Our Mission

Cambridge-Isanti Schools Online is pleased to be serving the students of Cambridge-Isanti Schools.  The development of this online option was a result of the strategic planning that took place in 2015. The district mission states:

The mission of Cambridge-Isanti Schools, as the leader in innovative education, offering unlimited options and opportunities is to develop well rounded individuals who excel in leadership, achieve at the highest levels, and are responsible citizens through highly effective staff addressing the unique needs of each individual in partnership with parents, students, and a unified community.

The launch of C-I Schools Online fully meets the mission of the school district:  

• Online education is an innovative approach to education that offers students flexibility and control of the where and when they learn. 
• The options that students have online are unlimited due to fewer constraints related to time, space, and location. 
• A successful online learner is responsible and actively engaged in their learning process which develops leadership and levels of high achievement due to the internal motivation necessary for success. 
• Families who choose online learning truly need to partner with the school in order to maximize the success of the student.

At C-I Schools Online, our instructors are highly qualified and trained. Our teachers and staff at C-I Schools Online are highly invested in the C-I community.  They truly care about the well-being and success of ALL students of Cambridge-Isanti, those in the traditional classroom as well as those in the online classroom.

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C-I Schools Online Curriculum Foundations

C-I Schools Online has a standards based, rigorous curriculum combining the best of the C-I Schools brick and mortar curriculum with vendor provided curriuculum offering an engaging and connected learning experience for every student, every day.

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The Cambridge-Isanti Schools Online leadership team has over 50 years of combined online education experience in the roles of administration, teacher, and student.  

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Frequently Asked Questions Regarding C-I Schools Online

Overview 

What is a state approved online learning provider?

• The Minnesota Department of Education has approved C-I Schools as an online learning provider.  This means that C-I Schools can offer an online learning option to any student in the State of MN in grades K-12.

How will students access their coursework?

• The C-I Schools Online program curriculum has been developed specifically with online delivery in mind.  The curriculum will be delivered through the Schoology LMS which provides flexibility for the instructor to enhance any of the curriculum content. 

What if my child is not experiencing success? Can I choose to go back to the traditional school setting?

• Yes, it is our goal to help every student be successful in the setting that works best for their situation.  This is the essence of our motto, Every Student, Every Day!

How does online learning work? 

• Students in C-I Schools Online will use the specified learning management system to access the directions for the day/week.  
• All students will use Schoology as their LMS
• Instruction will include daily interaction with the student’s teachers and full access to the instructional materials, technology, and resources provided 24/7.

When will we receive school supply lists for the online program? 

• The supply list will be shared during the orientation meeting. You can purchase basic school supplies if you would like. 

Sports, Extracurricular Activities and School Involvement

Can my child participate in sports, extra-curricular activities, and field trips?

• Yes, C-I Schools Online is a part of the Cambridge-Isanti School District therefore students enrolled in the program receive all the same opportunities as students who attend the local school facilities for their learning experience.

Will online students be part of the yearbook and get their school pictures taken? How about other functions that may be going on?

• Yes, students are still enrolled in their respective schools and can have their pictures taken. Other functions will be determined on a case by case basis. 

Staffing

Who is running the online program? Are they experienced?

• C-I Schools Online has been in development for over 2 years by school leadership who, combined, have almost 50 years of online learning experience.

How many teachers will a student have online?

• The student to teacher ratio will be similar to the regular classroom. The exact number of students may vary depending on registration.

Are the C-I teachers who will be working with the online classes licensed to work in their subject areas - math teachers working with math classes, science teachers working with the science classes, etc?

• Yes, students will be receiving instruction by teachers who are licensed in their subject area.  

What role will the C-I teachers play in an online format?

• All teachers in the online program are C-I teachers. They will be the instructors for the courses. They will support online learning and hold optional live sessions as needed depending on the grade level. 

Support Services

Can a student with a disability enroll in the online option? 

• Yes, students with disabilities may enroll in the C-I Schools Online option. IEP teams will meet to determine the best learning model for students. 

Can we still use Lighthouse services? 

• Yes, students can still access Lighthouse services. 

Can we still connect with guidance counselors and social workers? 

• Yes, students can still have access to counselors and social workers. 

Technology

My child does not have a computer. Does the school provide one?

• Yes, the district will provide any C-I Schools Online student with a Chromebook.
• The Chromebook will have the same content filtering software on it that students in the traditional school have.  This filtering software helps to protect students from accessing inappropriate online material.

Do I need to provide internet access for my student?

• Yes, since this is an online schooling option, it is the parents responsibility to provide internet access for their student.  
• C-I Schools technology can help answer questions for you on how to get a low cost internet option depending upon your geographic location.

We have several kids…will each one be provided with a Chromebook?

• Yes, each student will have access to their own Chromebook. 

If we are having trouble with technology, what level of support is there? 

• Families will have access to the technology help desk. 

Curriculum

How many courses can a student take through online learning? 

• A student will take the same number of courses online that they take in a traditional C-I Schools setting.

Do the courses meet standards for high school graduation in Minnesota?

• Yes, the courses meet national and state standards regarding graduation requirements of MN and the Cambridge Isanti School District.

What curriculum is used?

• The curriculum will be a combination of C-I Schools tradition curriculum and various vendor provided curriculum.
• The curriculum will be a standards based, rigorous curriculum meeting the district mission of developing students who achieve at the highest levels.

How do you address courses like Band / Choir?

• Students who choose to register for Band and Choir classes would register as part time online students and they would attend the band and choir classes in person.

Will there be any real material mailed or given to us to go along with the online instruction or is there just simply online instruction for everything including science or any other subject that might need more hands-on learning?

• Most of the curriculum is online. However, materials will be delivered to families for any hands-on learning opportunities. 

Will I still be able to obtain the college credit I would have otherwise received if I was attending school in person using CIHS's "College In School" program?

• We will work individually with students who are enrolled in CIS and AP courses at the high school.  

Attendance

What is the attendance policy for the online program? 

• Students are expected to attend school each day through the LMS and are expected to be making successful progress toward course completion.

Structure and Scheduling

What is the flexibility of the program? 

• Flexibility will be provided in regards to when to complete the coursework and where it can be completed, the exception being music classes that may require students to attend class at a specific time on a daily basis.

How will my child connect with their teacher? What levels of support are there?

• Students can interact with teachers in a variety of ways, including but not limited to phone calls, video chats/conferencing or scheduled one on one/small group/whole group class activities, email, etc.
• Students will receive support in a variety of ways, such as one on one video conferencing support, small group video conferencing support, whole class video conferencing support, etc.  Students will be able to message staff via the LMS or via email as well.
• C-I Schools instructional staff will be trained in screencasting in order to answer questions and provide videos demonstrating/discussion answers to the questions or support needed.

Do students need to come to the school to attend? 

• No, by enrolling in C-I Schools Online, the student is choosing to receive all their schooling via online learning. There will not be a need to attend a particular school facility. The only exception being participation in band and choir classes.

Will they be assigned an in-person teacher they can talk to?

• Students at the elementary level (K-5) will have an assigned teacher. Secondary students (6-12) may have a teacher for each subject area.

How many hours are spent on the computer per day?

• Online programming is for a full school day. However, it is likely that students will complete their work in 4-5 hours per day. 

Do students get paper copies of assignments?

• Most of the work is completed online. We will work with students who may need paper copies. 

How are the social/emotional needs met?

• Students will have access to the school counselor or social worker. Elementary students will participate in optional morning meetings with Social Emotional Learning activities. 

What would student interaction look like?

• Student interaction will vary by grade level. Elementary students will have more opportunities for interaction via Google Meet. Secondary students will have more student interaction via online classroom discussions. 

Are teachers only accessible during certain hours?

• Teachers are accessible during regular school hours. 

Will kids be in groups by grade level or ability? (or friend cohorts?)

• Students will be grouped according to grade level and may be placed in small learning groups for differentiated instruction. 

Will online students follow the same schedule they would have had in person?

• There will be a schedule, but there is flexibility in when students complete the work. Most lessons and meetings will be recorded for viewing at a later time. 

Is this online program not solely based as an online format, or will there be Google meets like there was with Distance Learning?

• There will be optional Google Meets for students. At the elementary level, these will be strongly encouraged. 

What grading system will the online program use? 

• The grading system will mirror the grading system used in the school. 

Role of Parents and Caregivers

What are the expectations of the parents? 

• The parent would partner with the C-I Schools and act as a learning coach in the following ways:
  • Support the student in accessing the online curriculum 
  • Support the student in making adequate weekly progress
  • Inform the school in the event of student absences
  • Partner with the school and the student to solve any academic or attendance issues that may arise 

Enrollment

Who is Eligible to join the C-I Schools Online program?

• Any K-12 student in the State of MN.

How do I enroll my child in the C-I Online program?

• Go to https://www.c-ischools.org/online and click the “C-I Schools Online - Enroll Now!” button to complete the enrollment form.
• A school representative will follow up with you.

Is there a student orientation prior to the start of the school year?

• Yes, there will be a student orientation scheduled for all C-I Schools Online students in order to ensure that they understand what is required of them, how to access the curriculum, and more.
  

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