Frequently Asked Questions for Enrolled Families at GWUOHS

We’re always here to provide ongoing support for our The George Washington University Online High School (GWUOHS) families and students. If you don’t find the answer to your question here, feel free to browse our resources, attend an online information session, or reach out to us directly.

My student is starting at GWUOHS. How can I make sure they get started successfully?

To facilitate a successful virtual education experience for your student, GWUOHS has developed a Student Onboarding Program to ease students into the online learning environment and to prepare them for the start of school. The program begins up to one week before the start of school after the student has successfully completed the enrollment and admissions processes. Onboarding will vary depending on a student’s grade level.

On or before the first day of school, students will take a required Online Learning Course to introduce them to the virtual classroom environment. Students spend the majority of their orientation time (two to four hours) working asynchronously in this course, providing almost all the orientation and instruction required for both new and returning students. The course content is available for reference for the remainder of the school year. Parents/Learning Coaches are encouraged to review the Online Learning Course with their students. Please bear in mind that the grade for the Online Learning Course does not count toward a student’s GPA.

Additionally, prior to the first day of school, it is important for students and Learning Coaches to:

  • Attend New Student Orientation Session (held before the start of the year)
  • Meet with the student’s advisor
  • Attend All-School Assembly (date and time TBD)
  • Attend teachers’ orientations
  • Ensure access to all courses
  • Print out all course calendars
  • Ensure materials/textbooks have been received
  • Set up a school Skype account for quick access to school staff
  • Set up a K12 Zone account, an interactive virtual campus

If you or your student are experiencing any technical issues during the Student Onboarding Program or otherwise, please contact Customer Service at 866.512.2273 or visit https://www.help.k12.com.

How do you vary live sessions to ensure my student can attend rather than watch recordings?

We offer live class sessions during the time that most of our student population can attend (10:30 AM–5 PM (ET)). These live class session times will be consistent each week so that students can plan to attend them or watch the recordings depending on their time zone and preferences.

I’m trying to plan my student’s schedule. When is GWUOHS closed, and what events are coming up?

Every academic year, we put together a School Activities calendar that includes days our school is closed and any upcoming student activities or events. Explore the 2023-2024 School Activities Calendar.

What accommodations can you provide for my student with an IEP/504/learning disability?

Since GWUOHS is a Private Licensed School and not a public school, we are exempt from the requirement to implement student individualized plans (IEPs, 504s). In our independent study model, our teachers have no ability to modify content, assignments, or point values.

However, you’ll find that many of our policies and procedures meet most, if not all, of the needs outlined in a student’s IEP or 504 plan. Students already have extra time on assessments, quizzes and tests are untimed, they have a choice of work/testing location, and in many cases, they can use an open book and notes for assessments.