Frequently Asked Questions? 
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- Is Odyssey Academy accredited?
- How much time does my student have to finish the school year?
- How quickly can my student work through the curriculum?
- If I'm not able to answer my child's question, what should I do?
- Does Odyssey Academy offer achievement testing?
- Do you know my state's distance learning requirement?
- Can my student use other curriculum?
- Will your program prepare my student for college?
- Does my student have to be connected to the Internet while doing schoolwork?
- If my student is enrolled in Odyssey, do I still control his schedule?
- I do not know if distance learning is for me. May I talk to someone?
- Are students admited only during certain times of the year?
- Can I use a satellite Internet connection if I live in a remote area?
- What kind of computer and operating system will I need for Switched-On Schoolhouse?
- Does Odyssey have an adult education program?
Yes. Odyssey Academy is accredited with N.A.P.S., National Association of Private Schools. www.napsaccreditation.com . The National Association of Private Schools is a consortium of Christian Educators and Private School Administrators from across the United States and Canada. The Association is dedicated to recognizing and improving the spiritual and educational quality of Private and Christian Schools, regardless of size.
The school year is typically 180 days, which is about nine months. Students have up to one calendar year (12 months) to complete one school year's course work. A semester is 90 days, or approximately four and one-half months. Students enrolled in a one-semester course will have up to six months to complete the course.
While there is flexibility to doing schoolwork at home, the Odyssey Academy program requires approximately 180 school days of instruction for each school year. It is especially important to meet these requirements at the high school level in order to receive credit. Students can complete their courses over a shorter period of time by occasionally increasing hours of study, working on weekends, or adding a summer session. Students who have not completed their assigned last school day in June are expected to continue working through the summer term. The Administration Office must be notified in advance.
SOS Teachers will answer academic questions for your student in the Switched-On Schoolhouse program using the message system and the problem notepad. For more extensive explanations, your student (or you) may contact the Administration office and request contact information for their teacher. Between our well-written curriculum, and your SOS Teacher, your student will get plenty of help.
Yes. Achievement testing is included in the registration fee for all full-time Odyssey students. Odyssey Academy offers enrolled students the Measurement of Academic Progress (MAP) test through the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA). MAP is a nationally normed and accepted achievement test delivered to enrolled students through their home computer. During the first year of enrollment, achievement testing is scheduled before beginning the curriculum while waiting for curriculum to be delivered. This is done to provide a baseline of comparison. Thereafter, achievement testing is scheduled near the completion of each year's program.
Certain states view enrollment in any form of distance education as "homeschooling." Other states recognize accredited distance education institutions. It is the responsibility of the parent to know or be familiar with the education laws in their home state and to know how enrollment in Odyssey Academy is viewed by their state. Click here to view state laws. www.hslda.org
All students must use Alpha Omega Publications curriculum—either Switched-On Schoolhouse, LIFEPAC, or Horizons. High school students may, for an additional fee, include outside courses. Outside courses must be pre-approved by their Academic Advisor and not be offered by Odyssey Academy.
Odyssey Academy's college preparatory course of study is designed to prepare students for entrance into most universities and colleges. Because each college or university has its own entrance requirements, the student or parent will want to consult with the chosen school(s) to tailor a high school program which meets specific requirements for their institution of choice.
If you are using remote access, you need to be connected to the Internet so your student can do his schoolwork, as it requires a live connection. If you are using the synchronization option, you do not need to be connected to the Internet while your student is working. You only need to connect when synchronizing. Synchronization must be performed at the beginning of each school day and at the end of each school day. Synchronizing infrequently could cause technical issues and result in lost schoolwork.
One of the benefits of Odyssey Academy is the flexibility of the schedule. The parent has the freedom to change the student's schedule, provided he stays within the deadline for the course. Parents do not need to notify Odyssey of a school day that has been missed. If the student will not be working for a week or more, we recommend informing Odyssey's Administration Office.
Absolutely. Our educational specialists are available Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PST. Please call 1-866-585-3774. We look forward to discussing your student's educational needs.
No. We understand that not everyone operates on the same calendar; because of that, we offer rolling enrollment. Rolling enrollment means that you can start your school year at any day or month during the year.
We do not recommend using satellite Internet connections because of frequent reports of difficulty transmitting SOS schoolwork unless you can afford to purchase the professional or business level of service. If not, an ordinary dial-up connection usually works better than a satellite connection. However, if there is no better way, families may try using a satellite connection if they are willing to assume the risk that it may prove unsatisfactory.
To maintain compatibility with current technology, the 2009 version of SOS is designed to run only on computers with an operating system of Microsoft® Windows XP SP2 or later, including Microsoft Windows Vista®. Computers running XP need a minimum of a 500 MHz processor, 512 MB memory, 600 MB hard drive space, a CD-ROM drive, and a 1024x768 resolution monitor, along with Windows Internet Explorer® 6.0 or later and Adobe Acrobat Reader® installed. Vista computers need the same, plus at least a 1 GHz processor, 1 GHz of memory, and Internet Explorer® 7.0 or later. With any kind of computer, a printer is highly recommended.
Switched-On Schoolhouse requires a Windows® operating system. Odyssey families who want to use SOS on an Apple Macintosh® computer using a Windows emulator program do so at their own risk. Such installations have sometimes suffered irresolvable connection problems and/or serious data loss. AOP cannot provide support for issues with SOS that are related to the emulator.
Another option for those with Apple Macintosh® computers is our newly release fully web-based program called Switched-On Online. The Internet platform allows use of any browser and does not require installation.
For a detailed (printable) list of minimum requirements, CLICK HERE. (Requires Adobe Acrobat.)
Yes. The Academy has a diploma program for independent adults 19 and older who may need the flexibility of enrolling in one course at a time, while holding down a full-time job. For more information, call the Odyssey Administration Office at 866-585-3774.
