Program Information

How Class Sessions Work

All GCA classes are conducted using a combination of asynchronous and synchronous (“real-time”) components which may vary based on the course.

Courses contain asynchronous reading assignments, activities, assessments and videos, as well as synchronous ‘live’ class sessions conducted by the teacher at predefined times. All live core content class sessions are recorded, so students may access sessions for review, as needed. We have both required and encouraged ‘live’ class sessions depending on a student’s academic proficiency level. 

Central to these synchronous sessions is the online classroom technology our teachers use, which provides a whiteboard for live online instruction, the ability to conduct multi-student discussions and collaborative activities, and space for instructional slides, as well as file and video sharing. This technology enables teachers and students to engage in live virtual discussion as if they were in a physical classroom.

Attendance requirements for ‘live’ class sessions is based on the student’s academic proficiency level, their timeliness at completing assignments/ assessments, and/or their adherence to school procedures and policies. 

Our faculty members also use ‘live’ class session tool for small group remediation sessions, one-on-one tutoring sessions, and parent-teacher meetings. 

Student Onboarding Program

To facilitate a successful virtual education experience for your student, Georgia Cyber Academy has implemented a student onboarding program (Strong Start) to ease new students and learning coaches into the online learning environment and to prepare them for the start of school. This program will only commence AFTER the student has completed the enrollment process and has been admitted. Typically, the program begins mid-July and must be completed before your student can attend classes; however, onboarding may differ, depending on the student’s grade level and when they start school. Please expect a welcome email and phone call from your Family Engagement Liaison (FEL) before the first day of school.  Students with a start date after the first day of school can expect a welcome email and phone call prior to their start date.

Re-registering students also participate in Strong Start and complete on-boarding components specific to existing students. This program will introduce existing students to new curriculums (if any), platform changes (if any), procedural/policy amendments (if any), and inform them of the school’s expectations for the upcoming school year as well as be a resource for the entire year. This will better prepare them for the start of school and allow many of the typical start of school tasks to be completed prior to the first day of school. Your FEL will contact you before the start of school with instructions of how to access the Strong Start course.

During the first month of school, students and parents should plan to attend a Learning Coach Live Help and Technology Training virtual session, as well as their teachers’ scheduled course orientations. A recording and/or documents of the Learning Coach Live Help and  Technology Training virtual sessions will be posted on the Parent Calendar.

Role of the Parent/Learning Coach

Georgia Cyber Academy students access their learning resources online. While school faculty and staff support student learning, there is still a need for support and guidance from an adult who is physically present with the student who will supervise and monitor progress throughout the school day and year. Georgia Cyber Academy refers to this “at home” role as the Learning Coach. Most frequently the Learning Coach is a parent, but it can also be a tutor or other designated adult responsible for the student’s day-to-day learning supervision. Parents are asked to identify the designated Learning Coach, who faculty and staff will communicate with throughout the school year.

The primary duties of the learning coach are to enter their student’s attendance daily into the Nucleus attendance app, read their GCA emails at least once daily, answer all communications within 24 hours, complete all paperwork requests, complete all surveys, keep the student’s information up to date, monitor their student’s assignment completion and grades daily, ensure that their student attends all required live classes, monitor their student when the student is taking assessments and tests to ensure that no ‘additional help’ is provided that might mask whether a student truly understands the concepts or not, and communicate with their student’s teacher(s), counselor, and FEL whenever they feel that a student is struggling or needs additional support. Students who are required to attend live class sessions will be counted absent if not in attendance, regardless of parent entered attendance.

More information about Learning Coach responsibilities

Live Interaction

Live interaction, which can include, but is not limited to student to teacher/administration & parent/guardian/LC to teacher/administration, and conversation through chat, video, microphone, or phone is required for all students, as necessary. Depending on the proficiency level of the student that can be more or less live interaction. Students who login to class and are consistently not responsive to teachers may be referred to the counseling department, a behavior interventionist, and/or their principal to determine what barriers might exist to preclude participation and how any issues may be addressed. Learning coaches (parent/legal guardian or designated adult) are required to converse with staff regarding their student on a regular basis as well.

Our faculty teach online live classes just like in a traditional school model. Students that attend live classes interact with the teacher and other students. Classes are recorded, so students can refer to them if needed. Additionally, there are online live small group sessions, instructional support classes, and open offices. There is a combination of online and off-line work and projects to complete and turn in with due dates.

Students that are struggling to master standards/skills or have demonstrated proficiency below their assigned grade level are required to attend live classes on a set schedule. These students will be required to submit excuses for their absences just like in a traditional brick-and-mortar school.

Students that are doing well and have demonstrated a proficiency level which is consistent with or above their assigned grade level, are following school policies, and are completing all assignments/tests on time are afforded more flexibility and may view recorded classes when they miss live classes instead of being required to attend all live sessions on a set schedule.  Determinations will take effect at the start of each semester.

Field trips, face to face social events, online clubs, and district-wide in-person events/outings are optional, but highly encouraged.

A student who is having difficulty demonstrating mastery of content or being compliant with school policies will require additional interaction. Parents/legal guardians/learning coaches should be prepared to attend all conferences and meetings regarding discussions/concerns/issues/academic decisions about their student as may be required. These conferences and/or meetings may be held in person, by telephone, and/or by video conference.

Georgia Milestones Assessments (Grades 3-12) are mandatory and require face-to-face/in-person participation. Opt-outs are not permitted.

Other exams may be mandatory and may require face-to-face/in-person participation or be monitored virtually on camera and mic. For other mandatory exams, opt-outs are not permitted. These exams include but are not limited to Interim Assessments, GAA, ACCESS, WIDA, NWEA MAP Assessments, i-Ready Diagnostics, WriteScore exams, Final Exams, CogAT, etc.

GCA requires all students to be on camera, with their microphone on, and their device monitored for the entirety of most assessments/tests/exams, regardless of proficiency level.  The student’s face must be unobstructed and visible on camera during the entirety of the testing/assessment/exam period. If the student is not monitored on camera, then face-to-face/in-person participation will be required for these tests/assessments/exams as well. Assessments/tests/exams may be invalidated by the teacher or administration if the student is not on camera and microphone the entire time the student is taking the assessments/tests/exams. In most cases the student may be allowed to take a make-up assessment/test/exam when this occurs. If a valid monitored assessment/test/exam is not submitted within the prescribed time period, then the student will receive a zero for the assessment/test/exam.

School Property and Supplies

Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA) provides academic support tools, equipment, and assistive technology when warranted and at its sole discretion. At present, all the programs/curriculums that GCA currently utilizes are online without a need for physical books and/or equipment. Georgia Cyber Academy provides loaner computers and printers to families upon request (see the Computer Policy section). Hotspots for internet service may be provided to families in financial need if their student attends class and is compliant to all GCA requirements, rules, procedures, and policies (see Hotspots and Internet Service Provider (ISP) Supplement Program section). These materials are school property and must be kept in good condition. Damage incurred to school property beyond normal wear and tear is subject to disciplinary action and/or replacement of equipment at the family’s expense.

All school property must be returned when a student fails to show up upon enrollment and/or is withdrawn from the school. It must be returned clean and in good condition. Failure to return school property upon request will be considered theft by conversion under Georgia law and the school reserves the right to pursue criminal and civil charges against anyone who violates this provision in order to reclaim school property or collect restitution for such property after attempts to collect the equipment have been exhausted. PLEASE KEEP THE BOXES AND PACKING MATERIALS THAT SCHOOL PROPERTY WAS SHIPPED IN FOR FUTURE RETURNS.

Facilities that are used for Georgia Cyber Academy outings are considered school property, and the same materials and equipment expectations apply to the facilities where Georgia Cyber Academy outings occur.

Parents are responsible for the repair or replacement of all lost, stolen, or damaged school property. A list of property to return will be provided to parents upon withdrawal or graduation if it exceeds a computer, printer, and hotspot. A list will be provided for a computer, printer, and/or hotspot as those must be returned upon withdrawal or graduation for all students. All property and equipment must be returned in good, working condition upon withdrawal from the program. Please contact 404-334-4790 Ext.8 and request a shipping label to return equipment.

Any printed materials that may be provided are copyrighted, and unauthorized copying of those materials is a copyright infringement.

Materials/equipment provided by GCA cannot be sold or transferred and are to be used solely by the student in his or her studies while enrolled in the school. Parents are to comply with this rule and all the terms and conditions of the School Property section of this handbook.

Basic school supplies such as paper, pencils, pens, erasers, highlighters, notebooks, binders, folders, markers, crayons, colored pencils, glue/glue sticks, scissors, rulers, protractors, compass, calculators, etc. are not supplied by Georgia Cyber Academy and are the responsibility of our families. A suggested school supply list will be provided for each grade level at the beginning of the school year. Please email your FEL or homeroom teacher if one was not received.

Loaner Computer and Printer

Georgia Cyber Academy requires all families to have a minimum of one dedicated computer per student and one printer per household which meet the minimum specifications necessary to access GCA Online School platforms. Georgia Cyber Academy provides loaner computers and printers to families upon request. Families must also have internet access to participate in school. A reliable high-speed Internet connection is necessary. If a RELIABLE high-speed internet service connection is not available where you reside, then there is no way to participate in our virtual education program as GCA has no control on a given location’s infrastructure. Dial-up internet access will not provide adequate access. Internet access is verified during the enrollment process and throughout the school year. Hotspots or reimbursement for internet service may be provided to students that have a financial need (see Hotspots and Internet Service Provider (ISP) Supplement Program section). It is at Georgia Cyber Academy’s discretion whether to provide a Hotspot or ISP Reimbursement to assist families that have a financial need with securing internet service.

IMPORTANT NOTE: At the sole discretion of Georgia Cyber Academy, hotspots, computers, or printers may be turned off, locked, or request may be issued that these devices be returned during the summer months. Georgia Cyber Academy  does not necessarily provide computers, printers, or internet assistance during the summer months unless a student is actively enrolled and fully participating in GCA’s summer remediation program, Credit Recovery Courses, Summer School, Dual Enrollment Courses, and/or its Special Education Extended School Year Program.

Minimum technical specifications are as follows:

• Chrome, Windows-based, or Apple computer
• Reliable High-Speed Internet Connection with a recommended minimum 3 Megabits per second download speed Internal or external microphone
• Internal or external speakers
• Internal or external web camera
• Google Chrome Browser
• Adobe Acrobat Reader

Georgia Cyber Academy will provide a computer to any student and a printer to any enrolling family upon request. Please contact your Family Engagement Liaison if you need a computer or printer.

Computer kits include a computer, mouse, power cord, protective sleeve, and headphones with a microphone. All references to computers include the peripheral equipment/items aforementioned. PLEASE KEEP THE BOX AND PACKING MATERIALS FOR FUTURE RETURNS.

Printers include a power cord, paper tray, and one set of ink. All references to printers include the peripheral equipment/items aforementioned. PLEASE KEEP THE BOX AND PACKING MATERIALS FOR FUTURE RETURNS.

Computers and Printers are school property and must be kept in good condition. Damage incurred to computers and printers beyond normal wear and tear is subject to disciplinary action and/or replacement of the computer at the family’s expense. Families will be invoiced for equipment that is damaged beyond normal wear and tear and given the opportunity to pay for its replacement prior to a collection agency being involved.

Computers and printers must be returned when a student fails to show up after enrollment, graduates, transfers, and/or is withdrawn from the school. A return label and box, if needed, will be provided, so that no additional expense is incurred by our families. Please contact 404-334-4790 Ext.8 and request a shipping label to return equipment. All school property must be returned clean and in good condition. Failure to return school property upon request will be considered theft by conversion under Georgia law and the school reserves the right to pursue criminal and civil charges against anyone who violates this provision in order to reclaim school property or collect restitution for such property after attempts to collect the equipment have been exhausted. Families that fail to return equipment will be invoiced for the equipment and given the opportunity to pay for its replacement prior to a collection agency being involved or police report being filed.

PRINTER INK AND PAPER

Georgia Cyber Academy does not provide printer paper or replacement printer ink.

Hot Spots and Internet Service Provider (ISP) Supplement Program

Families who meet the requirements listed below are eligible to receive either a hotspot or ISP supplement checks to help off-set the cost of internet service for their student(s). It is at the sole discretion of the school which type of internet assistance is provided to families with a financial need.

The requirements for receiving a hotspot or an ISP supplement are:

1. Family participates in the GCA Online School per requirements.
2. Family has a Georgia Cyber Academy loaner computer.
3. Family has completed a family income form after July 1^st of the current school year and qualifies for financial assistance.
4. Family is compliant in academics, attendance, records and all other GCA requirements.
5. Family must have a current student address on file. Failure to provide an updated student address with required proof of residence will result in the forfeiture of the hotspot or in the ISP check being voided and the check will not be re-issued.
6. ISP Checks are only provided if a family does not have a GCA issued Hotspot.
7. Only one hotspot or ISP supplement will be provided per household.

If issued a loaner hotspot, it must be returned when a student fails to show up after enrollment, graduates, transfers, and/or is withdrawn from the school. A return label will be provided so that no additional expense is incurred by the family. Please contact 404-334-4790 Ext.8 and request a shipping label to return equipment. All school property must be returned clean and in good condition. Failure to return school property upon request will be considered theft by conversion under Georgia law and the school reserves the right to pursue criminal and civil charges against anyone who violates this provision in order to reclaim school property or collect restitution for such property after attempts to collect the equipment have been exhausted. Families that fail to return equipment will be invoiced for the equipment and given the opportunity to pay for its replacement prior to a collection agency being involved or police report being filed.

ISP checks are only issued if the hotspot provider does not provide internet coverage in the area where the student resides (the student address of record).

If an ISP check is warranted, then it will be mailed twice per school year at the rate of $12.99 per month (per household) for the school year ISP supplement payments are made at the end of January and at the end of June or July and it is the responsibility of the legal guardian to ensure that all information listed in their student’s Infinite Campus account is accurate for mailing purposes. ISP checks are issued to the legal guardian on record.

Eligibility for the ISP supplement begins the first full month after the family receives the loaner computer package. To receive the supplement when issued in January or June/July, the student must be enrolled in the school at the time of supplement processing to be eligible to receive it. Please be aware that if an ISP check is lost, Georgia Cyber Academy does not automatically reissue a check to the family. If a check is not received or is lost in the mail, parents need to notify the Georgia Cyber Academy office within thirty (30) days of checks being mailed to open an inquiry. At the discretion of Georgia Cyber Academy, non-compliant students may have ISP supplements denied. Checks not cashed within ninety (90) days will not be reissued.

IMPORTANT NOTE: At the sole discretion of Georgia Cyber Academy, Hotspots may be turned off during the summer months. Georgia Cyber Academy does not necessarily provide internet assistance during the summer months unless a student is actively enrolled and fully participating in GCA’s summer remediation program, Credit Recovery Courses, Summer School, Dual Enrollment Courses, and/or its Special Education Extended School Year Program.

Curriculum and Instruction

Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA) is committed to providing a rigorous Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE) based curriculum and a solid system of support for all students. GCA students are provided with coursework in:

• Mathematics
• English Language Arts
• Science
• Social Studies.

K-8^th grade electives include:

• required PE/Health (K-8^th)
• required Art (K-5^th)
• required Computer Science (6^th-8^th)
• optional Spanish (K -8^th)
• optional Writing Fun (1^st – 8^th)
• optional Computer Science (K-5^th)
• optional Art (6^th-8^th)

Two electives per semester are provided for grades 9-12 and vary by academic course path and individualized goals. GCA also provides supplemental tools and resources for standards-based review/practice to include, but are not limited to:

• iXL
• Wowzers
• MindPlay
• Newslea
• Spelling Classroom
• Wordly Wise
• Legends of Learning
• Writable
• Book Taco
• Type to Learn
• Edmentum (Study Island & Exact Path)
• BrainPOP
• i-Ready
• MobyMax
• Classworks
• USA Test Prep
• NWEA Accelerate
• Prodigy
• Education Galaxy.

The provided supplemental tools and resources offered vary by a student’s grade level, individual learning plan, and required interventions.  All students take two electives..

Students may also take additional optional electives (more than 6 courses/subjects) if they scored proficient or distinguished on all sections of the previous year’s Milestones assessments and/or are part of the Gifted & Advanced program. For 1^st-3^rd students and 4^th-8^th grade students without previous year’s Milestones assessment scores, the students must demonstrate on grade level proficiency on all NWEA MAP to participate in additional optional electives (more than 6 courses/subjects). These additional optional electives (more than 6 courses/subjects) may be offered synchronously or asynchronously. Also, additional optional electives (more than 6 courses/subjects) will be taken for a grade.

Kindergarten students must be part of the Gifted & Advanced program to be allowed to take additional optional electives. Additionally, all students taking additional optional courses/subjects must maintain an 80 or above in all academic contents, turn assignments in on time, be compliant to attendance & engagement policies, and follow all school policies. Students will be removed from additional optional courses/subjects for failure to attend all required classes and/or to maintain adequate progress in any subject. Additional options include:

• Kindergarten Advanced & Gifted students – Spanish, Computer Science
• 1^st through 5^th grade students – Computer Science
• 1^st through 8^th grade students – Spanish
• 1^st through 8^th grade students – Writing Fun
• 6^th - 8^th grade students – Art
• 8^th grade Advanced & Gifted students – High School Spanish (for HS credit)
• Advanced & Gifted Students may have additional options based on their individual Gifted Educational Plans

Georgia Cyber Academy encourages students to complete assigned lessons within each content area course, since courses in the subsequent grade levels assume completion of lessons in the prior grade. A lesson is completed when the student has mastered the objectives, as measured by the lesson assessment. Learning Coaches and students should work very closely with their teachers to decipher the best course of action when determining the time management of lesson and assessment completion.

The GCA Online School is designed to collect and record data that substantiates the academic progress of each student. Therefore, it is mandatory that Online School is used to collect assignment/assessment data that reflects the standing of the student. Any academic activities the student engages in each school day should be recorded by the Learning Coach as attendance and must be entered into Nucleus (our attendance module) by the Learning Coach each school day. This data serves as one of the primary tools for determining advancement into subsequent course levels in conjunction with the minutes automatically captured from student attendance in required online class sessions; together they count as attendance.

It is essential that parents of GCA students understand that, by enrolling in GCA, they agree to ensure that their students participate in the academic programs as designed, including completing all coursework, recording attendance, participating in required interactions with assigned teachers/staff, checking their email daily, and participating in school and state-mandated assessments.

GCA requires that parents/student submit work assignments to assist teachers with the decision to advance a student to the next course/grade level. GCA requires student work to be original, with appropriate citations for references to published works. Parents/students are provided work assignment guidelines from their assigned teacher(s). Work assignments are submitted electronically. At GCA, we understand that our school is academically rigorous. Meeting the challenge of completing one year of course work in this model can be demanding. Our certified, highly qualified teachers and support staff are here to assist parents/ learning coaches to meet the associated challenges.

A student identified as “academically at-risk” would hold a differentiated priority of contact, as determined by the teacher and the parent, and increased interventions may be warranted. It is vital to note that academically at- risk students require a greater commitment to remediation and support. Students who are identified as academically at-risk may receive additional Response to Intervention (RtI/MTSS) support. Students and Learning Coaches are required to comply with all recommendations to address the current academic needs of the student.

Objectionable Content

There may be times when a parent finds certain lessons, books, or materials objectionable for various reasons. If a parent finds objectionable material, he or she should contact his or her content teacher via e-mail. Teachers will work with the parents to find alternative lessons to meet the lesson objectives. An assessment for the alternate lesson must be completed to ensure that the concepts/skills of the lesson have been mastered.

The student may have live class requirements, conferences, assignments, and/or assessments between 8am and 4pm, Monday through Friday excluding school holidays. A student’s grade level, courses, specific programs, provided services, and their proficiency level determine the amount on online time that may be required and the structure of that time.

Per SBOE Rule 160-5-1-.02, Georgia Cyber Academy students must participate in school learning activities for a minimum of 180 days per school year.

Per SBOE Rule 160-5-1-.02, the minimum number of hours required per school day are as follows:

For Kindergarten through 8th grade, time does include Math, Social Studies, English/ Language Arts, Science, Foreign Language, Art, PE/ Health, Computer Science, and other elective courses, as well as, support activities such as tutoring, state testing, and Academic Support Services (per IEP). Time may also include Educational Field Trips, Testing, Counseling, Health Screenings, and extended learning time activities, however additional attendance guidelines for these activities may be outlined in the GCA District Handbook. Also, school sponsored non-instructional activities may count toward attendance hours.

NOTE: Attendance hours must be logged in a timely manner in accordance with GCA procedure and guidelines. Failure to follow attendance logging procedures may result in withdrawal from GCA.

Live Interactive Class Sessions (Synchronous)

We believe synchronous learning is important because it provides students the full benefits of our highly qualified instructors. The synchronous interaction provides immediate instructor and student feedback, reduces the feeling of isolation, fosters a sense of community with the learners and offers a forum for student collaboration. By incorporating live and interactive learning opportunities in the online environment, teachers are leveraging synchronous learning to enhance learning and promote engagement.

Our synchronous sessions are personalized for the individual learner’s needs. We feel it is important to allow the teacher flexibility to determine what should be covered, what students should be targeted, and when the sessions should be held to reach these students. 

Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA) provides students with a balance of flexibility and appropriate levels of academic support. GCA students will be held accountable for attending live class sessions based on their individualized proficiency level (see chart below). Students identified as Beginning or Developing are required to attend live class sessions to receive intensive teacher support. All new students will be classified as Beginning for at least the first semester to ensure that the student acclimates well to the virtual environment and are compliant to program requirements.

Recordings are provided to all students for review, however live class attendance may be ‘REQUIRED’. Full flexibility students (Proficient) are encouraged to attend live class sessions but may watch recordings if that better fits their schedule. Students who are not participating in the class session may be removed from the room and will not be counted as present for that session. Flexibility is earned at the proficient and distinguished levels as determined by the Georgia Milestones and NWEA assessments. Students who miss required class sessions may be referred for progressive discipline, including a referral to the Academic Review Board (see details below) and up to withdrawal from GCA.

Learn more about  Live Class Session Guidelines in our District Parent/Student Handbook.

Live Interactive Class Sessions Conduct for Parents and Students

When using a teacher’s personal room, please always sign in using your first name and last initial.
Guidelines for Parents and Students:

• Arrive promptly at the schedule time for your class sessions.
• Whiteboard and microphone privileges are assigned at the discretion of the teacher.
• Direct messaging conversations should be limited to the content of the lesson.
• Respectful and courteous behavior toward others is always expected.
• Non-participation or stepping away without the teacher’s approval is an absence from the session.
• If there are multiple students in your home, each student needs to log into a session individually.
• Students and parents are expected to follow the etiquette previously described.
• Students are not allowed to type their full name, address, email address, or phone numbers in the chat box or share that information during live class sessions.
• Students will not be allowed to cause learning disruptions during live class sessions including: use of inappropriate language (typed or oral), posting pictures or images to the whiteboard (unless specifically requested), posting web links (urls) in the chat box or on the white board, disrespect of teachers or other students. If a student is causing a disruption that negatively impacts the learning environment or engages in behavior that is prohibited, they will be removed from the live class session and their parents will be contacted.

Please keep in mind that individual teachers may have additional guidelines/ expectations that are specific to their classrooms.

Asynchronous Engagement Expectations

All students will be held accountable to the truancy process regarding work completed, student logins, and attendance logged by Learning coaches. In addition, students must continue to maintain a high level of academic performance to continue to earn flexibility from attending live class sessions and asynchronous participation.

To remain in good standing, all students must meet or exceed expectations in the following four areas:

1. Logging into the GCA Online School (GOLS) daily.
2. Remaining on pace with coursework.
3. Taking all assessments/tests/exams within the stipulated time period.
4. Maintaining high performance as evidenced by overall average per course.

Learn more about our student programs:

• Special Education
• Advanced & Gifted
• Instructional Support Services
• English Learners
• Transitional Students