Dr. Darrell Johnson, Executive Director, Provost Academy South Carolina
August 18, 2010
UpstateBizSC:
You are the executive director for Provost Academy South Carolina. What is Provost Academy South Carolina?
Dr. Darrell Johnson:
Provost Academy is the only public online high school in South Carolina backed by EdisonLearning, the nation’s largest partner to public school districts and communities, with nearly two decades of proven experience improving results for students in schools throughout the country.
As a state-authorized public online school that is free of charge to residents of South Carolina, Provost Academy offers high school students the choice of a quality online learning experience that is engaging, personalized, and flexible.
Students work toward their South Carolina public high school diploma – recognized by colleges and employers – as they would in a traditional school, but in the convenient, safe environment of their own home, using the internet to connect to the classroom.
Provost Academy South Carolina brings students and parents a powerful tradition of proven results and innovation in public school education.
LowcountryBizSC:
Why was Provost Academy South Carolina created?
Dr. Darrell Johnson:
Provost Academy South Carolina was created to address the need in South Carolina for a challenging and flexible education option for students who want or need something different from traditional high schools. Thousands of parents, students, and educators have voiced the need for increased public school options in South Carolina. Provost Academy South Carolina helps to keep students interested and excited about school, working on a schedule that makes sense for them, thus helping to increase graduation rates, which are as low as 50% in some South Carolina communities. The reasons Provost Academy South Carolina might be a better choice for students are broad: from gifted students who want a more challenging and diverse curriculum to those who are distracted or feel unsafe at school; students who struggle and need their own pace and more individual attention, to those who need a flexible schedule to meet family and life obligations; at Provost Academy South Carolina, every student can succeed.
LowcountryBizSC:
What is the curriculum like at Provost Academy South Carolina?
Dr. Darrell Johnson:
Provost Academy South Carolina provides the standard South Carolina curriculum – students who attend Provost Academy South Carolina will meet the same requirements as those attending a traditional school. Provost Academy South Carolina does however offer a rich selection of unique courses. In addition to rigorous coverage of core subjects, Provost Academy South Carolina offers courses that introduce students to a unique variety of topics, such as forensics, astronomy, sports science, computer science, foreign languages and technological sciences. These courses have a dual purpose of engaging students in the scientific content as well as teaching innovative thinking and problem solving skills to ensure success after high school.
Provost Academy courses uniquely engage students and address multiple learning styles through an expertly designed multi-media mix of streaming videos, flash-based activities, podcasts, text and voice discussion forums, blog writing, on-demand synchronous tutoring, web exploration and research, objective and subjective assessments, Discovery Education® videos, custom textbooks and much more.
The courses were designed by leading experts with nearly a decade of proven experience in online learning. Provost Academy courses were also developed in partnership with Dr. Paul Kim, Assistant Dean of the Stanford University School of Education.
LowcountryBizSC:
What makes you the right person for this particular job?
Dr. Darrell Johnson:
As executive director of Provost Academy South Carolina, I bring not only thirty-plus years of experience in education as both an administrator and teacher; but also leadership and vision as an early pioneer in the use of online education technology to open the classroom to the world and accelerate learning for students.
I was one of the first public school administrators in the country to provide laptop computers to high school students; implemented virtual online courses for high school students at risk of dropping out of school; and was an active member of the South Carolina Department of Education’s Virtual School Task Force.
Prior to accepting my current position, I served as superintendent for the Orangeburg (SC) Consolidated District 4, where all four of the high schools received Palmetto Gold Awards in 2008, and the entire District was recognized for closing the achievement gap. In addition, I served as associate superintendent to the Charleston County School District, and as director of personnel in the Darlington County School District.
LowcountryBizSC:
Provost Academy South Carolina just completed its first year. Were you pleased with first year results?
Dr. Darrell Johnson:
Absolutely. We had approximately 1,500 students enrolled for our 2009/2010 school year and they all performed remarkably well. We graduated 52 seniors in June and we inducted five students into the National Honor Society in May.
LowcountryBizSC:
Tell us a little about your extended year schooling program
Dr. Darrell Johnson:
We offered extended year schooling for our students this summer which began on July 1. Many students chose to be a part of this program. The option was offered for students who wanted to accelerate their education or for those who needed additional time to complete assignments. Flexibility is one of the key benefits of online learning. Extending the school year to meet the individual needs of our students was an obvious step to take. We treat our students as young adults. We provide them with the tools and flexibility they need to succeed and we allow them to choose the course that best applies to their needs and capabilities.
LowcountryBizSC:
If a student is interested in finding additional information about Provost Academy South Carolina how would they do so?
Dr. Darrell Johnson:
For those interested in enrolling I would direct them to call our enrollment line at (877) 265-3195. They can also find valuable information at our website, www.SC.ProvostAcademy.com or on our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/ProvostAcademySouthCarolina.
