Why Parents Should Consider 21CCCS for the 2021 School Year

Posted on October 28, 2020October 28, 2020 by Matt Hillesland

It has been over ten months since the first COVID-19 case was reported in the US. Many aspects of American’s daily lives have changed during this time, and perhaps one of the most publicized changes has been the effects COVID has had on our public school system. While many schools throughout the US decided to switch to online learning for their spring semester, some schools have chosen to reopen for their fall semester. Since then, parents have had to make the difficult decision between returning their child to an in-person learning environment or keeping their child home and enrolling them in online learning.

The 21st Century Cyber Charter School, or 21CCCS, is one of Pennsylvania’s top-performing online schools. Founded in XXX, 21CCCS emphasizes a personalized curriculum and the importance of a strong educational community. This educational method has proven successful by 21CCCS ranking within the top 8% on the College Ready Benchmark among Pennsylvania High Schools. Below, the 21CCCS will help parents decide the best learning method for their child and emphasize the many pros to an online learning experience.

Safety

An item on this list that cannot be left unmentioned is safety. At the forefront of every parent’s mind during 2020 and, potentially, the 2021 school year is their child’s exposure to the COVID-19 virus. As more studies are released discussing the dangers of in-class learning during the pandemic, parents are looking for alternative ways of keeping their child’s risk of infection low.

Lack of Disruptions

According to a University of Nebraska-Lincoln study, high school students are distracted on average during 20% of their classroom time. Frequently, students are distracted by friends, other students talking, or phone usage. A common incorrect assumption among people is that students taking online classes are more likely to use their phones without teacher supervision. However, lack of disruptions trigger self-motivation and determination in a positive way. 21CCCS understands this correlation and their Academic Advisors help mentor their students to focus on achieving their academic goals.

Focus on Technology

In a world with a growing reliance on technological advancement, the importance of students learning essential computer skills cannot be over-emphasized. Studies show that technological know-how is no longer the desired skill set in the hiring process but an expectation. To strengthen a future resume or have a greater chance at a promotion, students should learn, at minimum, Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop programs. 21CCCS understands the importance of computer literacy in the 21st-century job market and incorporates many different computer programs into their high-school curriculum as well as providing each student with a MacBook and iPad. Recently, 21CCCS was recognized as an Apple Distinguished School for these programs and their commitment to innovation and academic excellence.

Parents Should Inquire about Cyber Charter Schools as Remote Learning Popularity Soars

Posted on October 7, 2020December 21, 2022 by Matt Hillesland

Nothing about daily life in 2020 resembles the ease and convenience of 2019. We’ve all been forced to adapt and overcome. Parents have seen work schedules disrupted and children are facing a “new normal” at school. With the start of the 2020-21 school year just around the corner, cyber charter schools like 21^st Century Cyber Charter School (21CCCS) are getting more inquiries than ever. This innovative approach to education allows students to learn from home. Lessons are also administered by staff who work for one of Pennsylvania’s highest-performing cyber charter schools. This combination is ideal for parents concerned about safety and performance due to the ongoing health crisis. There’s so much to online charter schools, so let’s get started answering some frequently encountered questions!

Forming bonds: Remote learning has been surging in popularity. These digital classrooms are engaging and informative. Every 6^th through 12^th grade course administered by 21CCCS has a weekly “live” class where direct interactions with teachers and students is the norm. We enhance this offering with contact via phone, email and Virtual Office hours. Virtual Office hours are open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and until 3:30 p.m. Fridays. This provides students with the opportunity to speak with teachers and get additional instructions regarding work or to receive feedback.

Tech support: The digital classroom presents a few unique situations that brick-and-mortar schools aren’t as accustomed to. Students of 21CCCS need laptops, tablets, calculators and textbooks to effectively learn from home. Parents of these pupils will be pleased to hear that our cyber charter school provides these materials. This ensures a flexible learning environment, where parents worry less about procuring supplies and more about when classroom “quiet time” hours should be. It also relieves some financial pressure, which is a leading topic during the ongoing health crisis, and ensures that all students are on the same page using identical materials.

The return to normal: The current restrictions on large gatherings will end eventually. When they do, our cyber charter school will again be able to resume in-person social events and graduation ceremonies. These are cherished opportunities to socialize with fellow students as well as our staff and teachers. Our online clubs, which you can learn more about here, cover everything from chess and yoga to photography. Once we’re given the all-clear, 21CCCS looks forward to the annual graduation ceremony attended by family and friends. All graduating students also receive an official diploma from 21CCCS.

We put student experience at the forefront of our offerings. As remote learning becomes more common, we implore parents to consider the cyber charter school that has an impeccable academic track record. Our PSSA, PSAT, SAT, Keystone Exam and other academic rankings makes 21CCCS one of the top-performing cyber schools in Pa. What’s more, we’ve ranked within the top 8 percent of Pennsylvania high school schools scored on the College Ready Benchmark. Parents may visit this link to learn more!

More Parents Are Considering This Cyber Charter School In PA For 2019 – Here’s Why

Posted on February 7, 2019 by Matt Hillesland

Today’s technological advancements often makes it feel like easier ways of accomplishing old tasks crop up daily. Not only is this true, but it’s a blessing to those who’ve grown tired of the traditional education model. Public schools, where students were expected to travel to and from five days a week despite family obligations and scheduling conflicts, certainly served a purpose. With the advent of the cyber charter school in PA model, however, the obligation to physically “go” to school has been erased from the chalkboard — forever. In its place, students can learn via laptop from digital “classrooms” that are led by real teachers in real-time.

Parents and students alike will have questions about this type of education and will also want to know if a cyber charter school in PA is right for them. Pennsylvania certainly keeps an eye on this sector, and we’ve gathered pertinent information about general charter school expectations and other benchmarks. The net result, we hope, is that people will choose this option with more frequency and have more confidence in doing so.

Learning from Home: Most adults have heard about “remote” jobs and the ability to “work from home.” A cyber school makes it possible for children and teens to learn from home. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education (DOE), a cyber charter school in PA is “an independent public school that uses technology to deliver a significant portion of curriculum and instruction to its students through the internet or other electronic means.” That’s certainly the case at 21st Century Cyber Charter School (21CCCS), where students log into their virtual classrooms via laptops and use computer programs to complete course work. The at-home learning aspect is certainly a perk for parents and guardians who will never again have to worry about getting their kids to school on time and picking them up after the last class of the day.

The Gold Standard: These same parents/guardians often have other questions about measuring success and academic objectives. The DOE specifically states that a cyber charter school in PA must “be accountable for meeting measurable academic standards.” To that end, graduates must earn enough credits and pass the Keystone Exam before graduating from high school-level courses at 21CCCS. This should offer additional confidence for those considering this option, as standardized test results are still the gold standard when it comes to gauging performance. A look at the course catalogue for 21CCCS high schoolers can paint a clearer picture: state-certified teachers instructing a curriculum fine-tuned by the cyber charter school in PA and striving toward “motivation, attendance, commitment, and work completion.”

Parents And Pupils Seeking Flexibility Pick Cyber Charter Schools In PA – Here’s Why

Posted on February 5, 2019February 7, 2019 by Matt Hillesland

It’s easy to see why the “traditional” school setting can also prove to be an overwhelming one. We expect children to seamlessly transition from the comforts of home to an ever-changing list of classrooms, teachers, friends, academic expectations and more. It’s all a bit unrealistic and many parents/guardians have likely taken umbrage with negative critiques of their child’s performance when weighed against all they are expected to accomplish. It’s for this reason that many have turned to cyber charter schools in PA as an alternative to the classroom concept that hasn’t been updated in decades.

Pennsylvania is among the states that have been most welcoming to the cyber charter school concept. In short, this educational option allows children to complete an academic curriculum that is held to state-level standards as well as standardized testing. According to recent statistics, more than 30,000 children were enrolled in cyber charter schools in PA. PublicSource, a news outlet covering the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania region, points out that 21st Century Cyber Charter School “earned the highest [School Performance Profile] score of any cyber charter school” for three consecutive years. The report goes on to say that parents interviewed for the article value cyber charter schools in PA for the “flexibility they couldn’t find in traditional public schools.”

What can parents/guardians gain from this innovative approach to education?

Not every child is capable of sitting still through a 45-minute class and retaining the information being taught during that period of time. Those who’ve enrolled their child in cyber charter schools in PA point to the at-home atmosphere that puts pupils at ease while they buckle down on course material.
That same PublicSource article quotes the mother of a 17-year-old suffering from intractable epilepsy and near-daily seizures. That mother searched for a school capable of allowing her son “to work at his own pace and adjust his schedule on days he experienced health issues.” She would find her answer within the cyber charter schools system in PA.
Academics still take priority. With a course syllabus provided beforehand and teachers with virtual office hours offering live support, it’s easy for parents to check in and see how their child is performing and what adjustments could be made from home that would help.
Typical school day hours can throw a wrench in your own plans. Cyber charter schools in PA solve that problem by eliminating the physical classroom. Your child won’t have to catch the bus and you won’t have to come up with emergency to-do plans on snow days – because there are no snow days! Cyber school schedules are dependable, if not set in stone.

There’s a clear need for educational alternatives and online learning is among the options that are convenient for both parent and pupil.