The Newberg School District recently added a 14th school, but Newberg residents won’t be noticing construction, as there was none.
The Chehalem Online Learning Alliance is a virtual school aimed at current home-school students and mainstream students considering home-schooling in Marion, Yamhill and Washington counties.

Sue Henry, who will be the advisory teacher for the program, said it will provide enrichment activities for students and support for parents. The textbooks and curriculum materials will be provided by Calvert, a Maryland company that selects what it finds to be the best curriculum for each grade from traditional curriculum providers, Henry explained.

She currently has 13 students enrolled with a couple of more considering enrollment. She meets with students face-to-face at least every other week to keep track of their progress and is available via e-mail in the interim. With nearly 20 years of experience, Henry has taught from preschool to eighth grade.

“We want to make sure they have a really nice variety of all kinds of education,” she said of the students enrolling in the school. In addition to organizing field trips for the online students, she’ll also be able to sign them up for trips with their cohorts in brick-and-mortar schools and is working with the Chehalem Cultural Center and Chehalem Park and Recreation District to provide electives.

The teacher-to-student ratio is set at 25 and the program will add teachers as enrollment grows, she said. Students will also be able to enroll in individual classes at district schools if they so desire.

Students living within the Newberg School District may enroll at any time, while others have until March 30 to enroll for next school year. For more information, call Henry at 503-554-4721.

By: Laurent Bonczijk, Newberg Graphic