Frequently Asked Questions

About Laurel Springs

Enrollment with Laurel Springs

About Our Curriculum and Courses

About Our Teachers

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About Laurel Springs

What is the difference between homeschooling and distance Learning?

How long has Laurel Springs been around?

Are you accredited?

Where are you located?

How many students do you have currently enrolled?

What percentage of LSS graduating students go on to college?

What colleges and universities?

Do you offer college counseling services?

How do you work with children who have special needs or are highly gifted?

Is there anyone I can call who can give us a reference for your school?

Do I have to know everything to oversee distance learning?

What is the difference between homeschooling and distance learning?

Homeschooling: Homeschooling does not provide transcripts, records, accreditation, or support and must follow state guidelines.

Laurel Springs Distance Learning: Most often our students' place of study will be in their home. Our program offers the flexibility to design your personal study program and location to suit your lifestyle and personal preference. LSS provides accreditation, all records, transcripts, diplomas and support. Course material is aligned to state standards and every student receives a one-on-one teacher.

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How long has Laurel Springs been around?

Since 1991.

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Are you accredited?

Yes, with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Many of our courses are approved by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the University of California. We can fax a copy of our Certification of Accreditation, please call (800) 377-5890.

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Where are you located?

Our administrative offices are located in beautiful Ojai, California. Our students, teachers and some of our staff, however, are located all over the United States and even internationally. We consider Laurel Springs School to be a global community!

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How many students do you have currently enrolled?

Approximately 2,400 students and growing. An additional 7,000 public school students use our online curriculum in a classroom setting.

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What percentage of LSS graduating students go on to college?

44% of our students choose a 4-year college or university and 30% choose community colleges. Many of our students are in the entertainment industry or sports industry so they may pursue those interests first upon graduation.

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What colleges and universities?

Colleges and universities that have accepted Laurel Springs graduates include:

Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo; California State University-Humboldt; California State University-Northridge; Columbia University; Duke University; Fresno State University; Harvard University; Hofstra University; Ithaca College; Loyola Marymount University; New York University; Pace University; Pepperdine University; Pitzer College; Portland State University; Princeton University; Reed College; Rhodes College; Richmond-The American International University in London; San Diego State University; San Francisco State University; Sarah Lawrence College; Scripps College; Skidmore College; Smith College; Southeastern University; Temple University; Texas A&M University; Tulane University; University of Alabama; University of Arizona; University of Bremen; University of California-Berkeley; University of California-Davis; University of California-Irvine; University of California-Los Angeles; University of California-San Francisco; University of California-Santa Barbara; University of California-Santa Cruz; University of Colorado-Boulder; University of Hawaii-Manoa; University of Massachusetts-Amherst; University of Nevada-Las Vegas; University of New Orleans; University of North Florida; University of San Diego; University of Southern California; University of Virginia; Virginia Commonwealth University; Western Washington University; William & Mary University; Xavier University; Yale University; The Maritime Academy; The American College of Dramatic Arts; American University of Paris.

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Do you offer college counseling services?

Yes, college counseling services are available to support both parents and students with questions and concerns that arise throughout the student's career planning and/or college preparation and application journey. Our College Prep Program with MyEdge and Premier College Prep Program with CollegeKey provide a guiding framework for each student's academic and life pursuits. Seniors also receive the support of a core teacher.

College Prep Program with MyEdge—Tools for the college and career planning process

MyEdge, powered by Peterson's StudentEdge, is a highly personalized online resource center where students find everything they need to orient themselves for life after high school, both academically and professionally. The self-directed program includes test preparation programs as well as advanced search tools for colleges, financial aid and scholarships sources. It also provides an extensive career assessment section. Students and parents become active partners in the process with easy-to-use personal profiling tools.

Premier College Prep Program with CollegeKey—Your own college prep source

Laurel Springs is invested in the academic success of all students wishing to attend the college that best matches their academic, athletic and other unique talents. With CollegeKey, students from 9th to 12th grade work closely with a personal mentor who guides them through the entire college preparation and admission process. One-to-one coaching with weekly meetings helps students develop their personal, academic and professional goals as they mature through the high school years. This collaboration ensures that, in addition to excellent academic preparation, Laurel Springs students receive the best coaching and mentoring for college selection and application and the best chance at acceptance to the colleges of their choice.

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How do you work with children who have special needs or are highly gifted?

Families work with our Learning Success Coach and family support counselor. Each is trained to create learning plans designed around specific learning styles. We want the material to match your child, rather than forcing your child to match the material. If families wish to proceed with a customized curriculum, there will be an additional fee.

If a student is highly gifted, you would work with our customization specialist. As advanced high school students may take Honors courses, the focus of the customization specialist is middle school and elementary students. He will recommend breadth and depth to the assigned teacher and advise him on content and strategies. If families wish to proceed with a customized curriculum, there will be an additional fee.

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Is there anyone I can call who can give us a reference for your school?

We have an exceptional list of references and testimonials. Contact one of our Enrollment Advisors for this information at (800) 377-5890.

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Do I have to know everything to oversee distance learning?

Laurel Springs' curriculum is designed to be easy to use for parents who are teaching their children, and can be a learning experience for the entire family. It is also designed to be more and more self-taught as your child progresses into high school.

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Enrollment with Laurel Springs

How do I enroll?

How long will it take before I hear from an Enrollment Advisor once the online application is submitted?

How much does it cost?

Are there any other additional fees?

What does a Core Teacher do for seniors?

Does LSS have a payment plan?

Does LSS offer financial aid?

What happens after the enrollment process is over?

When will I be able to start if I enroll today?

What is the difference between Standard Enrollment and Curriculum Only?

I have been homeschooling. What grade level will I enter into?

Do I need to be with my child all day while he is doing schoolwork?

We have taken the Learning Style Profile do you have a more in-depth interpretation?

Where can I find outside tutors to help with difficult subjects?

Is a distance learning education legal?

Will I get credit in our home state?

I live in another country. Can I come to your school even though I'm not a U.S. citizen?

Can I enroll in the middle of the school year? Will my work be lost? Do I have to do it all over again or can I transfer the credits to your school?

Does having a high school diploma from LSS limit my chances for attending a university?

Can I be enrolled in a regular school and LSS at the same time?

Can I enroll concurrently with LSS and only enroll for PE?

How many courses must I enroll in to be considered a full-time student at LSS?

What are the requirements to graduate from Laurel Springs School?

How many hours of schoolwork do I have to do?

How long are enrollment periods for semester and full-year courses?

What if the courses have not been completed by the end of the enrollment period? What are the options?

When do I need an extension, how much are they and how long?

When would I have to re-enroll in a course instead of getting an extension?

What is Your Attendance Policy?

Can I work at my own slower pace or accelerate and move on to the next grade?

If I complete my course ahead of schedule and I did not pay in full, do I have to keep paying monthly?

Can I try LSS and quit if I don't like it?

What is your withdrawal and drop policy?

If I decide to go back to the public school system, will I be accepted? Will my credits transfer?

If I drop a course, will it show up on my transcript?

What is a leave of absence?

Where can I easily email staff and receive the latest information about prom, graduation or other LSS services?

How do I enroll?

You can begin the enrollment process by accessing our online enrollment application or click the "Get Started! Enroll Online" button in the left-hand navigation. An Enrollment Advisor will call you after receiving the online enrollment. If you are uncomfortable enrolling online, a phone appointment can be arranged with one of our Enrollment Advisors by calling (800) 377-5890 and they will process the enrollment over the phone. We also have a contact sheet in the Laurel Springs Brochure and Course Catalog with simple questions to fill out which then can be faxed to (805) 646-0186.

High-Schoolers: An Enrollment Advisor will need past transcripts to make an academic plan for the student's graduation goals and requirements. You may fax unofficial transcripts to (805) 646-0186. Remember to write attn: and your Enrollment Advisor's name or Enrollment Department if you have not yet been assigned a personal Enrollment Advisor.

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How long will it take before I hear from an Enrollment Advisor once the online application is submitted?

Within 24-48 hours after the application is submitted.

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How much does it cost?

Our fee includes enrollment, materials (excluding lab kits for high school science), caring teachers, Learning Styles Profile, Skills Surveys and Standarized Testing (grades 1-11.) Save 10% on pricing for each additional child fully enrolled in Laurel Springs.

Elementary and Junior High

Grade K-3 $1,900 full year/$1,500 semester
Grade 4-6 $2,200 full year/$1,700 semester
Grade 7-8 $2,500 full year/$1,900 semester

High School

Note: High school fees are charged per course as course selection is customized for each student depending on academic goals.

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Are there any other additional fees?

• One-time $100 admissions fee per student in grades 7-12
• High School students select College Prep Program with MyEdge—$600 or Premier College Prep Program with CollegeKey—$2,000
• Matriculation fee for seniors—$300 w/Core Teacher
• Shipping charges and applicable taxes for books and other materials are not included in our pricing.
• Monthly processing fee if a payment plan is chosen
• Additional fees apply to our optional services, such as Course Customization, Placement Skills Surveys and Learning Style consultations. Please check with your Enrollment Advisor for these optional services and fees.

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What does a Core Teacher do for seniors?

During the senior year, high school students have a lot on their minds. From college applications to SAT to prom night and graduation, they're excited and overwhelmed. At Laurel Springs School we offer each high school senior the extra support of a Core Teacher to serve as a mentor and guide.

The Core Teacher will:

• Work in conjunction with the College Advisor to advise and guide.
• Encourage, nurture, focus and calm the student when needed.
• Assist in preparation of the college application essay.
• Write college recommendation letters (up to five).
• Speak for the student at graduation.
• Maintain monthly contact with student through senior year.
• Maintain contact with senior's other teachers to ensure that the student is on track for graduation.

Also review our student's career planning and/or college preparation programs.

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Does LSS have a payment plan?

Laurel Springs families may pay in full at time of enrollment, or take advantage of our payment program of 40% down and monthly payments over 10 months for full-year courses, or 5 months for one-semester courses, plus $10/month processing fee. We accept major credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express.

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Does LSS offer financial aid?

Financial aid is possible thru our Scholarship Foundation. Student and parent must complete an application and return it to LSS for review. Please contact the Enrollment Department for additional information.

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What happens after the enrollment process is over?

Parents receive a welcome letter and teacher assignment via email and a user name and password. Students receive a user name and password via email giving the student access to Skills Surveys, Learning Style Profile, Capstone tests and online courses if chosen. Students taking text-based courses can start working on lessons after receiving text-based materials. All students should complete Skills Surveys and Learning Style Profile online first.

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When will I be able to start if I enroll today?

If a student is working online she may begin courses within 5-7 business days. If a student has ordered textbooks, please allow 7-10 business days for the books to arrive. If the student desires to begin the same day, we provide starter assignments on our web site and in the Distance Learning Guide for Parents received in the LSS Welcome Packet. Students receive credit from their teacher if they do these lessons.

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What is the difference between Standard Enrollment and Curriculum Only?

Curriculum Only (available for grades K-6) means the student will receive materials for the course but it does not include enrollment or teacher services in the Laurel Springs School.

Standard Enrollment includes enrollment in the school and all it has to offer, such as teacher services, College Advisor, your personal Enrollment Advisor, Customer Service, record keeping, transcripts and more.

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I have been homeschooling. What grade level will I enter into?

If the family chooses, the student can receive an array of pre-enrollment skill assessments in English and math, a Learning Style Profile and a phone consultation with a Learning-Success Coach. There is a $150 placement fee for this service.

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Do I need to be with my child all day while he is doing schoolwork?

Distance learning (independent study) is a partnership between parents, students, your teacher(s) and Laurel Springs School. This combination makes up a working, learning team. A parent or guardian's committed participation is essential to making a child's experience a success. The parent or guardian is responsible for setting up and monitoring a viable schedule, verifying that course work is being submitted in a satisfactory manner (including correcting a child's math assignments), monitoring student progress and facilitating a relationship with the teacher. Parental involvement equals success! To learn more about the Learning Team please read What is the Learning Team?

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We have taken the Learning Style Profile do you have a more in-depth interpretation?

Yes, ask your Enrollment Advisor about purchasing and scheduling a Learning Style Profile Interpretation with one of our Learning Success Coaches. You will learn tips and methods for how to implement and personalize your child's education at Laurel Springs School. The interpretation will help you to make informed choices for supplementing your curriculum throughout the school year. It will give you invaluable information to bring out the best in your child. If you want more clarity and confidence about how to handle daily scheduling, organization, best teaching methods and potential conflicts and challenges, you will want to take advantage of this service.

Where can I find outside tutors to help with difficult subjects?

We recommend the Professional Tutors of America at (800) TEACH-US, which is a California-based program providing tutors in 50 states. Once contacted, they will locate a tutor within 15 minutes of your home. The tutor will contact you within 48 hours after you have called Professional Tutors of America.

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Is a distance learning education legal?

Since the early 1990s, many state courts have supported the right of parents to teach their children at home and have provided some legal means for distance education. At Laurel Springs we will be happy to provide you or your school district with an LSS Information Packet upon request. We encourage you to visit the Home School Legal Defense Association website at www.hslda.org to research your state's laws and regulations.

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Will I get credit in our home state?

Students must contact their local school to see if they will recognize an LSS transcript. Our national accreditation means most will.

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I live in another country. Can I come to your school even though I'm not a U.S. citizen?

We have students of all ages living abroad and currently attending Laurel Springs School. In addition, many international students have successfully graduated from Laurel Springs and have been able to go on to the college or university of their choice in the United States. Please feel free to contact one of our Enrollment Advisors, who will help you with such issues as placement tests and transcripts, transferring credits to Laurel Springs and meeting high school graduation requirements. Please note that as a distance learning program Laurel Springs does not have a physical campus and thus does not issue student visas for study in the United States. It is important that the student can read, write and speak English to take our courses.

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Can I enroll in the middle of the school year? Will my work be lost? Do I have to do it all over again or can I transfer the credits to your school?

If a student has received full semester credit at his current public or private school, he may transfer in and complete the second semester at Laurel Springs School. Students who have not completed the entire semester can enter at the second quarter and complete work for three quarters. If a student is somewhere in between, special arrangements can be made with the Enrollment Advisor as well as the assigned LSS teacher to show proof of work for those units already completed.

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Does having a high school diploma from LSS limit my chances for attending a university?

National accreditation ensures this will not happen.

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Can I be enrolled in a regular school and LSS at the same time?

Yes, with permission from the student's current school. We call this a concurrent enrollment. Contact the LSS Enrollment Department for full details.

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Can I enroll concurrently with LSS and only enroll for PE?

The student needs to enroll in at least one core course with LSS to enroll in PE.

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How many courses must I enroll in to be considered a full-time student at LSS?

Full-time students must carry at least 40 credits per year, with 30 of those in core courses. Semester students must carry at least 20 credits per semester, with 15 of those in core courses. The remaining credits may be earned in electives.

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What are the requirements to graduate from Laurel Springs School?

Core Course Requirements

• Students must complete all required courses in their chosen course of study in order to remain eligible for graduation.
• Students must enroll in all courses prior to registering for graduation.
• All courses must be complete prior to December 31 of the graduating year.

Credit Requirements

Full Year - minimum of 40 credits taken at Laurel Springs

• 30 credits of core courses
• 10 credits of electives

Semester - minimum of 20 credits taken at Laurel Springs

• 15 credits of core courses
• 5 credits of electives

Prior to Enrollment

• All official transcripts must be received from each prior high school attended.
• Academic plan must be completed and approved by a Senior Academic Advisor or College Advisor.
• All courses must be complete prior to December 31 of the graduating year.

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How many hours of schoolwork do I have to do?

We offer, as a guide, that our high school students will spend approximately 20 working study hours per week to stay on track with their course requirements. This will vary according to the number of courses, student ability and personal circumstances.

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How long are enrollment periods for semester and full-year courses?

A full-time student (full-year courses) is enrolled for 10-months; courses are designed to be completed within that time. Your teachers will provide teacher services during the 10-month period from the date of enrollment. At the end of 10-months, students may arrange a 1-month grace period with their teachers if needed to complete unfinished work.

For one-semester enrollments, the enrollment period is for 5 months with the possibility of a 2-week grace period, if needed.

If sufficient progress has not been made, parents may arrange for an extension. In some extreme cases, a full re-enrollment may be necessary.

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What if the courses have not been completed by the end of the enrollment period? What are the options?

A student may purchase extensions or re-enroll.

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When do I need an extension, how much are they and how long?

A full-time student (full-year courses) requires an extension if less than 12 lessons per course have been completed at the end of the 10-month enrollment period.

For one-semester enrollments a student requires an extension if less than seven lessons per course have been completed at the end of the five-month enrollment period.

Payment in full is required for all extensions. In some extreme cases, a full re-enrollment may be necessary. Parents need to call the school to request an extension if their child has not completed course work before the enrollment period is over. Students are only allowed one extension per course so they will need to re-enroll if courses are not completed within the extension period.

Pricing:

High School courses:

• Extensions for full-year courses are $190 each and the student has 4 additional months with limited teacher services to complete the course.
• Extensions for semester courses are $100 and the student has 2 additional months with limited teacher services to complete the course.

K-8 courses:

• Extensions for full-year courses are $47.50 per course or $190 for four core courses and the student has 4 additional months with limited teacher services to complete the course.
• Extensions for semester courses are $25.00 per course or $100 for four core courses and the student has 4 additional months with limited teacher services to complete the course.

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When would I have to re-enroll in a course instead of getting an extension?

If a student has 12 or more incomplete lessons (per full-year course) once the 10-month enrollment has expired she will need to pay the re-enrollment and tuition fee for the semester that needs to be completed.

For a semester course if the student has six or more incomplete lessons (per course) once the 5-month enrollment has expired he will need to pay the re-enrollment and tuition fee for the semester that needs to be completed.

Grace periods are not granted for either re-enrollment.

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What is Your Attendance Policy?

All students must make reasonable progress in their coursework. While students may make special arrangements with their teacher, students who have made no progress in a course for 60 days without prior arrangement may be withdrawn from that course by Laurel Springs School. Withdrawal from a course may be appealed in writing to the Director of Education.

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Can I work at my own slower pace or accelerate and move on to the next grade?

We encourage all of our students to work at whatever pace is comfortable for them within the enrollment period. On average, a student must spend 4 hours per course per week. LSS is a mastery-based program; the minimum time allowed for completion of a 36-week core course is 10 weeks (or 5 weeks for a single semester course). A parent can plan a full academic schedule based on this information to ensure the student completes the course work within the enrollment period.

Some students prefer a block schedule, completing one course at a time or prefer to work at an accelerated pace. In order to accommodate these styles of learning all tuition must be paid in advance. This arrangement can be made with your Enrollment Advisor.

If a student has completed all of the required course work in her grade level, you may re-enroll into the next grade level without waiting for the enrollment period to expire. A new enrollment period will begin as soon as the re-enrollment has been completed with your Enrollment Advisor.

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If I complete my course ahead of schedule and I did not pay in full, do I have to keep paying monthly?

Yes, the cost of the payment program remains the same. Payments must be completed (paid in full) before re-enrolling or releasing grades for completed courses.

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Can I try LSS and quit if I don't like it?

Yes, but there is a withdrawal policy.

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What is your withdrawal and drop policy?

Please review our withdrawal policy. It depends on when the student withdraws.

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If I decide to go back to the public school system, will I be accepted? Will my credits transfer?

Yes, they will. Laurel Springs is a legally accredited private school. Our registrar will send official transcripts and evaluations to the student's new school.

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If I drop a course, will it show up on my transcript?

If the course is dropped before the enrollment end date it will not show up on the student's transcript.

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What is a leave of absence?

An LOA (Leave of Absence) places a student's enrollment on hold for up to 3-months. The parent needs to contact the school at (800) 377-5890 and ask Customer Service to assist in facilitating a Leave of Absence. An LOA should only be used for serious medical or personal emergencies. During this time, no lessons are to be sent to teachers. For families on our payment plan, no monthly payments will be charged. Laurel Springs automatically reinstates and billing resumes unless otherwise notified by the parent after the 3-month LOA is up. The time a student is on an LOA will be added to the end of her enrollment. A second LOA is available for extreme situations. If a third LOA is requested, alternative plans need to be discussed. If a student would like to reinstate earlier than 3-months please call Customer Service to reinstate the student's enrollment status.

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Where can I easily email staff and receive the latest information about prom, graduation or other LSS services?

Laurel Springs, online Family Center is designed for just that. At the Family Center learning resources and information on school services are available. You have many options to communicate with our staff aand to view our wonderful community of students at our Elementary/Junior High Student Gallery or High School Student Gallery. School calendar, ID cards, college information, parent orientation, prom and graduation dates (to name a few) and LSS forms and documents are available for download.

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About Our Curriculum and Courses

What is the difference between Online and Text-based?

Where can I view a demonstration of your online high school courses?

What is your Project-based curriculum?

What is the difference between Personalizing and Customizing a course?

What is your refund policy?

Can I mix online and text-based courses or do I have to choose one way only?

How often should I submit lessons?

Do you supply books or CD-ROMs with your online courses?

How many lessons should I complete in a week?

How often should I submit lessons?

What happens if I don't submit work in a timely manner?

Where can I see my grades or teacher comments?

Do you offer Honors courses?

Is Laurel Springs part of the National Honor Society?

Are there qualifications that must be met in order to take Honors courses?

How do Honors classes affect a GPA?

Do you offer advanced placement (AP) courses?

If I remediate a course, will both grades show up on my transcript?

Where do I send completed portfolios (elective, PE or cooking)?

Can I get credit for outside activities and life experiences?

What can I do for an LSS Elective Portfolio?

What are the hour requirements for an elective portfolio?

If I use the elective portfolio for work experience, how many hours are required?

What are the hour requirements for physical education (PE) portfolios?

What are Milestones and do I need to take them?

What are Capstone Tests and do I need to take them?

What is the difference between Online and Text-based?

Online: We offer over 80 online courses to students worldwide. Students work is online through our Aurora Learning System. A student views and works on lessons in our password-protected Student Center. They become global citizens as they learn from the best libraries, museums and information archives in the world. The result is a multidimensional, interactive learning program that brings education alive through brilliant graphics, stereo sound and the latest technologies. The student submits lessons online to the teacher and the teacher returns graded lessons online. Communication happens via email between teacher and student or by phone. Read More.

Text-based: Using state-approved texts correlated to state standards, text-based curriculum provides the traditional structure and resources of a textbook, similar to the textbooks a student would be using in a traditional classroom setting. Our comprehensive textbooks are carefully chosen, based on the quality of their academic content, their visual appeal and their suitability for a wide range of learning styles. Students' work is submitted to their teacher by mail or fax. Communication happens via email, phone, fax and by mail. Read More.

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Where can I view a demonstration of your online high school courses?

You can view our online program on the Laurel Springs website.

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What is your Project-based curriculum?

Project-based: Project-based curriculum is a literature/history-based program. Students read eight novels a year that correspond with the required history standards. Each novel comes with a selection of "pre-reading," "while reading" and "after reading" programs ideal for a hands-on and creative learner. Science and social studies projects are designed to encourage independent learning, development of presentation skills, and to expose students to new material. The included Curriculum Manual provides specific instructions on all subjects. A weekly schedule for the entire academic year saves parents and tutors time in planning and scheduling. Students have the opportunity to incorporate cooking, acting, art and science into their daily activities. This program also comes with additional spelling, grammar, health, math, science and physical education activities. Students' work is submitted to their teacher by mail or fax. Communication happens via email, phone, fax and by mail. Read More.

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What is the difference between Personalizing and Customizing a course?

An important part of Laurel Springs for every student is to personalize the educational experience. Our teachers may personalize lessons or customize courses to suit the dynamics of the student.

Personalizing a course lesson:
Personalizing a lesson usually happens within a lesson; customization takes on altering the whole course. One-to-one teaching enables our teachers to modify the pace or focus of the lesson to serve the child as the need arises. Learning objectives and standards for the course are still reached through assessment. Student interests, strengths, challenges, long-term goals or learning style lessons. Options may be to personalize the activity, adjust content to accommodate student interest, adjust evidences of learning or personalize the enrichment of a lesson. (As much as one-quarter of the lesson may be personalized.) No extra fees apply to personalizing a course lesson.

Customization of a course:
Fully customizing a course involves a more extensive alteration to a course. Learning objectives and standards are still met but a course can be significantly altered to accommodate a student's needs. An extra fee is charged for customizing a course. Laurel Springs has two levels of customization; speak with your Enrollment Advisor regarding fees.

Level 1: Customization occurs when more than one-quarter of a Laurel Springs course is altered to meet the needs of the student or when an alternate curricular source is used. It includes an initial one-hour phone consultation with a Learning Success Coach, who will provide a Learning Style Profile interpretation and create an academic learning plan with recommended materials.

Level 2: Customization occurs when extensive original curriculum creation is required. It includes two to three hours of phone consultations with a Learning Success Coach during which you will receive a Learning Style Profile interpretation and the creation of a comprehensive academic learning plan with recommended materials.

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What is your refund policy?

If you are not fully satisfied with a book or syllabus, you can contact your original Enrollment Advisor within the first 30 days and she would be happy to make a change in your curriculum. Return shipping is at your expense. All shipping fees are nonrefundable. Please review our complete refund policy at www.laurelsprings.com/refund_policy.asp.

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Can I mix online and text-based courses or do I have to choose one way only?

We understand most students enjoy working online but also take pleasure in reading a text. This is why most of our courses are available both online and text-based so that students can do both. You can mix and match your curriculum needs.

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How often should I submit lessons?

Online: Submit lessons via Aurora Learning upon completion at least once a week.

Text: Submit lessons every two weeks. Include a pre-paid stamped envelope addressed to your teacher. Remember to photocopy your lessons before sending in the mail.

Communicating with your LSS teacher is the key to success! Stay in touch with your teacher even if you have not completed your work.

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Do you supply books or CD-ROMs with your online courses?

Everything is completed online with the exception of our language courses and SAT Prep course. (Our shipping department will send workbooks and CDs for the language courses to follow the weekly online lessons.) Our online courses are organized through an interactive, easy-to-use website called Aurora Learning. The Aurora curriculum utilizes the finest educational resources available on the World Wide Web, and provides complete academic credit courses for grades 5-12 and supplemental courses for grades 4-8.

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How many lessons should I complete in a week?

Students should complete at least one lesson per course, per week.

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How often should I submit lessons?

Online: Email lessons upon completion at least once a week.

Text: Every two weeks. Include self-addressed, pre-paid stamped envelope to your teacher, if you want your lessons returned.

Communicating with your LSS teacher is the key to success! Stay in touch with your teacher even if you have not completed your work.

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What happens if I don't submit work in a timely manner?

At Laurel Springs School, learning is a process that requires responsible participation on the part of families and ongoing feedback from instructors. We strongly encourage you to establish a schedule for submitting assignments and to keep communication active with your student's teacher. Our teachers are willing to provide you with support and encouragement.

We do recognize and respect that there may be extenuating circumstances that prevent you from submitting work and communicating with teachers. We encourage you to contact our Customer Service department to discuss these situations. Laurel Springs School respects the seriousness of an Academic Withdrawal. If 45 days or more have passed and no work has been submitted to your teacher then the teacher is required to report your student to our Student Attendance Department, which will attempt to contact you. If our Student Attendance Department has attempted to contact you via telephone, email and letter over a period of several months with no success, we will withdraw your student from Laurel Springs School.

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Where can I see my grades or teacher comments?

Grades, comments and student progress can be viewed by the student and parent using their Aurora login information at our easy-to-access, easy-to-use interactive gradebook. Students and parents log in with their password to message or receive messages from teachers in the gradebook. Students, parents and teachers have an ongoing exchange of communication. When the student hasn't been productive key indicators in the gradebook will provide reminders so the student can stay on track and have a successful school year. You also receive semester grades in the mail and comments from your teacher on text-based work upon request.

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Do you offer Honors courses?

The Laurel Springs High School Honors Program is designed for the university-bound student seeking a very challenging home study academic curriculum. Using advanced independent-study materials, enriched and balanced by instructor feedback and hands-on involvement in community projects, each student is assisted in fulfilling the challenging college entrance requirements, while being free to explore and realize personal goals and interests. The Laurel Springs Honors Program emphasizes vocabulary development, critical thinking, problem solving, expository writing and research.

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Is Laurel Springs part of the National Honor Society?

Yes, Laurel Springs School is proud to be the first private school offering distance-learning curricula to establish a chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS). Membership in the NHS is an academic honor recognizing academic achievement and service in school projects, as well as personal character and leadership. The Laurel Springs School Chapter of the National Honor Society provides a unique forum in which to continue to recognize outstanding scholastic achievements, character, leadership and service in our students and teachers.

Our NHS Project
For its NHS school project, Laurel Springs will continue to address global environmental concerns through its newly designed course for teens: Leaders4Earth. Leaders4Earth gives members the opportunity to explore and exemplify what it means to be a global citizen and steward of the planet through specific environmental activities. Members will complete service hours and will be given credits.

Membership
Qualified Laurel Springs School full-time enrolled sophomores, juniors and seniors with a GPA of 3.5 or higher over the past 2 years who meet the National Honor Society's high academic standards will be considered for membership beginning December, 2006. If you have any questions please contact Renita Driedger, NHS Advisor at rdriedger@laurelsprings.com.

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Are there qualifications that must be met in order to take Honors courses?

Students will be asked to take a placement test or produce transcripts demonstrating a grade B or better in previous courses taken within the same discipline.

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How do Honors classes affect a GPA?

Due to the extra degree of difficulty associated with an Honors class, LSS awards them a weighted grade point (A=5; B=4; C=3). These added grade points tend to boost a student's GPA. The degree to which colleges and universities accept these enhanced grades varies by institution. For example, the University of California (UC) accepts some, but not all, of the Honors courses when calculating GPA as part of its admissions procedures. The LSS courses that are designated as UC-approved Honors courses are designated by a star on the UC-approved course list for Laurel Springs School.

Please note: Some universities may not give weighted grades for Honors classes.

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Do you offer advanced placement (AP) courses?

Yes, we are happy to announce we offer AP courses in core subjects, foreign language and electives.

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If I remediate a course, will both grades show up on my transcript?

For single or concurrent enrollments with LSS, it will depend on your current school's policy. For full-time LSS students, we take the higher grade but both will show up on the transcript. The lower grade is not calculated into the GPA.

Where do I send completed portfolios (elective, PE or cooking)?

Laurel Springs School
P.O. Box 1440
Ojai, CA 93024
attn: Records

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Can I get credit for outside activities and life experiences?

Absolutely. Our elective portfolios are designed to document life-learning experiences to earn elective credit. Students may receive credit for a wide range of life experiences.

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What can I do for an LSS Elective Portfolio?

Students may receive elective credit for research, tutorials, workshops, seminars, conferences, private classes, religious studies and community service. Each elective portfolio earns 10 credits for each 36 weeks of participation for 3 hours each week; 18 weeks of activity earns five credits. Students need to document these courses or activities in order to receive credit for them. The portfolios contain instructions, forms and a journal for you to document your work.

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What are the hour requirements for an elective portfolio?

Each week you will be expected to write a log entry about the activity that you completed. During the course of this portfolio, you will need to complete a certain number of hours to earn credit.

• To earn five credits (one semester)
  complete weeks 1-18 in the portfolio and 54 hours of practicing your activity.
• To earn 10 credits (two semesters)
  complete weeks 1-36 in the portfolio and 108 hours of practicing your activity.

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If I use the elective portfolio for work experience, how many hours are required?

If you choose to write about your experiences while working, you are required to complete more hours to receive credit.

• To earn five credits (one semester)
  complete weeks 1-18 in the portfolio and 150 hours of practicing your activity.
• To earn 10 credits (two semesters)
  complete weeks 1-36 in the portfolio and 300 hours of practicing your activity.

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What are the hour requirements for physical education (PE) portfolios?

The student needs to be physically active for a total of 108 hours to get credit for two semesters of PE.

• To earn five credits (one semester)
  complete weeks 1-18 in the portfolio and 54 hours of practicing your activity.
• To earn 10 credits (two semesters)
  complete weeks 1-36 in the portfolio and 108 hours of practicing your activity.

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What are Milestones and do I need to take them?

Milestones are benchmark activities used to measure the student's progress throughout the course. They are taken after every sixth lesson; students are required to take them. Depending on the course, milestones may be papers, tests or other projects that serve as evidence of understanding and mastery.

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What are Capstone Tests and do I need to take them?

Laurel Springs' Capstones offer Answer Key Tutorials, which are graphically enhanced teaching modules that reinforce skills and knowledge. High school students take proficiency assessments in their subject areas. As they submit answers, students may view each correct answer along with a short tutorial that reinforces the concept and relates it to other knowledge within the course. In this way, students get immediate feedback and are given the information they will need to master the knowledge on subsequent assessments. The students are not graded on these. The student will take this test at the end of each course. Online students will take the test before lesson 18 or 36. Text course students will go online at the end of their course to take the Capstone tests. The student is required to take them.

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About Our Teachers

Do you have real teachers?

Explain your 1-TO-1 Teacher Service

What is the Learning Team (LSS teacher, student, parent and tutor) role?

What is the LSS teacher's role for K-8?

What is the LSS teacher's role for high school?

Will the teacher work with me to better my grade? Where can I see my grades and comments?

How much support can I expect?

Can I call my teacher? Are the teachers available when I need them?

How do teachers stay in contact with their students? Can they come to my home or can we meet somewhere?

Who initiates the phone appointments?

Who pays postage for textbook work?

Who reviews the student's work?

Do you have real teachers?

Yes, Laurel Springs currently employs over 85 dedicated and loving teachers with strong educational backgrounds. Laurel Springs' teachers are professionals, fully credentialed, possessing an advanced degree or having extensive experience in the classroom or homeschooling. Every student is assigned her own personal teacher who will stay in close contact with the parent and student. Many families keep the same teacher for the student's entire career at Laurel Springs.

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Explain your Teacher Service

Every student is assigned their own personal teacher to work with one-to-one. This provides both academic and emotional support, offering a personalized, individualized, teacher-guided course of study. Throughout the school year, each student corresponds with and is assisted by the same teacher, not a variety of teachers. Younger grades often work with one teacher for all core subjects. High school students have the support of a different teacher for each subject and seniors can choose a core teacher who will guide and support them through the senior year. Many of our students request to keep the same teacher year after year. This personal relationship and communication builds encouragement, allowing the student to grow at her own pace.

Your personal teacher keeps in touch, responding to student and parent questions within 24 hours at our interactive grade book. They also have the option to use email, fax, mail or phone. Teachers support students by creating a learning plan, advising academic strategies and setting up guidelines for communication. Your personal teacher keeps in contact with Laurel Springs and collaborates with the student's other teachers to strengthen the support for learning and strategize for student success.

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What is the Learning Team (LSS teacher, student, parent and tutor) role?

Each distance learning student should have a home mentor. Usually, and especially with our youngest students, that home mentor is the parent. The mentor helps the student organize and structure his life, ensures a proper working environment and that the student has the proper tools and materials, and acts as the student's partner in the learning experience. The mentor also acts as a learning companion, advocate and facilitator for the child in her relationship with the school, working closely with the LSS teacher to ensure a successful learning experience. The student, parent and LSS teacher make up a working, learning team.

As students get older and the work gets more complex, or when greater structure and help are needed, the parent may hire a tutor. The tutor becomes part of the team, often sharing the role of the home mentor, guiding the daily or weekly learning of the student. The tutor does not replace the LSS teacher; he assists or replaces the homeschool parent as the one who sits down and works with the student. In this way, the tutor is free to work with the student on the concepts and skills and to work with the teacher to challenge areas of strength and strengthen areas of challenge.

The better the communication among parent, tutor and teacher, the fewer the problems. All evaluation and grading is done by the LSS teacher, who works with the parents, tutor and school to facilitate the best possible educational experience for each child. This may include individualizing curriculum to meet special interests or needs, or customizing the course of study to address unique learning modalities or challenges.

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What is the LSS teacher's role for K-8?

Parent should review lessons and correct the math lessons before submitting them to the teacher. The LSS teacher will grade and return all lessons and tests and work with the student and parent to ensure learning and growth.

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What is the LSS teacher's role for high school?

An LSS teacher's role is to review and grade work in a timely manner and to answer questions. The parent should correct Math lessons when possible before submitting to the teacher the teacher will grade all tests and work with the student and parent or tutor to ensure a positive learning experience.

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Will the teacher work with me to better my grade? Where can I see my grades and comments?

Our teachers grade each lesson with care. They note and respond to each lesson with expertise and compassion. Our teachers work with each of their students personally to give them the opportunity to better a grade in any subject. As part of our personalized program teachers adjust the content or pace of the course to suit the needs of the student. Grades, comments and student progress can be viewed by the student and parent online at our easy-to-access, easy-to-use interactive grade book.

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How much support can I expect?

Our teachers are available for questions and help when needed. They work one-to-one with their students building supportive, lasting relationships. Because our teachers are not tutors they are not available to go over each individual lesson/problem with the student. Parents and students accessing the online grade book will find support and communication within 24-48 hours.

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Can I call my teacher? Are the teachers available when I need them?

Yes, students and parents are encouraged to call. Some teachers have office hours which they will explain in their welcome letter. Teachers are also available via the online gradebook, email, telephone, fax and mail. They try to respond to questions within 24-48 hours.

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How do teachers stay in contact with their students? Can they come to my home or can we meet somewhere?

Our teachers stay in contact via email, telephone, fax or mail. LSS teachers cannot come to the home or meet in person.

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Who initiates the phone appointments?

The parent and student need to set up a time with the teacher. It is the parent or student's responsibility to contact the teacher at the designated time each week or month. Families pay for the cost of telephone calls to their LSS teacher and develop a schedule that works for you both.

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Who pays postage for textbook work?

Families pay for return postage on work sent to LSS teachers and make arrangements with the teacher for covering these costs. All student work should be sent directly to the LSS teacher. We encourage students to photocopy work sent via snail mail. Teachers cannot be responsible for lost or misguided mail that does not reach them.

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Who reviews the student's work?

Laurel Springs teachers are eager to communicate with both students and parents. Parents should help put students' textbook work in an orderly manner before sending it to the teacher. All math work should be corrected and all other work should be reviewed by the parent or a tutor. It is important for the child to receive initial feedback and have the chance to make corrections while the work is still fresh in his mind. Parents should review online lessons with their child and set a schedule to make sure lessons are completed.

Your teachers review student work and return assignments and answer letters within a one-week period with a personal note. They also maintain records of the student's progress in each subject area at our online interactive gradebook and in addition our teachers are available to families via letters, email or by phone if further help is needed.

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