North County Times
Sunday October 31, 2004

Vallecitos digital class program takes off

By: LORELL FLEMING - Staff Writer

RAINBOW ---- Eighth-grader John Leach of Fallbrook did not flourish in the traditional classroom setting. He was distracted by the crowds of students, and turned off by the fighting he saw among his peers.

John's parents, Joanne and John Leach Sr. of Fallbrook, said last week they were looking for an innovative form of education that would hold their son's interest and allow him to flourish. They said they found what they were looking for when they signed John up as a student at the Rainbow Advanced Institute for Learning, one of the Vallecitos School District's charter schools.

Often called "digital high school" or "virtual school," the Rainbow institute provides students with instruction, resource materials and testing through interactions with peers and accredited teachers by way of a computer interface. The only other virtual charter school in California is Choice 2000, based in the Perris Union High School District in Riverside County.

"It's cool," John said. "I get to stay home and learn. You don't have the distraction of people and objects around you in class. And I'm not around some of the fighting that goes on in schools. But you still have interaction with teachers and students."

Starting out as a sixth- through ninth-grade campus, the digital high school began classes Aug. 30. Nine students are enrolled so far. There are four teachers. Classes include algebra, physical science, biology, U.S. history and modern world history, using online textbooks.

Next school year, 10th and 11th grades will be offered, followed by 12th grade in the 2006-07 school year. The Rainbow institute is open to students who live in San Diego, Riverside, Imperial and Orange counties.

Charter schools are overseen by the public school districts that sponsor them. As do public schools, charter schools must follow state curriculum standards. But charter schools are allowed to offer programs that involves nontraditional teaching methods and approaches.

The digital charter school will also have a brick-and-mortar existence. An existing building is being revamped to create an 1,800-square-foot space for the Rainbow institute on the Vallecitos Elementary School campus at 5253 Fifth St. in Rainbow. There will be a technology training room, two offices, a classroom, and two meeting rooms. It is scheduled to be completed sometime within the next two months.

School days

Students of the Rainbow institute spend four hours a day, five days a week, online in virtual classrooms with accredited teachers and other students. The students can communicate either verbally using a microphone hooked into their computers, or they can type their words, which appear in a text box on the lower part of the screen.

Although students are not actually sitting in classrooms, teachers conduct the lessons much as they would in a traditional setting. Students must raise their hands to be heard. They do so by clicking a screen icon that resembles a small hand. Indications that students want to speak show up on screen in the order in which they are received.

Teachers often call on students to answer questions or share their thoughts during lessons.

Students can communicate with each other ---- but not without the teacher knowing. Using computer controls that he or she has, the teacher can either allow it or stop it. A teacher would allow it for situations such as classroom exercises, where the students are expected to work in small groups.

All class sessions are recorded and archived. A student can experience a class later to reinforce a lesson or to catch up on missed classes.

There is no cutting school, avoiding assignments, or getting away without participating in class, John said, adding that he had never considered it.

"No way," he said. "When it's class time, (the teachers) know when you're there and when you're not. They have rules, and they enforce them pretty well.

"The teachers are good," the teen added. "They teach really well. They'll stay on the topic until they know you've got it."

Happy students and parents

In addition to occasional opportunities to meet in person with teachers and classmates to work on projects or for conferences with teachers, some of the students decide to gather for social reasons. One of John's classes met at a location in Murrieta to watch one of the presidential debates as part of a class assignment, John said.

There appears to be some socialization outside of "school" by some of the students as well. So far, John said, he has met with some of his classmates to go to a movie and to go to the birthday party of one of his classmates.

"We're just like other teenagers," John added.

John's mother, Joanne Leach, said she is pleased with the digital charter school and with how well her son is doing.

"I'm just so excited about this school, and I can tell my son is, too," Joanne Leach said. "It has improved his class participation, and his technology skills. He is more focused on his work."

The Rainbow institute can be beneficial to students who need more challenges in some areas.

Eighth-grader Beatriz Ramirez, 14, of Rainbow is one of those students. She takes most of her classes in a traditional class setting at Vallecitos Elementary School, a kindergarten through eighth-grade school.

Beatriz also takes two classes through the digital school using a computer on the school's campus. Her classes are ninth-grade modern history and ninth-grade English. She is one of two students taking advanced classes with the Rainbow institute.

"It's really great," Beatriz said. "It's a new concept. I really like it. There are just a few kids in it, so the teacher can really interact with you."

Vallecitos Superintendent Paul Cartas, who oversees operations of the digital charter school, said he was not disappointed that only nine students enrolled for the Rainbow institute's first year.

"We'll need to bring up enrollment," Cartas said. "But it was good to start small to make sure the technology is where it should be ... and it is. And the size of the enrollment with which we start is not as important right now. What's important right now is the quality of the education we offer. Whether we're educating students in an actual classroom or in a virtual classroom, we will offer quality education."

Information about the Rainbow Advanced Institute of Learning is available on the school's Web site: www.RAIdigitalhigh.net, or call (760) 728-4305.

Contact staff writer Lorell Fleming at (760) 731-5798 or lfleming@nctimes.com.