Taylion Directors Bring Passion for Alternative Education
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) Danielle Moore, Taylion Virtual Academy’s Director of Instruction has 10 years experience working in alternative education and graduated from a home school program. Likewise, Stephanie LaFerriere, Taylion Virtual Academy’s Director of Curriculum, has 10 years experience working in alternative education and graduated from a home school program.
In fact, the two graduated from the same home school in Victorville. They are twin sisters and were taught at home by their parents.
Since graduating high school from their home school program, their paths have followed closely. After college, both returned to Victorville, got married and had two children each, whom they plan to enroll in Taylion’s home school program. Both obtained teaching credentials, and have worked as teachers at traditional schools and other charter schools in San Bernardino County. Both prefer charter schools over traditional schools.
“At Taylion Virtual Academy we serve students who might not fit into a traditional school environment, just as we did not when we were students,” Moore said. “We like non-traditional schools, because the focus is on what students need and want. Alternative educational programs provide students with more individual focus, which most students desperately need”.
Both Stephanie and Danielle obtained Masters’ degrees in Education. Stephanie graduated from National University and Danielle graduated from Chapman University. In addition, the two will obtain Masters’ degrees in Psychology from Chapman University in May, 2011.
“Our training in both education and psychology helps greatly at a non-traditional school,” LaFerriere said. “Psychology helps us understand where our students are coming from. Our experience in education allows us to develop strategies that meet state standards, but also meet the needs of each individual student. We want to look at students as a whole person and not just their score on a test.”
Since 2010, when Taylion Virtual Academy opened in San Bernardino, Moore and La Ferriere have worked side by side, overseeing how the school’s 15 teachers present curriculum and instruction to approximately 365 students. Taylion Virtual Academy has three programs by which it presents curriculum and instruction; Independent Study, Home Schooling and Online.
Independent Study is an option for San Bernardino-area students in grades 7-12. Students meet with teachers twice a week at Taylion Virtual Academy’s Learning Center, located at 1184 W. Second St., San Bernardino where students receive help with homework and direction in attaining their educational goals. Students then continue their lessons by working on assignments at home.
The Home Schooling program serves families with children in Kindergarten through 12th grade in the San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, Los Angeles, Kern and Inyo counties. In this program, while Moore, La Ferriere and the other credentialed teachers at Taylion develop lessons for students, it is the parents of these students who actually provide direct instruction to their children.
Students also can receive lessons online from Taylion Virtual Academy. Students using this option can receive instruction at home or at the learning center while meeting with credentialed teachers on a regular basis for support.
Regardless of the program in which students are enrolled, Taylion Virtual Academy teachers assess and monitor their academic progress to ensure the students grasp the important concepts taught in their grade level, and they will have the ability to obtain a job, or attend a college or university after completing high school.
Students can complete high school requirements by graduating from Taylion Virtual Academy. Students can also earn credits at an accelerated rate, which will enable them to graduate early or on time.
Although they have separate titles, Moore and La Ferriere’s duties are so similar they usually work together on all aspects of their administration. Responsibilities include developing lesson plans to ensure the students’ education meets California and Taylion Virtual Academy’s standards, training instructors and supporting staff in effective teaching strategies, and creating instruction packets for all students.
“We want to create the most comprehensive program for all of our students and since we were home schooled, and have worked in alternative education for so long, we are excited to be able to collaborate together” stated La Ferriere.
Taylion Virtual Academy, a free public charter school, offers an option for families who wish to be directly involved in their children’s education, families who wish to have more control of their student’s education and for teens who seek an accelerated schedule to obtain their high school diploma.
For more information, or a free campus tour, call Taylion Virtual Academy at (909) 889-5152 or go to www.TAYLION.com.
Trackback from your site.