Presenting today from…
The Phyllis J. Washington School of Education at the University of
Montana

Jason Neiffer, Curriculum Director
jason.neiffer@montanadigitalacademy.org
406-480-6832

Ryan Schrenk, Instructional Coordinator
ryan.schrenk@mso.umt.edu
406-243-6122

Rayleen Hicks, Administrative Associate
rayleen.hicks@mso.umt.edu
406-243-4619

End of 1st
Semester
Information

1st Semester Notes

§  January 21st: Courses complete
§  January 24th: Grades available
§  We are working over the next couple of
weeks to drop out non-starting students

§  Help us by withdrawing students no
longer engaging in the course through a
drop request

Proctored Finals

§  Per request ofparticipating districts, we
will run proctored finals in some courses.

§  Current plan: Share test passwords with
site facilitators. (Details coming soon;
will announce on Site Facilitator Blog)

§  Please help us by setting up secure test
environment.

2010-2011
Academic Year Calendar Important Dates
August 10 September 10
Su M Tu W Th F Sa Su M Tu W Th F Sa 8/30/10 Virtual Classrooms Open
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 9/7/10 Class Curriculum Begins
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 10/18/10 Short Week (Convention)
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 11/22/10 Short Week (Thanksgiving)
22 23 24 25 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 12/20/10 Short Week (Holiday)
29 30 31 26 27 28 29 30 12/27/10 Holiday Break Week
1/3/11 School Resumes
1/17/11 Finals Week
October 10 November 10 December 10 January 11 1/24/11 Final Grades Posted
Su M Tu W Th F Sa Su M Tu W Th F Sa Su M Tu W Th F Sa Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1/24/11 Virtual Classrooms Open
1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 1 1/31/11 Class Curriculum Begins
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 2/21/11 Short Week (President's Day)
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 4/4/11 Spring Break Week
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 4/18/11 Short Week (Easter)
24 25 26 27 28 29 30 28 29 30 26 27 28 29 30 31 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 5/30/11 Finals Week
31 30 31 6/6/11 Final Grades Posted

February 11 March 11 April 11 May 11
Su M Tu W Th F Sa Su M Tu W Th F Sa Su M Tu W Th F Sa Su M Tu W Th F Sa
1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
20 21 22 23 24 25 26 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
27 28 27 28 29 30 31 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 29 30 31

June 11 July 11 August 11 September 11
Su M Tu W Th F Sa Su M Tu W Th F Sa Su M Tu W Th F Sa Su M Tu W Th F Sa
1 2 3 4 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
19 20 21 22 23 24 25 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
26 27 28 29 30 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 28 29 30 31 25 26 27 28 29 30
31 Updated 8/14/2010

Registration Calendar

§  NOW: Registration Open
§  December 15, 10am, Live Question and
Answer Webinar

§  December 23, MSU-GF COT Dual Credit
Registration Deadline (paperwork faxed
to Rayleen Hicks before this day)

§  January 11, 2011 4pm, Live Question
and Answer Webinar

Registration Calendar
(continued)

§  Monday, January 24, 2011: virtual
classrooms open (help us get your
students into their courses!)

§  Monday, January 31, 2011: 2nd semester
curriculum starts

§  Monday, February 14, 2011: Add
deadline (student expected to catch up to
pace)

§  Monday, February 28, 2011: Drop
deadline

Registration Basics

§  ALL ENROLLMENTS ARE BY SEMESTER,
meaning that you have to re-enroll all
students for 2nd semester courses

§  Our course titles are important; “A” and
“B” refer to the curriculum; A is the first
half of the curriculum, “B” is the second
half

§  Some “A” courses are available 2nd
semester

§  Please enroll students as soon as
possible; do not wait!

Policy Clarification: Grades

§  MTDA reports percentage grades only
§  Local districts should establish letter
grade equivalents before the release of
semester grades and report those
standards to your students taking our
courses

§  Exception: MTDA will report a “W” for any
student that drops past the drop
deadline

Policy Clarification: Drops
vs. Withdrawals

§  MTDA does enforce an add/drop period.
§  For second semester, the drop deadline
will be 4 weeks after after the first day of
courses.

§  MTDA takes drops from site facilitators
only, not students or their parents.

§  Any withdrawal that occurs after our drop
deadline will result in a W being reporting
to the local school. It is the responsibility
of the local school to develop policy on
how they want to handle this grade
report.

Drops (continued)

§  MTDA will be engaging with site
facilitators and our teachers on the 1st
and 3rd week at the semester to find
students that haven’t successfully started
a course

Policy Clarification:
Calendar

§  As previously announced, MTDA runs its
own academic calendar. Students are
expected to adhere to MTDA’s calendar,
even if it conflicts with their local
school’s academic calendar.

§  EXCEPTION: Seniors are able to end the
semester early to facilitate graduate.
However, it is the student’s responsibility
to contact the instructor of their course
before April 1st to work out the details of
their exit strategy. If the student does
not contact the instructor, they will be
expected to complete the course on our
timeline.

Enhanced Data Reporting

§  Early January; GeniusSIS/MoodleRooms
will roll out a beta of enhanced data
reporting

§  Doesn’t replace interaction between local
site facilitators and online students!

MTDA DASH

§  Direct Academic Student Help
§  “Help Desk” for episodic help in math
courses

§  Available 8am-4pm on weekdays

MTDA Connect

§  MTDA is pleased to announce MTDA
Connect, our credit recovery program

§  Roll out in January 2011
§  Open entry, open exit courses built with a
credit recovery environment in mind

§  To qualify, student needs to be a credit
recovery student, not a first attempt
student. There could be exceptions;
please contact Ryan for details.

§  MTDA credit recovery specialists available
as content teachers

Webinar Series for Site
Facilitators and Parents

§  Based on feedback from you will we
schedule regular monthly webinars aimed
at site facilitators and parents on topics
like:
§  What is an online course?
§  How do teachers and students
communicate in MTDA?
§  What can I do to support the online
student?

Professional Development

§  Spring 2011: MTDA will start offering
regular webinars aimed at teacher
professional development related to
educational technology

§  Details in January; renewal units available
(and potential PIR units with contract
through your local district)

Student Readiness

§  All students can learn online, but, we need
your help by identifying students that
might need more local support
§  Student readiness survey
§  MTDA communication efforts; focus on
engagement in the first weeks of the
courses

Best Way to Communicate
with Teachers

§  Email is the best way to facilitate
communication student-to-teacher, site
facilitator-to-teacher, parent-to-teacher

§  Students should use their MTDA email
accounts for this communication

§  All teachers:
first.last@montanadigitalacademy.org

§  Not getting a timely response? Re-forward
your email to the instructor and CC Jason:
jason.neiffer@montanadigitalacademy.org

§  Phone calls: less reliable

§  Student personal email: less reliable

Data Collection

§  A lot of
missing data in student records;
need complete data for reporting to the
legislature

Curriculum Surveys

§  Available on the Site Facilitator Portal;
help us plan Fall, 2011!

MTDA is hiring!

§  Teachers needed for Spring 2011
§  Credit recovery specialists needed for
program development and student
coaching

http://www.montanadigitalacademy.org/employment

Webinar: 15 December 2010 for Site Facilitators