By John Patten, Managing Editor
Manville High School students missing classes due to illness will have an easier time catching up on lessons, after the Board of Education approved an agreement with online course provider Educere at the March 17 meeting.
Beginning in September, the Ambler, Pa., based company’s online courses will be available for students approved for home instruction, and for those needing to make up class work due to illness, with the school district picking up the tab. Students will also be able to access the Educere courses for makeup work after suspensions, Advanced Placement classes not offered at MHS, and summer school classes, however the students will have to pay the fees. Class fees range from $250 to $500.
Before the board members voted unanimously (with member Joe Lukac absent) to approve the plan, a plan to expand AP offerings through the company’s courses was discussed.
”The consensus we’ve gotten is that they (the board members) didn’t want it to be a cost to the board,” Superintendent of Schools Donald Burkhardt said.
But several board members said they thought the district should consider offering AP classes, or at least trying to gauge the interest in such class offerings. Board President Andrew Zangara said he expected there would be “some opportunity” for AP class offerings, since the district has launched a senior practicum enabling advanced students to enroll in classes at Raritan Valley Community College.
Board member Heidi Alles suggested the board could set requirements for students taking Educere AP classes.
”We could build parameters around it, so if they don’t get a ‘C’ in it, we don’t pay for it,” she said.

