Bulloch Schools Virtual Program Application Opens Online April 13

Bulloch County Schools has announced that the online application will open for its Virtual Learning Program for the 2021-2022 school year on Tuesday, April 13, at 5:30 p.m., on the school district’s website.

To be included in the lottery drawing for available slots, online applications must be received by 11:59 p.m., on Wednesday, May 5.  A process is in place to consider prioritizing applications for hardship situations and for children of our virtual learning program employees.

Who is eligible to apply?

The Virtual Learning Program will be for students in grades Kindergarten through Twelfth-grade. The Pre-Kindergarten program is administered by the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.  Bulloch County Schools does not intend to provide a virtual option for Pre-Kindergarten for the 2021-2022 school year.

To be eligible to apply, parents must attend one of four available pre-application overview sessions. Attendance at a session is required and will be verified. Upon successful participation at an overview session, parents will be sent a unique identification code that must be entered on the online application in order to successfully apply. This is to ensure that all interested parents receive important orientation information and are fully aware of the structure and requirements of the program before submitting an application. Students are not required to attend this overview.

Parents who submitted an interest survey earlier this year must still apply for the Virtual Program. High school students intending to be fully enrolled in dual enrollment classes (no classes taken at high school) should not submit a virtual program application.

Choose to attend one of these required overview sessions

• Pre-Application Orientation Option 1

Location: Southeast Bulloch Middle School Gymnasium

Date: Tuesday, April 13, 2021

Time: 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

• Pre-Application Orientation Option 2

Location: Online via Zoom

Date: Wednesday, April 14, 2021

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

• Pre-Application Orientation Option 3

Location: Online via Zoom

Date: Thursday, April 15, 2021

Time: 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

• Pre-Application Orientation Option 4

Location: Statesboro High School Auditorium

Date: Saturday, April 17, 2021

Time: 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Lottery Drawing for the Virtual Learning Program

In the event that more applications are received than spaces available in the program, lottery drawings will be conducted via a live stream event on Friday, May 7. Those not selected for the Virtual Learning Program will be placed on the waiting list in the order drawn.

Virtual Program Open House and Orientation

All students who are selected for placement in the 2021-2022 Bulloch County Schools Virtual Program and their parents will also be required to participate in a 2021-2022 Virtual Program Open House and Orientation. Dates and location for the open house and orientation will be announced this summer.

During this orientation, the parents and students will meet their teachers, participate in break-out sessions where they will receive grade level-specific expectations, receive instruction on the digital platforms used, and get help setting up Campus Student and Campus Parent accounts. In addition, technology staff will be available to check out technology devices (Chromebooks) to families.

Is Virtual Learning the best option?

The Virtual Program is not an appropriate instructional model for all students.  Parents should carefully read the school district’s Virtual Learning Program Handbook for Parents and Students and consider whether the Virtual Program is an appropriate environment for their child. If your student was not successful in the virtual program in 2020-2021, the district strongly discourages you from applying for the 2021-2022 virtual program.

Placement will be for the full school year

Parents of students enrolling in the Virtual Program will be required to commit to their choice for the full academic year, which for 2021-2022, is Monday, August 2 through Wednesday, May 25.  This is critical to avoid staffing moves throughout the school year, which cause disruptions for both traditional (face-to-face) and virtual learners.

Lottery drawings are May 7

In the event that more applications are received than spaces available in the program, lottery drawings will be conducted via a live stream event on Friday, May 7, 2021.  Those not selected for the Virtual Program will be placed on the waiting list in the order drawn.