PASCAL: Our 100% online program for Grades 6-12

PASCAL (Program for Accelerated Studies Using Computer-Assisted Learning) is a 100% online program for Grades 6 through 12. Younger students study Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, and Math, including Pre-Algebra and Algebra, online. High School students have wider choices sufficient to meet all of Minnesota's graduation requirements. Each subject is supported by a highly qualified licensed teacher and aligned to MN standards. The PASCAL program provides flexibility and accountability to meet a range of student needs.

There is no specific start/stop time or schedule that students are required to follow. Classes are designed so that if the students do 4-5 hours of work 4-5 days a week, they will  finish their four core classes (Language Arts, Science, Math and Social Studies) in a regular school year. High School students should expect a more rigorous work load of the core classes plus a variety of electives.

Primary learning comes from the online computer program itself in the form of readings, videos, interactive activities, online worksheets, projects, quizzes and tests. Readings are embedded in the online courses, and science experiments are all done with supplies easily gathered from around the house. More sophisticated experiments are done through simulations are demonstrated by video.

 

Teachers answer questions when desired or needed, grade all written activities and work with students to design individual projects.Students and teachers communicate via email, Skype and other online tools to keep students motivated and learning.

  

PASCAL students are always invited to participate in CVA's field trips, extra-curricular activities, and on-campus events. They can be as much a part of our community as they wish!

The units in each course can be set up so that students are able to test out of any information that they already know. Students take a pretest to check their level of mastery. If the student scores less than 80% the score is not recorded and students are simply sent into the first lesson of the unit. If the student's score is 80% or better, the student can move directly to the next assignment.

Students (and parents) can go back to finished lessons to check for the correct answers. In fact, this is strongly encouraged as a learning technique.

 

For more information on PASCAL, contact Robyn Consoer, PASCAL Coordinator.