partners will develop the curriculum at no charge to the district using the current school district curriculum.

“They will work with people here and take the written curriculum [and make it an online format],” said Marchese.

Between Wissahickon and Upper Dublin students, the summer school program sees between 190 and 200 students each summer between the two courses.

Marchese told the Board that Springfield Township School District has contacted Wissahickon about sending their summer school students to Wissahickon as well. He said they have between 15 and 20 students each summer.

“It’s all a benefit to Wissahickon,” said Marchese.

Wissahickon will continue to bring the students to the high school for the summer school program for the support of the teacher in the classroom.

The administration also recommended increasing the fee per class to $350, with scholarships available from the Wissahickon Educational Opportunities Foundation.

Marchese told the Board that the cost of the courses to students has not increased in close to seven years.

“This is one of those transforming types of undertakings that will be beneficial to our students,” said Marjorie Brown, Board Member.

The Board voted unanimously to implement the blended online summer school program with the cost increase. The new program will begin in June.