How School Counselors Can Help Your Student
by Valerie Kirk
by Valerie Kirk
5 min to readChoosing where your student goes to school is one of the most important decisions you can make for a child. Once that decision is made, though, the next step should be easy–simply enroll in the school of your choice.
That’s where the uncertainty begins for many. Whether your child attends a brick-and-mortar school, online school, or homeschool, there are always steps to follow to meet state K12 enrollment requirements.
If your family has decided that online school is right for your student and have chosen to learn at Connections Academy, it’s good to start the enrollment process as soon as possible. Here’s why:
completing the enrollment paperwork can take a few weeks
securing your student’s spot in a class, as they can fill up quickly
helping the school better plan for the coming year
ensuring your student will receive their learning materials in time for a successful first day of school
While online school enrollment varies by school and state, most have standard enrollment requirements. For a smooth enrollment experience, here are the steps to follow when enrolling in Connections Academy, including what to expect along the way and what documentation you will need.
Connections Academy is an online public school and part of state-level public school systems. Many states have Connections Academy schools, but not all of them do yet. If you would like to enroll your child in Connections Academy, first check to see if there is a school in your state.
If we don’t have a school in your state, our sister school Pearson Online Academy is an online, accredited K-12 private school open to students regardless of location.
Once you select your Connections Academy school based on your location, you will be prompted to create a Parent Account for the Connections Academy enrollment portal.
When you have successfully logged into the enrollment portal, you will be prompted to complete information about your household and the student(s) you are enrolling. You will also be asked to submit documentation verifying your student’s age, which could be a birth certificate or a passport, and your proof of residency, which could include:
Utility bills (gas, electric, water, etc.) dated within 60 days of the enrollment date and that include your name and service address
Mortgage statements or lease agreements
Driver’s license
Property tax bill
If your child has already been enrolled in school or homeschooled, Connections Academy also needs previous academic records, which could include transcripts from your child’s previous school or a homeschool credit report.
Just like brick-and-mortar schools, public online schools like Connections Academy are required to show proof of immunization or, where allowed by state law, a statement showing that your student is exempt from immunization for health or religious reasons. Common forms of proof accepted include:
Immunization booklet
Official school record or written statement from the former school district
Written statement from a medical office that the required immunizations have been administered or that a required series is in progress
Healthcare provider or health department printout
Enrolling school’s immunization record/statement of exemption
Once you submit all required documentation, the Connections Academy enrollment team will review your application typically within one business day of submission. You can check on the status of your documents in the enrollment portal, where you can see if a document has been accepted or rejected, in which case you will need to re-submit other documentation to meet the requirements. The enrollment processing team will also reach out to you in the event you submitted invalid or incomplete documentation during the enrollment process. Families will be contacted by their preferred method, either a phone call or email, which will let the family know why the document was invalid and what you will need to submit to fulfill that requirement.
If the application is complete, your student will be enrolled in the school. After you have confirmed your student's enrollment, you should withdraw your child from your previous/local school. Delaying withdrawal could result in confusion, extra documentation, or cancellation of enrollment.
Once you have been enrolled in Connections Academy, you will see your enrollment status changed to “enrolled” instead of “pending.” You will begin to receive information about how to access Pearson Online Classroom, which is where your student will complete their lessons and attend any virtual live classes.
Your student will receive their course schedule. A few weeks after enrollment, they will receive the books and materials they will need for their classes. They can connect with a school academic advisor, who can assist with questions about their courses and graduation requirements. Advisors can also assist with changing any course selections.
Once enrollment is complete, it’s time to get ready for the first day of online school! Here are a few tips to help your family and student get ready for a successful and engaging online school experience.
A crucial role at Connections Academy is the Learning Coach, a trusted adult who builds the weekly school schedule, tracks attendance, communicates with teachers, and supports their student while they complete their schoolwork.
If you are a working parent concerned about balancing online school and your work schedule, here are some helpful tips.
Even though every day is a little different in online school, students spend on average 4-6 hours each school day completing lessons and attending virtual classes. It’s important to design a learning space that not only is comfortable, but inspires their creativity, helps them stay focused, is appropriate for many types of learning activities, and is uniquely theirs.
While online school offers flexible schedules where students can learn at a pace that works for them, they should have a daily school routine to help them stay focused and engaged. Working together, the Learning Coach and the student should decide when to start their online school day, what sequence of classes they want to study, and the break schedule.
Find sample school schedules on our Resource Hub. You can also use our school schedule template to help establish a daily online school schedule.
To ensure your student is ready for online learning, get familiar with Connection Academy’s technology requirements. If your Internet connection is slow or unreliable, you may want to consider upgrading your service or shopping around for a better service provider.
Learn more about the online school enrollment process by attending a Connections Academy information session. You can also find a Connections Academy school near you to get started on enrolling in online school.