WAUSAU AREA
VIRTUAL EDUCATION
Elementary "A Day in the Life"
K-5 Program
Wausau Area Virtual Education (WAVE) is proud to offer a virtual based curriculum to our youngest of learners. WAVE utilizes FLVS curriculum as the core of our offering; however, the classroom teacher will work collaboratively with parents to personalize the learning experience to best meet the needs of our students and their families. In addition to virtual activities, students will be expected to completed paper & pencil activities at home to ensure a well-rounded learning experience.
WAVE may be the best fit for families who travel, students who perform better without peer distraction, parents who want flexibility, and for parents who want a hands on role in their child's education.
Families can rest easy knowing that their child is receiving a rigorous, standards driven education delivered by a Wausau School District teacher.
TESTIMONIALS
"K-5 WAVE has been an opportunity to develop new learning routines that my children are really enjoying.
We are so grateful for K-5 WAVE!
Curriculum - We are very impressed with curriculum and grateful it offers both digital and hardcopy options for K-5 learning.
Peer Interaction - We are grateful for Google Meets with classmates/teachers and opportunities to build relationships and connect.
Teachers/Staff - We appreciate the time and energy the staff at WAVE have committed to making sure that the students and families needs are being met.
Schedule - For a busy family, the flexibility has been a great fit. We work around appointments, family obligations, and opportunities to be active.
Learning Curve - While it did take us some time to get comfortable with the learning platform, we have gotten to a point where the kids are independent in their learning and can navigate on their own.
Goals and Motivation - My children are motivated to complete their tasks/goals each day/week. They are excited to see what learning is planned for them and feel good when they finish a module.
Study Skills - My kids are developing study skills and learning habits that will serve them well in their future learning.
Communication - It is very easy to communicate for any questions or assistance we may need. My kids are learning to be independent in communicating with their teacher. The teacher is able to arrange for Google Meets and review coursework and/or hold academic conferences. Email also offers ways for us to communicate and receive videos for feedback and encouragement. Additionally, we appreciate the communication from the principal and teachers via newsletters and videos.
Social Opportunities - We look forward to K-5 social outings that explore our community and support learning, serving and growing.
Parent Role - For the K-5 learners it does require building routine and modeling good habits for learning. It's been successful for our family to provide encouragement and incentives for learning with integrity. While balancing work, home and WAVE, it does take patience and perseverance to find a routine/system that works for everyone.
When I asked one of my children if they would want to return to a brick and mortar school, they replied that they think they would like to stay in WAVE. They expressed that they are able to learn without interruptions, go at a pace that works for them and enjoys being able to pick and choose which subjects they want to do for the day. Additionally, WAVE has allowed us to make daily connections to learning and life. Conversations around our dinner table reflect what we are learning and my kids are proud of the work they are doing. "
K-5 Parent
"We had planned on having our son begin WAVE as a 6th grader but when the opportunity arose to have him start in 5th grade we took it. We like the flexibility of the curriculum. He is able to pick and choose what he wants to work on each day with reasonable timelines. This form of schooling is also teaching him independence and time management skills which will be integral as he gets older. The teachers have been supportive and available to us as parents and with our son. WAVE is certainly the best fit for us."
Kleman Family
"We are so super happy we decided to do WAVE this year for our son. It is amazing to see his learning ability shine through, using a virtual academy. It is nice to have a program that is super flexible for our lifestyle. I have been able to make big breakfasts for my boys and have a relaxing morning with my kids, and not have to rush out the door, and pray we didn't forget anything... This program really brought so much more relaxation to our regular life...
Also, I have been referring so many people to WAVE because of our experience with Mrs. Lewig. She is an amazing teacher and it really shines through with her interactions with the children. She is super positive and upbeat and really brings that to her class and one on one meets. Virtual learning doesn't seem so virtual doing the WAVE program because we are still communicating and interacting on a weekly basis, which is probably my most favorite part of this program."
Semling Family
We chose K-5 WAVE for our 4th grade student this year due to the COVID pandemic and wanting consistency for our children and our family. With many variables and unknowns surrounding the school year, we wanted to make an educational choice that would allow our kids to be in a consistent learning environment for the whole year without having to worry about if they would be returning to a building in a month, two months, six months, or potentially not at all this school year.
As for the academic rigor, our 4th grader is learning well beyond what he would in a brick and mortar school this year, or any year. We have been disappointed with the lack of science and social studies curriculum in the regular school year at our brick and mortar school. We were thrilled with the stand-alone science and social studies curriculum that our 4th grader is receiving through K-5 WAVE. His older siblings keep telling him how far ahead of his peers he will be when he returns to school either next year, or at the middle school the following year.
Finally, we have had a great working relationship with his teacher this school year. We have always been impressed with the quality of educators that the Wausau School District hires, both for virtual programming and in-person learning at our home school. Ms. Huibregtse is working her tail off to ensure that this is a successful experience for learners and families.
We are one of the lucky who are able to have a parent still working from home at this time. Our 4th grader is not entirely self-sufficient with his learning, so it is necessary for him to have someone at home to guide his learning each day. I would definitely consider your learner's independence and your family's availability before selecting this option for your family. The curriculum is quite rigorous, and therefore tough for some learners to do independently during the day if they do not have adult support.
Murphy Family