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Galveston ISD is the proud recipient of the Vision 2020 Grant. As one of six districts awarded the grant, GISD will develop a virtual online school to enable students to take courses online in conjunction with their campus-based courses.
The Texas Virtual School Network (TxVSN) was created by the 80th Texas Legislature through the passage of Senate Bill 1788 and codified in Chapter 30A. of the Texas Education Code (TEC) which authorizes the Texas Education Agency to establish and administer a state virtual school network to provide education to students through electronic means. Information technology is promoting fundamental changes in how we teach and learn. Barriers of time and place are tumbling as technology offers new choices and opportunities for students and educators. Over the last 20 years or more, American schools have embraced distance learning tools to enhance students' educational opportunities. Satellite, microwave, cable, and broadcast television first gave students access to courses not otherwise available in their home schools. More recently, multimedia Internet-based technologies have provided even more powerful options for teaching and learning at a distance. With virtually all schools now linked to the Internet, states, districts, and individual schools are increasingly adopting online courses to expand their curricula. The appeal of online courses is evident: they can increase the range of course offerings available to all students as well as provide educational access to students unable to attend the traditional campus. In addition, they provide an alternative method of instruction. During the fall of 2008, the first online courses for grades nine through twelve were reviewed for TxVSN using the National Standards for Quality of Online Courses endorsed by the North American Council for Online Learning (www.nacol.org) and for alignment with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). A list of courses available are be located on the Course Information section of this website. To build a solid foundation for the Galveston ISD Virtual Online School, students enrolled at Ball High School, Ball Preparatory Academy, and AIM may take advantage of this opportunity.For More Information Contact: Michelle Savage, Vision 2020 Project Coordinator at 409-762-6170 or michelle_savage@gisd.org Marcia Proctor, Director for Special Initiatives at 409-762-5264 or marcia_proctor@gisd.org Mariana Mueller, Instructional Technology at 409-762-6170 or mariana_mueller@gisd.org
Edmund Hendon, Ball High School Site Coordinator at 409-766-5700 or edmund_hendon@gisd.org
Gaylene Waite, Ball Preparatory Academy Counselor & Site Coordinator at 409-766-5768 or lessie_waite@gisd.org
Dee Williams, AIM Site Coordinator at 409-766-5167 or dee_williams@gisd.org
Catch the Wave - the Virtual Wave! {wave} |