Q: What is LOA?

A: Lafayette Online Academy is a tuition–free, K–12 online school that is offered by the Lafayette Parish School System. Due to the increased demand for online learning options for the 20-21 school year, LOA enrollment is being offered to students at all schools throughout the district. Students enrolled at LOA will remain closely connected and associated with their base school, where they will have access to support services and extracurricular activities. LOA students receive daily instruction via Edgenuity’s video-based lectures and quizzes, with tutoring support provided virtually (video conference, phone, email). LPSS teachers do not provide daily instruction to LOA students; they do provide learning support via phone, email and video conference. LOA follows the same calendar as the rest of the district.

Q: How can parents confirm LOA enrollment status?

A: Parents of students who applied and re-committed to Lafayette Online Academy by the deadline of August 3, 2020 should have received welcome letters from LPSS via email on August 17, 2020.

If you did not receive an email, please check the Parent Portal. Students enrolled in LOA are identified as Team V (for virtual LOA). As a reminder, Lafayette Online Academy begins on Tuesday, September 8, 2020 – the same day as the rest of the district.

Q: Is LOA affiliated with Fuel Education or any other online charter schools?

A: The Lafayette Parish School System and Lafayette Online Academy are not affiliated with K-12 Fuel Education or any online charter school (Louisiana Virtual Charter Academy, Connections Academy, or University View Academy).

Q: Do LOA students receive daily meals?

A: Yes, meals will be available for pre-ordering and pick-up from LPSS school sites. Please visit https://www.lpssonline.com/childnutrition to learn about the Meals-to-Go program and place orders. LOA students’ eligibility for Meal Benefits is based on their base school, which can be confirmed in the Parent Portal.

Q: Are LOA students considered full-time students?

A: Students must be enrolled full time, taking four full credit classes if enrolled in LOA.

Q: Are LOA students tested for Kindergarten?

A: No, there is no testing for Kindergarten.

Q: Are student assessments performed upon entering LOA?

A: No, assessments are not given. Students are placed in their appropriate grade-level classes for learning at LOA.

Q: How do I know if LOA is right for my student?

A: (Update: As of 8/26, all LOA enrollees new to the district must provide their own device and internet access.) Parents are encouraged to contact a counselor at the student’s current base school to learn more. Becoming the parent of an online student involves a serious commitment. Parents should expect to closely monitor student progress and performance and ensure the child is meeting expectations. Parents are kept informed by viewing weekly progress reports or visiting the Edgenuity Family Portal. These resources offer critical student course performance information and must be reviewed frequently.

Students who tend to thrive at LOA are self-motivated, independent learners with good time-management and note-taking skills. They should have basic computer skills to enable navigation of the Edgenuity courseware and platform.

NOTE: It is recommended that Kindergarten – 6th grade students have an adult physically present to guide them through daily course activities.

Q: Who can help me with other questions about LOA?

A: The LOA website is continuously being updated to reflect this year’s (2020-2021) expanded enrollment; therefore, we encourage families to visit often. Frequently asked questions (FAQs) will be updated regularly and will provide answers to common questions 24 hours a day. We encourage families to submit their questions via the FAQs form located here.

• Director of Special Education - Holly Ortego hcortego@lpssonline.com
• Director of Athletics, Physical Education and Health - Nic Jeffers npjeffers@lpssonline.com
• Director of Career and Technical Education & Magnet Academies - Larry Alexander lwalexander@lpssonline.com
• Gifted & Talented Program Manager - Samantha Simmons Webre sswebre@lpssonline.com
• World Language/Immersion - Tia LeBrun, M.Ed. tmlebrun@lpssonline.com
• Student Services: Placement and Counseling - Tonya Hebert tjhebert@lpssonline.com or Sonia Hartley sshartley@lpssonline.com