Independent Study Programs

Spring Semester begins January 8th, 2024. 

To enable our younger learners to thrive the partnership between the ILC and parents cannot be overstated. In alignment with regular school, this will run Monday through Friday of each week and conform to the school calendar. 

If you wish to apply for the ILC you must already be enrolled in BHUSD. Visit www.bhusd.org to do so. 

The elementary program covers grades TK through 5. Each student will remain in their current school as a Husky (HM), or Viking (HAW), whilst attending the ILC. 

 

The ILC for Grades TK-5 will be taught through standards-aligned resources while our expert teachers will also use familiar platforms such as Seesaw and Google Classroom to deliver instruction. 

Daily Schedule (Monday - Friday):

• To assist with the social-emotional wellbeing of our students, each morning will begin with a Morning Check-in. 
• Each day students in grades TK-2 will meet with their teachers in small groups for 15-20 minute lessons per subject.
• Each day students in grades 3-5 will meet with their teachers in small groups for 25-30 minute lessons per subject.

 

Students will be required to complete all curriculum and assessments through the resources with the support of an assigned teacher. In addition to any other meetings, office hour appointments may be set by the teacher for additional support. 

Students can access free-reduced lunch by picking up meals at their designated location.

Students can participate in any after school activities/ sports.

Special Education and English Language Learners can access this program and services.

 

By applying for this program, you must make at the minimum one semester commitment. If you are interested in applying for your student to attend the Independent Learning Center, please contact your school counselor or assistant principal for more information.

 

You must submit one application per student you are applying for each semester with supporting documentation. 

Spring Semester begins January 8th, 2024.

The partnership between the ILC and parents cannot be overstated to enable student success.  In alignment with the BHUSD school calendar, the program runs Monday through Friday.

If you wish to attend the ILC you must be enrolled in BHUSD. Visit www.bhusd.org to do so.   If you are already enrolled, please see your school counselor for more specific information on the program and qualifications.

The secondary program covers grades 6th through 12th. Each student will remain in their current school as a Norman (BHHS) or Bulldog (BVMS) while attending the ILC.

 

The ILC for Grades 6-12 uses the platform APEX Learning. Students are required to complete all curriculum and assessments through APEX. Students will average roughly 5 hours of independent work daily.

 

The ILC teacher will meet with the student individually each week for 1 hour to help mentor, tutor, and stay organized. This meeting is when work will be due for the week and any grading or assessment questions can be addressed. The ILC teacher, student and family will agree to that weekly meeting day and time. 

 

In addition, students can attend Multiple Student Tutoring (MST) sessions virtually or in-person for 2 hours weekly per subject (Math, English, Social Studies, Science, and World Language) for extra help.

Independent study (California Education Code [EC] sections 51745–51749.3) is provided as an alternative instructional strategy, not an alternative curriculum. Independent study students work independently, according to a written agreement and under the general supervision of a credentialed teacher or teachers. While independent study students follow the district-adopted curriculum and meet the district graduation requirements, independent study offers flexibility to meet individual student needs, interests, and styles of learning.

Required

Each student will have a mandatory 1 hour, in-person, weekly individual meeting with their assigned Independent Study (IS) teacher to go over coursework, mentor, tutor and keep organized. This schedule will be set up by the IS teacher in collaboration with the student and parent.

Days required in-person on campus:

• PSAT/SAT testing
• Benchmark and State testing
• College/Career Days

All students in the IS program will have access to:

• Standards aligned content in IS that is substantially equivalent to the quality and intellectual challenge of in-person instruction.
• High school students will have access to all courses offered by the LEA for graduation and approved by the University of California or the California State University as creditable under the A–G admissions criteria.

If I enroll in the ILC, can I transfer back to traditional school?

 Students cannot transfer to and from the ILC.  A one semester minimum commitment is required. Each semester a new contract must be signed and consultation be held. 

My child is eligible for free and reduced lunch. Can they still receive a meal daily?

All students in the ILC will still have access to the free and reduced lunch program. Families will need to pick-up their lunch at a designated location.

Is this NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) and UC (University of California) Approved?

Yes, the ILC is both NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) and UC (University of California) approved. 

 

Can my student return to traditional school mid-year?

No, students may return to their physical school during winter break and summer break. 

 

Who assigns the grades?

BHUSD teachers assign marks for completed work using the BHUSD report card. 

 

What is the parent’s role at BHUSD?

Unlike homeschooling, parents are not teachers at BHUSD but they do have an important role in their student’s education. Parents should help their students create a quiet space for work as well as protecting time to complete their work.  We recommend 5 hours of work daily.  Parents are learning partners and help ensure students are on task and keeping up with their daily work. This assistance with time management is especially important for younger students. Most students require less parental support as they get older.

What if my student needs additional support?

There are MST sessions offered in English, Math, Science, Social Studies, and World Languages for Middle and High School students.
 

Can students participate in any extracurricular / after school activities / sports

 Yes

Some of the subjects from our existing schedule are not offered, what do we do?

Your counselor will reach out to you to find alternative classes.

If my child is supposed to take an honors class and APEX doesn’t offer honors for one subject, what should we do?

Your child will take the standard (non-honors), they will be placed back into the honors program in the next semester.

If your student needs any support for social-emotional learning or mental health, the student can still access all of the resources and counseling provided by NormanAid or BulldogAid centers.