How Online School Works

Students at The George Washington University Online High School (GWUOHS) attend school online using our robust learning management system that hosts online courses and course management tools for students, teachers, and parents. Students use the learning management system to:

• Access their courses
• Take assessments
• Review grades
• Manage their course schedule
• Interact with peers in an online community

This platform provides them with a single place to access any information related to their academic life at GWUOHS.

What a Student’s Daily Schedule Looks Like

Students spend their days attending classes and completing asynchronous coursework. For ‌comprehensive-level courses, students should spend one hour per weekday on that coursework. For higher-level classes, such as honors and AP^® courses, students should spend more time daily on these subject areas. Outside of school work, students may participate in clubs, attend events or assemblies, or meet with their advisors and counselors to ensure their academics are on track.

Each day, students will have specific lessons or assignments to complete that can be done at any time of day. Students will be expected to attend one live class per week for each course they’re enrolled in (except for electives). Live classes typically last for one hour, and teachers record these classes in case a student cannot make it to the live class.

Students and their Learning Coaches will determine the daily schedule for asynchronous work, but our student advisors are available to help plan this out if needed.

Connecting With Peers Beyond the Classroom

Students socialize with their peers through the numerous clubs and activities we offer at GWUOHS. Class sponsors for each grade level also help with grade-specific activities and special events. Clubs meet regularly, and GWUOHS offers a wide range so students can explore their passions and interests. Some examples of clubs include:

And so many more.

At the beginning of the school year, students can also share their city/state (with parents’ approval) and Skype contact information. This information goes into a student directory, which is distributed to the students who “opted in” so they can see which of their peers are in close proximity to them. Sometimes, students who live in the same area choose to get together.

How Live Class Sessions Work

All GWUOHS classes are conducted using a combination of lessons (reading, activities, assessments, and videos) that students complete on their own schedule (asynchronous) and “live” teacher-led online classes at predefined times (synchronous)—the combinations may vary based on the course.

Live classes, also known as Class Connects, typically last for one hour, and these live sessions are recorded so that students can review if they miss a session or return to all or part again if needed.

Central to these synchronous sessions is the online classroom software our teachers use, which includes a whiteboard for live online instruction, multi-student discussion and collaboration, and space for instructional slides, as well as file and video sharing. This technology enables teachers and students to conduct a live virtual discussion as if they were in a physical classroom.

How Classes With Labs Work

Students in all comprehensive and honors science courses are sent a lab kit they will use at home. These lab experiments are done on a microscale and very safe, but lab safety equipment and instructions are included. The labs done with this kit are very similar to labs done in a brick-and-mortar setting and have discussions and lab reports that are completed to analyze the student’s conceptual understanding of the topic. 

If a student is traveling, or for some other reason away from their lab kit, teachers do have virtual labs that can be sent to students, but these are only used when necessary. Hands-on lab experiences are shown to be better for learning.

How do teachers offer additional support for students?

Our teachers are readily available to students throughout the school day. In addition to meeting with students in weekly live sessions, our teachers also hold a few office hours during the week to provide students with individualized assistance when needed.

Our faculty members use our online classroom technology for these office hours, tutorials, one-on-one sessions, conferences, and optional help desks teachers hold several times a week to answer students’ questions and review content.

How Testing & Assessments Work

After students have completed the required lessons, they can take the relevant quizzes or exams. Most classes have quizzes throughout the unit, as well as unit exams. The unit exams typically consist of a computer-scored portion and a teacher-graded part.  

We do not require standardized tests. Our only standardized testing is an optional STAR assessment in English and Math for 8th graders. We feel as though our assessments in the courses accurately gauge student performance and proficiency.

However, we strongly encourage our students enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP)^® courses to take the AP® exams at the end of the year. The student is responsible for finding a testing location near them and registering for the AP^® exam(s). Please keep in mind that AP^® exams are offered at certain locations in all states throughout the U.S., but they are not offered in every country. If a student is interested in enrolling in an AP^® course to take the AP^® exam, we highly recommend contacting the College Board at 888.225.5427 to ask about the available AP^® exam locations. The GWUOHS CEEB Code (used for school reporting on the AP^® exams) is 471066.