A question that frequently comes up regarding online school is, "How do students stay connected socially?" Students who attend WAVE take their classes online, engage with their classmates in the virtual infrastructure, and have teachers in each class who work to provide an interactive classroom experience. Outside of the "classroom", WAVE students have the potential to get involved with peers in a variety of ways.
Some students participate in school or club sports. Sammie Jackson, for example, is a tennis player for Wausau East. She has a flexible schedule during the day
to attend her online classes, and in the afternoons, she participates in tennis. Other WAVE students are playing football, volleyball, and on the swim teams at one of the local brick and mortar schools in the Wausau School District. And others are participating in club sports such as gymnastics and hockey.
Online students are not just involved in sports, however. Many WAVE students attended Homecoming festivities at either Wausau East or Wausau West . For example, WAVE senior Madison Pagel attended the East Homecoming dance with her friends.
Additionally, students have the opportunity to be involved in after school tutoring programs at our district elementary schools, get involved in community organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters to take part in mentoring local youth, or students can participate in school clubs. For example, one of our WAVE students participates in the Environmental Club at West, another FFA Club, and many students belong to WAVE's FBLA club.
Students also have the ability to interact in a face-to-face environment with their WAVE peers during teacher office hours at the WAVE mall location. Here, students can get help from subject area teachers, work on collaborative projects, or attend office hours as "scheduled" school time in a an academic setting.
Yet other students take advantage of the flexibility in their school schedule to work and build their resumes or to take college classes at one of the local college campuses. For example, many WAVE students have obtained or are in the process of earning their CNA licenses.
Similar to students in traditional high schools, those who want to be involved have opportunities to do so. At WAVE, we encourage students to get involved in school and community organizations, and we are proud of their accomplishments.