When sixth-grader Jaden Weisenberger finishes his homework, he puts it in his teacher's tray for completed assignments, just like many other students.
The only difference is that Jaden's teacher is his mother, and her tray is in her bedroom.
Jaden is a student of the Wyoming Virtual School, a home-school program based in Gillette. The school enrolled 18 students last year, and now has 40 students in kindergarten through sixth grade.
The state did not fund the school in its first year, citing a lack of rules and policies for governing virtual schools. The state's only other virtual school, the Wyoming E-academy of Virtual Learning in Fort Washakie, is governed as a charter school.
Campbell County's school board has provided two years of funding for the virtual school, which is only open to Campbell County residents.
School Principal Roger Larsen said the Legislature last year recommended creating a task force to look at rules and regulations needed to govern distance education. The group developed recommendations for such rules, which will be submitted to the Joint Education Interim Committee at its December meeting.
Many people have the perception that a virtual school is children sitting in front of computer screens all day, Larsen said. Textbooks, workbooks and other educational materials are given to parents when they enroll their children in the school. Field trips and other outings are planned to give virtual students a chance to socialize.
Students probably spend 15 percent of their time actually on computers, Larsen said.
"It's greatly based on parents working with their child all day," he said.
Connie Weisenberger, Jaden's mother, said the school is a good fit for the family's busy travel schedule. Jaden races dirt bikes at national competitions, and being absent from public school meant mountains of make-up work.
Jaden usually starts his day with math, his toughest subject. After math, he might create clay art projects, write poems for literature or even take a bike ride to the corner store to pick up an energy drink for his mom.
Jaden said he likes the program because he can take those little breaks between assignments. He also likes that his classroom is his bedroom.
"I can stay in my room," he said. "I'm not with all the people that try to annoy me when I'm trying to do my work."
The school's curriculum is pretty challenging, Weisenberger said. Students have to test out of a subject before they advance and can take harder courses when one is too easy. They can also work much further ahead in a subject, whenever the mood strikes.
Jaden has already zoomed ahead in his spelling homework for the year, leaving him more time to work on math and other core subjects.
"There may be a time when he does want to go to school," Weisenberger said, and she wants him on track with the rest of his classmates.
"I feel this is probably the best thing I've ever done," she said. "It sure has worked for us, and for other parents in Gillette."
Reach Jasa Santos at (307) 266-0593 or at Jasa.Santos@trib.com.Casper Star Tribune
