Summer’s Over: Are You Ready to Return to Online High School?

The long, lazy days of summer are over and it's time to get back to online high school. Returning to school requires a total change of mindset. You'll know you're ready when you can answer the following questions:

1. Where will you do schoolwork?

Your school year will be much more successful if you have a place set aside to do your schoolwork. It doesn't have to be a desk. For example, it can be the kitchen table, living room coffee table, or even a spot in your bedroom—as long as it is somewhere where you can work comfortably.

2. How will you keep track of due dates?

Scheduling your assignment due dates will keep you on track. Hang a calendar and write down your assignments on the appropriate days. Review the calendar at the beginning of each week, and mark tasks off as you complete them. You can even use the calendar on your computer or smartphone with alerts to make sure you are staying on track.

3. What will you do if you don't understand an assignment?

There will be times that you don't understand an assignment. Be prepared to ask for help. If you don't speak up, you can fall behind quickly. James Madison High School is known for having great academic support. Our teachers are accessible via email and through the Ask a Teacher forum in each course. There are also academic advisors who offer one-on-one support Monday through Friday from *:30AM to 8:30 PM.

4. How will you stay on task?

For most online high school students, summer is a more laid back time than the rest of the year. As you prepare to head back to classes, it's important to get back into a routine. Set a schedule for your day and stick to it. This includes getting to bed on time, no more long summer nights binge watching Netflix!

5. Do you need to improve your study skills?

Back-to-school time is ideal for brushing up on your study skills. There are specific strategies that can help you retain information depending on the type of learner you are.

Visual learners are more successful when they associate concepts with images and techniques.

• Take notes in different colors for different concepts
• Check out the pictures before reading your textbooks
• Memorize facts using flashcards

Kinesthetic learners benefit from carrying out physical or hands-on activities rather than listening to lectures.

• Follow the words with your finger when reading.
• Underline, circle, and highlight concepts in bright colors.
• After reading a passage, rewrite key facts in your own words.

Auditory learners remember information when they hear it and repeat it.

• Take written notes and then read them into a recorder so you can play them back.
• Explain new concepts to a family member.
• Use rhymes and acronyms to recall facts.

It may take a little time, but in a few weeks you will be back into the swing of things as an online high school student. Stay on track and you will have a great year.