ORIENTATION
We are delighted to have your family as a part of Agora Cyber Charter School community! All Learning Coaches and students begin school by participating in a comprehensive New Student Orientation Program or Back to School Program. These online programs are designed to ease or reintroduce families to the online learning model and equip students with the academic knowledge, skills and technical proficiency needed to successfully access and navigate online platforms, as well as, work in online courses.
Learning Coaches and students will attend instructor-led live sessions, receive real-time interaction, and participate in skill-building activities each day. Students are required to attend live sessions to receive daily instruction and be marked present in school. Students are required to complete daily assignments to further their understanding and demonstrate their ability to meet the daily expectations of the online model.
Specific grade-level information about the Orientation Program is available at the bottom of this page. Please continue reading to review it. Also, check the legal guardian’s email regularly for additional details to prepare for the student’s school start date.
In the meantime, all newly registered families are to complete the checklist below prior to the first day of school.
Agora Cyber Charter School Preparation Checklist
Once the checklist is complete, review the guide below for directions to log into school and attend live sessions.
Grades K-5: First Time Log In Instructions
Grades 6-12: First Time Log In Instructions
We look forward to meeting you virtually and preparing your student(s) for an exciting and successful school year!
Your partner in education,
The Orientation Department
Meet the K-12 Orientation Department
Fawn Ruiz
Supervisor of Orientation Services
Jessica Long-Carr
Grades K-5 Orientation Advisor
Emilee England
Grades 6-8 Orientation Advisor
Maryann Weidner
Grades 9-12 Orientation Advisor
Grades K-5 Orientation
Elementary school families participate in a comprehensive New Student Orientation Program or Back to School Program during the student’s first week of school. Synchronous learners are required to attend online sessions as scheduled in their Online School account to be counted present in school. Additionally, the Learning Coach will receive an email prior to the student’s first day of school with the online session schedule and program expectations . The Learning Coach is expected to be present during all online sessions to supervise, support, and engage in the learning process with the student. Please sit with the youngest student if more than one student is enrolled.
Each live session includes direct instruction, real-time interaction, and skill-building opportunities. Following live sessions, students are instructed to complete online assignments to further their understanding and demonstrate mastery of the daily learning objectives.
Grades 6-8 Orientation
Middle school families participate in a comprehensive New Student Orientation Program or Back to School Program during the student’s first week of school. Synchronous learners are required to attend online sessions as scheduled in their Online School account to be counted present in school. Additionally, the Learning Coach will receive an email prior to the student’s first day of school with the online session schedule and program expectations. The Learning Coach is expected to be present during all online sessions to supervise, support, and engage in the learning process with the student. Please sit with the youngest student if more than one student is enrolled.
Each live session includes direct instruction, real-time interaction, and skill-building opportunities. Following live sessions, students are instructed to complete online assignments to further their understanding and demonstrate mastery of the daily learning objectives.
Grades 9-12 Orientation
High school families participate in a comprehensive New Student Orientation Program or Back to School Program during the student’s first week of school. Synchronous learners are required to attend online sessions as scheduled in their Online School account to be counted present in school. Additionally, the Learning Coach will receive an email prior to the student’s first day of school with the online session schedule and program expectations. The Learning Coach is expected to be present during all online sessions to supervise, support, and engage in the learning process with the student. Please sit with the youngest student if more than one student is enrolled.
Each live session includes direct instruction, real-time interaction, and skill-building opportunities. Following live sessions, students are instructed to complete online assignments to further their understanding and demonstrate mastery of the daily learning objectives.
Prepare for the Start of School
The Learning Coach of a newly enrolled student must complete the steps in the Agora Preparation Checklist and review the login directions to prepare for the start of school. Click the links below to get started.
Learning Coach Orientation
You’ve Got This!
Choosing to enroll your child in Agora was a huge decision and we understand that you may feel a bit nervous and have numerous questions. “What do I do next? What do I need to get ready? How do I get help?” We want to let you know that we’ve got you covered.
Your student will receive a robust Orientation program during their first few days which will introduce them to the programs and systems they will use at Agora. Before this, we wanted to give you, the Learning Coach, the information you’ll need to get started and assist them as they learn.
The Learning Coach Orientation is comprised of three modules containing short videos and tutorials. Here you’ll learn about your role, get an overview of the systems you’ll use, and learn the keys to successfully supporting your student.
As always, if you ever have any questions, our staff is only a phone call or email away.
Module 1: The Learning Coach
Learning Coach is a title used by any involved adult in the home who takes responsibility for the student’s education. This can be a parent, grandparent, older sibling, or anyone else chosen by the Legal Guardian to fill the role. Often it can be more than one person. Regardless, this is a big responsibility. The first few videos give information on what that role entails and how to be successful at it.
Module 2: Agora Systems
As an Agora family, you’ll have access to, and be asked to use many different systems. While this may seem like a lot at first, we’ve taken great steps to make processes intuitive and promise to support you along the way.
Students and Learning Coaches will have access to ClassLink. You can think of this as a gateway or hub to the Agora learning experience. Once it’s set up, you will log into the ClassLink Parent Portal and be a click away from everything you need. Let’s look at each of these.
ClassLink (for students)
You’ll want to familiarize yourself with the student version as this will be their gateway to all other programs and you may need to assist the at some point. It is important that students log in through ClassLink each day.
ClassLink Parent Portal (for Learning Coaches)
This guide will help you sign in and set up the Learning Coach version of ClassLink. This will be your gateway to programs and information at Agora. (Note: the Learning Coach should use ClassLink on a separate device from the student to avoid login errors.)
The Online School (OLS)
Students use this for classwork, schedules, and communication. Learning Coaches need the OLS to monitor grades and assist students with learning.
Sapphire Community Portal
The Sapphire Community Portal allows Learning Coaches to view schedules and grades, submit excuses and other forms, and change contact information. Each grade band uses Sapphire a little differently, but it is important to all of them.
Email Communication
Currently, student email is integrated into the OLS. Learning Coaches communicate a bit differently. This short video shows how each system functions.
ParentSquare
This is a new messaging program that will enhance your ability to communicate with the school and receive alerts. Invitations to join will be sent to your email. This short video shows you an overview on setting up and using the program.
Module 3: Supporting Your Student
Monitoring Progress – One of the most important jobs a Learning Coach has is monitoring their student’s progress. These tutorials will show you how to do just that.
- Grades K-5: Monitoring Progress
- Grades 6-12 Monitoring Progress
- Seesaw Instructions
- Submitting an Attendance Excuse
If your student is ever absent, it’s important that we receive an excuse for that date. This video covers how to do that. - Health Requirements
Learning Coaches are responsible for ensuring that their student is compliant with all health requirements for attendance. This page gives information on what those requirements are.
Student Perspective Resources – These resources are optional and provide a preview of the student perspective when using school systems and applications such as, ClassLink, Online School, Nearpod, Seesaw and Keyboarding Without Tears. Review of these grade-band specific resources will best prepare the Learning Coach to support the student this school year.