The 2024-2025 School Year Begins August 20, 2024

Enrollment is open now for the upcoming school year.  Please download the calendar to the right, in the purple box.  We will schedule your orientation, and get you prepared for ordering your books for the school year.

K-5

Curriculum Guides (what we teach) are available by clicking to the right.  3rd Grade is currently being revised, and will be uploaded here shortly.  The Curriculum Guides address topics and units of study for each of the grade levels, and go into detail about the lessons for each. 

In K-5, Orion provides the teacher and the content for English Language Arts/Reading, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and Foreign Language.  The parent provides the structure for learners to engage in physical education, art/culture, and Bible study.

By providing the learning space and by logging in for the learner, the parent allows the space and time for the learner to complete the online work.  The parent provides the structure around which learners have the daily time for each of the content areas, doing and completing 'homework', meeting with the teacher via video conference, and engaging in learning through an established daily schedule at home. 

Books or Workbooks

Parents are provided with ordering information for workbooks or for other book resources that are used in the lessons.  Upon enrollment, we will direct you to the correct books for ordering.  Workbooks may also be ordered at the same time. These are not required, as you may print through the lesson, for each day, or week.

Structure

The structure of K-5 is online learning lessons that are standards aligned, and that provide for concepts to be learned at particular grade levels.  By learning the standards that are grade-level specific, learners are able to move at an appropriate pace, while still engaging in physical activity, arts, and Bible.  The Course Guide that can be downloaded  on this page, provides detailed description of learning at each of the grade levels in Kindergarten-Fifth. 

Phonics

In Grades K-2, Orion provides phonics based instruction in order to provide a firm foundation for early readers to begin to experience success in their reading.  While the Phonics curriculum is structured to maintain some integration, it is still taught as stand-alone phonics, for the purposes stated above.

Reading (Language Arts)

K-5 learners are instructed in reading, and complete a comprehensive reading program that support writing, speaking, listening, and reading, and follows the standards for learning established by Texas (TEKS).

Mathematics

K-5 Mathematics consists of lessons that are aligned to the standards.  We recommend the purchase of our adopted textbook for mathematics.

Science

K-5 Science consists of weekly lessons that support student's learning and curiosity about the world around them.  Students explore science through observation and study.

Social Studies

K-5 Social Studies centers on grade level instruction in United States History, early history, from the founding.

World Languages

K-5 learners participate in Spanish learning for each year they are enrolled.

K-5 Is On a Traditional Calendar

K-5 operates on a traditional calendar, and includes 180 days of learning.  That allows learners to have an entry point any time during the K-5 School Year.  The current calendar is at the right side in the downloads area.

Please note, that unlike 6-12, K-5 operates M-F, and all learning is structured, and is online.  Parents must provide the daily routine/structure and must either print the  workbooks or order them from Orion.  The official calendar also has start end dates for semesters, and grading periods, as well as for traditional holidays.  We have constructed a traditional calendar for K-5 to allow for movement between schools.

End of Grade Level Testing Requirement

After completing the grade level, and prior to taking time off (i.e. summer), the learner is required to participate in Orion's end of grade level testing.  The assessment is required for 3rd, 4th, and 5th end of grade levels.  The data are part of Orion's reporting requirements to the Association of Christian Teachers and Schools, and provides and good analysis for continued curriculum development.

Sample

Here is a sample third grade science lesson about plant and animal cells.  You will need to enter orion as the password to view the lesson.

Accreditation Information

K-5 is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools and by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Teacher Meetings

Parents and learners (often together) are required to meet a minimum of one time weekly with the teacher.   The teacher may hold office hours for each content area, so, for example, the teacher may dedicate Mondays to math, Tuesdays to Science, etc.  Those meetings are required so that the teacher can intervene if necessary, and/or provide supplemental teaching to the learner.  Those meetings are held via video conference.

Tuition

Tuition is monthly for K-5.  At checkout, please create a user account for the learner - parents will sign in for the learner.  The user account is required so that the learner's name is in the teacher grade book.

Orientation

After enrolling and completing the checkout process, we will schedule a time for Orientation with the parent and the learner.