The Indian Hill School District is pleased to announce that veteran educator Dr. Kim Given will serve students, families, and staff in the new role of Brave Virtual Academy supervisor for the 2020-2021 school year. Dr. Given, who most recently served the District as a gifted intervention specialist at Indian Hill Middle School, has more than 30 years of experience in education and has dedicated more than 25 years in service to the students and families at the Indian Hill School District.
“Developing the Brave Virtual Academy has been a focus for our District since the spring; this summer, 100 percent of our faculty participated in professional learning with distance learning experts from around the country to strengthen the delivery of online learning,” said Indian Hill Superintendent Kirk Koennecke. “We are working to lead the way in the delivery of online education for our students, and we are confident Dr. Given is the right professional to guide our District.”
The Brave Virtual Academy is the online instructional experience for students who cannot or choose not to attend within a school setting during the 2020-2021 school year:
• K-5 students will be in an online class and will be taught by their own Indian Hill teacher using Indian Hill curriculum.
• 6-8 students will be in online classes by subject and will be taught by Indian Hill teachers using Indian Hill curriculum.
• 9-12 students will work directly with a counselor to determine an individual plan that may include instruction taught by Indian Hill teachers and/or online courses through a state-of-the-art e-learning platform provided through Indian Hill.
• Students at Indian Hill High School will be assigned a Brave Virtual Academy liaison, an Indian Hill High School teacher, who will guide and facilitate each high school student's learning experience.
“All grade levels will have an emphasis on whole class, small group live interactions and asynchronous activities,” explained Dr. Stewart. “We are extremely excited to offer this as an option for our families who are worried about face-to-face learning during COVID-19.
“Dr. Given is a proven leader in online education and will be integral in elevating the Brave Virtual Academy to the level of excellence synonymous with an Indian Hill education.”
“As a self-proclaimed life-long learner, I have made it a priority to seek out best practices to engage students in deep and meaningful learning experiences both in the classroom and across distance,” said Dr. Given. “In my work with graduate students, I've had the opportunity to coach teachers on how to best use technology to leverage learning in grades K-12. I look forward to collaborating with our online teachers and supporting our students and families in our Brave Virtual Academy this year.
“The Indian Hill educational mission ensures the intellectual development, personal growth, and social responsibility of each student. I and my fellow educators will use our experience and expertise to make each child’s year in the Brave Virtual Academy a great one!”
Photo caption: Dr. Kim Given will lead the Brave Virtual Academy for the Indian Hill School District during the 2020-2021 school year.