Catawba County Schools

Welcome, 9th - 12th Grade Students!

The benefits of a fully flexible, consistent, and rigorous curriculum are remarkable. And... it is 100% free for Catawba County residents!

Our Online Catawba 9-12 program is a flexible virtual program with in-person opportunities for enrichment, tutoring, testing, etc. Students are required to meet certain criteria, including a minimum of a 2.8 unweighted GPA and not having failed any online courses previously. Parents must be able to provide transportation when needed. Please visit our Online Catawba website to get all the details, attend a virtual information session and to apply. 
 

What are the criteria to be accepted into Online Catawba in 9th-12th grade?

We want to set your child up for success in our Online Catawba Virtual Academy. Therefore, students must meet the following criteria:

• Unweighted GPA of 2.8 or higher

And be able to answer "no" to the following questions:

• Has your student failed an online course in the last calendar year? 
• Has your student failed 2 or more online courses or grade levels ever?  

What is required of a parent/guardian for a child to be a successful online learner?

You will have to be able to say "yes" to all of the questions below:

• Will you ensure your student participates in an Online Catawba Orientation session with his/her teacher(s) during the first week of school/semester? 
• Will your student have a designated place to do schoolwork? (e.g., desk/table in a quiet area) 
• Will there be an adult available to assist and facilitate instruction? (e.g., eliminate distractions, manage time, ask questions, etc.)
• Will you and your student be able to dedicate the necessary amount of time to virtual learning? (e.g., estimated 20 hours per week for general education, more for honors, AP, etc.)
• Will you commit to providing transportation for required in-person activities (tutoring, testing, etc.)?

What will Online Catawba classes be like in 9th through 12th grade? 

Recognizing the need to provide both a flexible schedule and the rigorous North Carolina curriculum, our 9th-12th grade classes will have opportunities for screen-to-screen synchronous instruction, as well as asynchronous instruction.
 

Benefit of Online Catawba 9-12
One of the many ways Online Catawba is making education better for our students is by providing excellent CCS teachers from right here in Catawba County. Our local teachers can provide opportunities for high schoolers to meet live (in-person or screen-to-screen) when they have questions or need additional assistance.  

Please note: Parents/guardians/students will need to provide transportation.

What are the next steps?
Find out more!
Attend one of our optional Virtual Information Sessions. Meet our director, learn what your child's day will be like, and ask all of your questions in this live format using Google Meet. 

Click for Virtual Info Session Schedule!

Welcome, 3rd - 8th Grade Students!

The benefits of a fully flexible, consistent, and rigorous curriculum are remarkable. And... it is 100% free for Catawba County residents!

Online Catawba 3-8 Program is a flexible virtual program with in-person opportunities for enrichment, tutoring, testing, etc. Students are required to meet certain criteria, including not having failed any online/hybrid courses previously. Parents must be able to provide transportation when needed. Please visit our Online Catawba website to get all the details, attend a virtual information session, and submit your application.

What is the criteria to be accepted into Online Catawba in 3rd-8th grade?

We want to set your child up for success in Online Catawba. Therefore, students must be able to answer "no" to the following questions:

• Grades 3-6: Has your student failed 1 or more grade levels while attending school online/hybrid in the last year? 
• Grades 7-8: Has your student failed an online/hybrid course or grade level in the last calendar year? 
• Grades 7-8: Has your student failed 2 or more online/ courses or grade levels ever?

What are the criteria to remain in Online Catawba?

We will actively monitor your child's progress every 3 - 4.5 weeks to ensure your child is progressing at the optimal pace. If progress is not on track, our teachers will implement academic interventions which include synchronous instruction, as well as in-person tutoring. 

What is required of a parent/guardian for a child to be a successful online learner?

You will have to be able to say "yes" to all of the questions below:

• Will you ensure your student participates in an Online Catawba Orientation session with his/her teacher(s) during the first week of school/semester? 
• Will your student have a designated place to do schoolwork? (e.g., desk/table in a quiet area) 
• Will there be an adult available to assist and facilitate instruction? (e.g., eliminate distractions, manage time, ask questions, etc.)
• Will you and your student be able to dedicate the necessary amount of time to virtual learning? (e.g., estimated 20 hours per week for general education, more for honors, AP, etc.)
• Will you commit to providing transportation for required in-person activities (tutoring, testing, etc.)?

What will Online Catawba classes be like in 3rd through 8th grade? 

Recognizing the need to provide both a flexible schedule and the rigorous North Carolina curriculum, our 3rd-8th grade classes will have opportunities for screen-to-screen synchronous instruction, as well as asynchronous instruction.

Benefit From Online Catawba
One of the many ways Online Catawba is making education better for our students is by providing Learning Labs throughout the district. Our Learning Labs are a physical space for students to:

• Use for optional face-to-face instruction (enrichment, tutoring, etc.)
• Take required CCS and state assessments
• Have instructional interventions, if necessary. 

Please note: Parents/guardians will need to provide transportation.

What are the next steps?
Find out more!
Attend one of our optional Virtual Information Sessions. Meet our director, learn what your child's day will be like, and ask all of your questions in this live format using Google Meet. 

Click for Virtual Info Session Schedule!

All Students Are Welcome to Apply!

We want to help your child get all the important foundational skills in reading, math, science, and social studies to succeed through their entire educational career.

Our Online Catawba K-2 program will be a combination of in-person and virtual learning opportunities and does require parental involvement, including transportation to the in-person days.   

We will actively monitor your child's progress every 3 - 4.5 weeks to make sure he or she is progressing at the optimal pace. An open line of communication between our teachers and our parents is vitally important.
 

What is required of a parent/guardian for a child to be a successful online learner?

You will have to be able to say "yes" to all of the questions below:

• Will you ensure your student participates in an Online Catawba Orientation session with his/her teacher(s) during the first week of school/semester? 
• Will your student have a designated place to do schoolwork? (e.g., desk/table in a quiet area) 
• Will there be an adult available to assist and facilitate instruction? (e.g., eliminate distractions, manage time, ask questions, etc.)
• Will you and your student be able to dedicate the necessary amount of time to virtual learning? (e.g., estimated 20 hours per week for general education, more for honors, AP, etc.)
• Will you commit to providing transportation for in-person learning activities? 

Enrich Social Skills

We also know that academics are not the only foundational skills that our youngest learners need. That’s why we provide in-person opportunities for socialization, enrichment, tutoring, and more. In-person instruction will also be available for students who may be struggling with their studies (Parents/guardians will need to provide transportation.)
 

It's like the best of both worlds! A fully online, flexible school with the option to be in-person at one of our Learning Labs, when required or desired! 
 

What are the next steps?
Find out more!
Attend one of our optional Virtual Information Sessions. Meet our director, learn what your child's day will be like, and ask all of your questions in this live format using Google Meet. 

Click for Virtual Info Session Schedule!

• Ideal for families with lifestyles and schedules that do not fit into the structure of a traditional school day. 

• Free to full-time students who live in Catawba County, NC. 

• Designed with courses developed by CCS teachers using the NC Standard Course of Study.

• A rigorous education delivered by well-trained, local teachers.

• Well rounded to include multiple levels of curriculum including Advanced Placement (AP), general education, and honors levels. 

• Flexible - students in grades 7-12 can elect to participate in face-to-face (F2F) courses, field trips, academic clubs, school dances, high school prom, and even school sports! 

• Thorough with full student access to academic advisement, college planning, scholarship opportunities, etc.  

• A quality education, graduates earn the same NC high school diploma with the name of their CCS base high school (Bandys, Bunker Hill, FT Foard, Maiden, St. Stephens).   

Throughout the learning experience, students receive support from Catawba County Schools certified teachers who are dedicated to our students.

Our program offers the flexibility of learning at a student’s own pace, while still having the same access to local teachers, technology, arts, athletics, and other extracurricular activities as traditional Catawba County Schools students.

Online Catawba offers a variety of flexible and full-time options - all for FREE if you're a resident of Catawba County. 

What makes a good Online Catawba student?

To be successful, an online student must want to succeed. Online learning requires independence, self-motivation, responsibility, and a certain level of maturity. Online classes are also reading intensive; students are expected to comprehend information from their online materials and apply it to work assigned to them.

Two key advantages of online learning are flexibility and convenience.

However, online learning is more challenging than it may seem. Online courses require just as much, if not more, time and energy as traditional classroom courses. They also require specific computer skills and learning strategies to succeed.

The skills and characteristics below are those that every student should possess before enrollment in an online course:

• Goal-Oriented: Successful online students must be self-disciplined and task-oriented as they complete their weekly assignments, post responses, and coursework to be graded, and engage in dialogue with their teachers and classmates.
   
• Proficient Readers and Communicators: Reading and writing are the primary methods of communicating in an online class. Students should be comfortable reading documents on a computer screen and possess adequate typing skills. Some assessments and assignments are in multiple-choice format while others involve significant writing, both long and short responses.
   
• Ability to Set a Schedule and Keep It: Online instructors expect students to be organized. Students must maintain a schedule that allows them to meet course deadlines. Students should access their courses daily to be successful.  Online learning requires a student to be disciplined and committed to his/her learning.  
   
• Ability to Maintain a Good Study Environment: Students should have daily access to a reliable internet connection. It is recommended that students complete their assignments in conditions that best suit his/her learning style and needs. For example, find a quiet location away from distractions (i.e. television, loud music, cell phones, and other people).
   
• Possession of Basic Technical Skills: Online learners need basic technical skills to succeed. Here is a list of some basic skills students are expected to possess:
  • Create and share documents using his/her CCS Google Drive account
  • Send and receive emails with attachments
  • Upload, download, and manage course files including multimedia files
  • Communicate effectively and promptly via email with instructors
  • Navigate the Internet
  • Display a basic understanding of interactive web-based tools
     
• Maintain Open Communication with Teachers - Students will be expected to read, reply, and write messages to the teachers using the learning management system (LMS) and Catawba County Schools (CCS) email. Parents are also encouraged to provide contact information for teachers to share updates on student progress.

Our proven program has been successfully educating students since 2017. Our program is not new, like many others that popped up as an answer to COVID-19 concerns.