Let’s say you’re in a traditional classroom for a minute, and you have a question. You’re stuck on a homework problem. What do you do?

Raise your hand, or walk to the teacher’s desk. That one is pretty obvious.

Now let’s say the teacher walks by your desk and hands you a graded essay. You feel the stress coming on, and you finally muster up the courage to check the grade. Once again, not what you hoped for.

It’ll cause you to wonder about some things, like: “How is this going to impact college options? What if I can’t raise my grade? Who can help me with this?”

Who do you talk to in that case? Your teacher, of course, can give you feedback. But what about your overall future?

That’s when you have to figure out who your counselor is. That essentially means you go to the otherwise forbidden front office to see if you can set an appointment. It can be a little intimidating; who’s your counselor again?

^A few Primavera teachers

At times, it can be much simpler to ask an online teacher or counselor for help. As Primavera social studies instructor Melissa Kurasek said, “Students seem to feel more comfortable asking for help when there are not 30 other students watching.”

Need help in your courses? You can ask your teacher via:

• Phone calls
  Want to talk over a homework problem? Or maybe you’re not sure how to start that big project. Your teacher can provide immediate assistance through phone calls.
• Emails
  Phone calls will get you a quick response, but sometimes an email is easier, we know. You can always email your teacher for less urgent needs.
  
• Instant Messaging
  When you log in to your Parent Student Portal (PSP), you’ll be able to see if your teacher is online. If so, you can instant message them for quick questions.
• Online synchronous sessions
  This is a big help for our math students. If you request it, your teacher is more than willing to hold one-on-one “synchronous” sessions with you. This is an online voice chat where you’ll be able to actually see the homework on the computer screen. For example, if you’re stuck on a specific math concept, your teacher can visually show and talk you through it.

Of course, teachers are continually communicating with students with live online sessions, class announcements and group discussions. But, if you need personal support, the above methods are the best ways to communicate.

New to online school, and not sure what to do? Your advisor can help with that!

When you enroll with Primavera, you’ll have counselors and paraprofessionals ready to help you acclimate to the online environment. They likely will contact you first to make sure all is well after you start courses, but you can always reach out to them at 480.456.6678, option 4.

What about when you want to enroll in different courses?

That’ll be our enrollment advisors! They will reach out to you toward the end of your six-week blocks to see if you’re re-enrolling and help you determine what courses you need. However, if you have something in mind, you can give them a call at 480.456.6678, option 4.

Have a specific learning plan? Counselors and teachers will help!

A certified guidance counselor will know how to work with your learning plans. In fact, we have a stellar ESS department. A counselor, along with your teachers, will set plans with you and discuss them monthly, weekly if need be. You’ll be able to stay in touch throughout your time here with Primavera so that you can succeed academically.

Want help with figuring out graduation or life after high school? You can contact guidance via: 

• Email
  When you log in to your PSP account, you’ll see a person icon at the top-left corner. Click on that to find your counselor and contact info
• Phone call
  Again, your counselor’s direct phone line is found within the PSP. But you can also just call the office at 480.456.6678, option 4.

To learn more about our awesome guidance team, check out this article.

“We enjoy working with Primavera students because we have the opportunity to address their individual needs. Learning for online instructors is continuous. As the digital world changes, our teachers evolve and learn with it, always striving to focus on students first.” – Principal Donald Mitchell