Online school touts flexibility

Parents may wonder what the response would be to classes where students may attend any time of the day, progress at their own pace and have a clearly defined curriculum - yet an online school has achieved just that.

Primavera Online High School began in 2003 with 150 students and now with an average daily attendance of 3,500 has taken off like wildfire, says Damian Creamer, a former University of Phoenix employee who co-founded the school along with his wife, a former Mesa schoolteacher.

"One of the misconceptions of an online program is that it lacks structure, but reality is that it needs a high degree of structure in order to succeed," Creamer said.

Part of that structure is block scheduling, where students are placed in just two courses per six week semesters and work individually to complete daily assignments and with classmates to finish online projects.

Another misconception of online schools is that it is impersonal, but nothing could be further from the truth, Creamer insisted.

"Every day students are required to interact with teachers via e-mail, blogs and discussion boards," he said.

There are also live sessions where students work through instruction pertaining to subject matter for that day along with live math and writing lab tutoring. It is mandatory interaction with teachers and their peers that is key to the success of an online program, he said.

Online schools began as a pilot project created by Arizona lawmakers to test the viability of distance learning centers in 1998 aimed to improve achievement and extend academic options. Primavera is a public charter school that students access 24/7, and in 2003 it was one of five new schools to expand the Technology Assisted Project-Based Instruction that started with just seven schools with passage of HB 2525.

A critical aspect of online school is the democratization of education, Creamer said. Students regardless of their socio-economic background can learn together.

"It's kind of neat because students make friendships from all over the state and from all walks of life and this adds to their educational enrichment," he said.

Primavera teaches grades ninth through 12th and is fully accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

One of the unique things to online schools is access by parents to their children's courses so they can see how they perform and work with their teachers in real time or via e-mail.

One parent who appreciates the accessibility of checking her child's progress online is Renae Hensley, who lives with her daughter, Jessica, in Yuma.

Jessica formerly had a reading disability. Primavera can compensate for disabilities through its Individual Education Program of tailoring lessons to an individual.

"I like the fact I can check her progress every day," Hensley said. "I don't think she would have improved if she continued in public school."

Jessica, 17, now a junior,  said she likes Primavera's flexible schedule when she can log in to class either day or night and not waste time. She is often busy training horses and dogs as well as caring for six abandoned quail she rescued from her backyard along with four cats and a rabbit.

"With online class, you learn and are not distracted by everyone around you," she said. "In public school, a lot of kids are there because they have to be not because they want to be."

Jessica recalled failing algebra her freshman year but when she took it again at Primavera, she earned an A. She said she formerly got C's and D's but now is earning A's and B's and recently made honor roll for the first time.
  "I've recommended Primavera to friends and they're actually taking it," Jessica said. "The teachers are wonderful. They're always there if I need them. All I do is pick up the phone or e-mail them."

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William Roller can be reached at
wroller@yumasun.com or 539-6858.