How It Works

Elementary School

Tuition-Free

Because HVAM is part of the public school system, it’s tuition-free. Enrolled families receive the K12 curriculum, and eligible families may receive a loaner computer, printer, and internet stipend.

Who can attend?

The Highpoint Virtual Academy of Michigan (HVAM) elementary program serves students in kindergarten prep (K Prep) through grade 5 who reside in Michigan. K Prep is open to students who will turn 5 by April 1 of next year (for example, 4-year-old students can enroll in the fall of 2023 if they turn 5 by April 1, 2024).

What’s my role as a parent?

Parents serve as their child’s Learning Coach. As a Learning Coach, you will

  • Communicate progress with your child’s teacher
  • Monitor mastery of lessons and assessments
  • Review your child’s work
  • Record attendance

What will my child study?

Coursework is a mix of online and hands-on work, catering to a wide variety of learning styles. Unit and course assessments are built into each subject, and easy-to-use online planning and progress tools keep you and your student on track.

K Prep–5th graders take courses in the core subjects listed below. Beginning in grade 3, they also take a self-guided elective course in music or a world language.

ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS

MATH

SCIENCE

HISTORY

ART

Mastering Lessons

In the elementary grades, students are required to show mastery of each lesson by achieving 80 percent or better on all lesson assessments. If your child is having difficulty mastering a lesson, let their homeroom teacher know as soon as possible. Teachers offer many support sessions to help students gain mastery.

Working with Your Teacher

Students work with their teachers and other classmates during “Class Connect” sessions. In “Class Connect” sessions, students

  • Receive live instruction from teachers
  • Interact with classmates
  • Ask questions and receive real-time support

Students can interact with their teachers and classmates by

  • Typing in the chat
  • Speaking over their microphone
  • Typing and drawing with online whiteboard features
  • Joining small group breakouts to work on projects or receive targeted instruction

Time Commitment

K Prep–5 students are expected to spend between 4 to 7 hours on schoolwork per school day, including both online and offline work.

Grades K Prep–2

  • 4 to 5 hours daily
  • 30–40% online

Grades 3–5

  • 5 to 7 hours daily
  • 50–60% online

To find out more about time commitments or attendance requirements, please review the attendance policy in our Student and Parent Handbook.

Assessments

Students are required to take the following tests:

  • Course lesson assessments
  • Course unit assessments
  • Semester assessments
  • Diagnostic and formative assessments to measure growth and mastery of grade-level standards

State Testing

HVAM students must comply with all Michigan-mandated testing requirements, which will require them to travel to in-person locations.

A Day in the Life of Online Students

Want to learn more about the daily life of an online elementary student? Meet Micah and Sarai!