Distance Learning K-12 School Launches Virtual Community

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 03/18/09
##AUTHORSPLIT##<--->

Laurel Springs School, an accredited private school offering K-12 distance learning, has launched a virtual community for its students and parents using Community Server from Telligent. MyLaurelSprings.com will provide an online community for those who learn from home in locations around the world. The site will enable students to communicate with fellow students, make friends, join school clubs, and create study groups. Parents will be able to interact with other parents.

"We are thrilled with the immediate response from our high school students to our new virtual community," said Marilyn Mosley Gordanier, founder and executive director. "We plan to roll it out to the middle schoolers in the coming months." Gordanier said socialization has been a challenge for the students since they take classes from home and reside in 40 countries.

MyLaurelSprings.com provides a secure, password protected community for students. Using the same technology as the MySpace forums, Telligent Community Server provides students the ability to add friends, create an avatar, join clubs, participate in discussion forums, and upload videos.

Based in Ojai, the school currently has 3,000 students, with 2,000 enrolled in an online college prep high school program.

Community Server Professional Edition includes widgets, messaging and social streams, groups, wikis, support for rich media and video, reporting and analysis features, single sign-on for authentication, and search.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Indianapolis Public Schools Adopt DreamBox Math

    Thanks to a new partnership with Discovery Education, all Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) K–8 students and teachers will gain access to DreamBox Math, which blends curriculum and continuous formative assessments that adapt to student needs to boost achievement.

  • The First Steps of Establishing Your Cloud Security Strategy

    In this guide, we'll identify some first steps you can take to establish your cloud security strategy. We'll do so by discussing the cloud security impact of individual, concrete actions featured within the CIS Critical Security Controls® (CIS Controls®) and the CIS Benchmarks™.

  • Google Brings Gemini AI to Teens in the Classroom

    Google is making its Gemini large language model available for free for students ages 13 and up in the United States (age minimums vary by country), via Google Workspace for Education accounts.

  • A top-down view of a person walking through a maze with walls made of glowing blue Wi-Fi symbols on dark pathways

    Navigating New E-Rate Rules for WiFi Hotspots

    Beginning in funding year 2025, WiFi hotspots will be eligible for E-rate Category One discounts. Here's what you need to know about your school's eligibility, funding caps, tracking requirements, and more.