Online School for Girls (OSG)
	The Agnes Irwin School is partnering with the Online School for Girls (OSG) to offer select classes beginning in fall 2012. In order to enhance the educational opportunities of our students and prepare them for successful futures in the Digital Age, Agnes Irwin is expanding our curriculum offerings to the web. The Online School for Girls shares our commitment to all-girls education and is guided by current research on how girls learn best. The school focuses on the following: Emphasizing connections among participants Incorporating collaboration into the learning experience  Inspiring and rewarding creativity Engaging in real-world problem solving and applications while having students probe the social and ethical dynamics that define and stretch our global society

	About Online Education
	Online learning is rapidly becoming a cornerstone of the educational experience for students in the 21st Century. According to The International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL), over 4 million K-12 students participated in a formal online learning program in 2010. This included 217,000 students in cyber charter schools. Online learning enrollments are increasing on an average rate of 46 percent each year, and this growth continues to accelerate. Opportunities in the virtual classroom are available to students in 48 states and Washington, D.C., "but none of them specifically address the educational needs of girls,” explains Ann Pollina, President of the Board of Trustees for the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools. "We believe that girls inhabit online spaces differently than boys and that this initiative can combine a powerful, transformative online learning environment for girls with a high-quality, twenty-first century academic experience."

	Policy for Online School for Girls Classes
	Juniors who are interested in taking a full-year or semester class online for credit during their senior year should visit the Online School for Girls website. The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for Students page provides a helpful overview about committing to an online class. Students may apply to take an online course if that class is not currently offered at Agnes Irwin. A student may not take an online course as a seventh class. Students who wish to take AP courses online must meet the appropriate department’s prerequisites for taking advanced-level classes (if applicable). If a student is taking an AP class online, then she will be expected to take the corresponding AP exam. Reporting her AP score is optional. Final grades and credit for online classes will appear on the student’s Agnes Irwin transcript.

	Process for Applying and Enrollment
	Students must complete an application form, signed by their parents/guardians and advisors, by January 10, 2012. After the Head of the Upper School and the appropriate Department Chair review the application, they will meet with the student and the College Counselor. The student will then have the opportunity to explain her reasons for wanting to take a particular class. A maximum of 10 students will be permitted to take online courses during the 2012-2013 pilot year. All enrollment decisions will be made by the Head of the Upper School and the Department Chairs. Students are expected to complete all of the work assigned by the online instructors. If a student experiences difficulty managing her time or completing the work, then she has the responsibility to tell her advisor immediately so that appropriate help can be provided.   Download the AIS Online Course Application Here.