ABOUT OUR HOMESCHOOL PROGRAM
Educational Philosophy
StudentMediaOnline.com’s educational approach addresses the creative and critical thinking needs of our students in an age of digital media and advanced technologies. Our engaging courses, multi-disciplinary programs and real-world opportunities culminates in our students having essential skill sets necessary to navigate a world reliant on interdisciplinary-minded innovators. Students are encouraged to take advantage of opportunities to optimize their learning experiences and credential portfolio. Therefore, all students are advised to pursue a program of study through dual enrollment in a local college or university while enrolled in our educational programs.
By taking 10-60 college credits before graduating high school, our graduates are often able to earn an associate’s degree before embarking on a bachelor's program of study as a first-year college student. Our approach inspires students to always seek new knowledge and skills, challenge their own pre-conceived ideas, and achieve competitive excellence as life-long scholars. Critical and creative skills are developed through rigorous academic subjects, opportunities for self-directed learning, and unique community engagements through field trips, community service and partnerships with cultural and learning institutions. Our learning is based on a classical approach with a strong emphasis on cultural awareness, relationship to the natural world, practical writing and literary analysis.
Our top standards insist that mastery is required in each subject and demonstrated through outcomes that include digital publications, capstone portfolio projects and garnered professional placements. Our students have been published in local and national print and digital publications while also lending their expertise in pre and post production to create compelling media content. Our thinkers have also engaged with the natural world through science exploration and application, integrating new technologies in interdisciplinary pursuits ranging from hydroponics to biology and health. Our curriculum is geared to prepare students for success in competitive colleges and universities and for later entrance into innovative roles as creators, thought leaders and designers of societal mainstays. All students are expected to complete at least 10 college credits at a local college or university while enrolled in our homeschool day courses. Dual enrollment is not optional.
School
StudentMediaOnline.com homeschool is a comprehensive four-year college preparatory homeschool high school that focuses on digital technologies, community service, liberal arts and humanities. The school opened in the fall of 2016 and will graduate its first senior class in the spring of 2021. The homeschool works in conjunction with several community-based partners including So Our Youth Aspire (SOYA) Scholars Institute, Liberated Muse Arts Group, Montgomery Community Media, Muniversity and Black Family Homeschool Educators and Scholars (BFHES).
Community
The StudentMediaOnline.com homeschool is located in Fort Washington, Maryland yet much of our instruction is offered virtually to students unable to travel to a brick & mortar location. The school is located in Prince George's County, MD.
Curriculum
The academic program is organized on a rotating block schedule. The maximum course load is 15 high school credits per semester (not including courses taken while dual-enrolled in a college or university). Courses are formatted as 95-minute block classes, or 50-minute block classes determined at the discretion of the instruction and often based on content of the course and laboratory requirements. Students attend classes daily unless otherwise specified in the course description and individual student transcript.
Grading and Ranking
A – Excellent |
94–100 |
4 |
B – Above average |
85–93 |
3 |
C – Average |
75–84 |
2 |
D – Below average |
65–74 |
1 |
F – Failure |
64 or below |
0 |
Rank
School policy does not rank students.
Grade Point Average (GPA) Calculation
GPA is computed using the above quality points. Beginning with grade nine, all subjects, whether passed or failed, are included in the computation. A minimum of 30 credits is required for graduation. In addition, each student must complete a 200-hour community service graduation requirement. AP and Honors classes are weighted by one point. Grades are recorded on the transcript and GPA is computed in January and May.
College Board Test scores:
Due to COVID-19 students have not been able to take the exams due to closed testing centers.
Khari (featured right) is our first student slated to graduate from our homeschool program in Spring 2021. She is engaged in social justice activities that revolve around racial equity, police reform, gun control and women's rights.
Students are introduced to hands-on learning experiences through projects, community service and capstone portfolios. Khari has engaged in over 100 hours of volunteer and paid service that revolves around farming, animal care, the arts, media and content creation. In this photo she is volunteering with the ECO City Farm in Maryland, a site she later worked at through the Prince George's County Summer Youth Employment Program.
High school students enrolled in our homeschool component are required to dual enroll in a college or university program. Khari began taking college courses during her ninth grade year and will have completed 60 college credits upon completion of high school. She will have completed the general education requirements for all Maryland state colleges and universities and will be eligible for automatic admission to more than two Maryland universities. Our rigorous academic program encourages students to broaden their academic opportunities in order to have multiple pathways as an option upon graduation from high school.
Homeschool Speech Class (2014)
SOYA Online/StudentMediaOnline.com, conducted an 8-week communication course for home-schooled students in a recreation center located in Washington DC. This video depicts the first speeches the students created while working in a team. They had to create a persuasive message with a call to action. The students ranged in age from 9-11 years-old.