2013-2014 School Year
Updated 3 September 2013
Directions: This form is a tool for site facilitators, counselors and administrators discussing enrollment in Montana Digital Academy with their students. MTDA believes all students need a full appreciation of the rigor and requirements of their online course to be successful.
Please discuss each item with students then provide them with a copy of the form to help them understand the next steps. Note, the
Entrance Counseling Forms/expectations vary greatly between Original Credit and Connect Credit Recovery.
Questions to discuss with the student:
No faxing needed this year! All Written work will be submitted through a dropbox directly inside each course. Please print the “Pacing Guide” and read through the Student Getting Started
Material in each course before starting on module work.
Do you understand that your online MTDA Connect course requires 3-5 hours of work per week per course (or more if you are starting late in the term) to finish in a timely manner?
Do you know that you will be limited to taking one Credit Recovery class at a time during the year?
Do you have a plan for proctoring unit/semester post-tests at the school with a school official?
Do you have access to a reliable method for creating and submitting written (typed) work?
Do you understand that although the deadline for the Fall courses will be January 17, 2014 for
MTDA, you will be required and expected to make consistent progress through the modules and units starting on the first day of access? Note: Your school may have a different deadline for
completing your course so check with your site facilitator.
Do you understand that it is your responsibility to contact MTDA staff with technical problems before assignment and course deadlines or if any log-in difficulties arise?
Do you understand that if you do not make adequate progress during three consecutive weeks any time during the semester that you may be dropped?
Do you have consistent access to a computer with broadband Internet access?
Have you planned for alternative access (public library, school, friends, etc.) should your main computer access disappear and for access during any extended time away from school?
Do you know how to log into the class? http://montanadigitalacademy.wikispaces.com/Student+Log+In+Directions+to+MTDA+Connect
Shortly after you enroll in your first class, you should become familiar with your coach. English,
Math, Science Social Studies, Computer Tech and Health coaches are available to help with the curriculum and grading of written work. Coach names will be listed in your “academic snapshot” and their contact information is listed under “course information” in GeniusSIS.
Do you know how to contact your local school facilitator? They will assist you in submitting written work when needed and will proctor your unit and semester finals.
What happens next?
Usernames and Passwords
Existing Students: Your existing username and password should continue to work. If not, please contact your site facilitator to help you look up your username and reset your password.
New students: After you are enrolled by your site facilitator, you will receive your username/password RIGHT AWAY via email. If you don’t receive this email, please contact your site facilitator to help you look up your username and reset your password.

Student Orientation
The MTDA Connect Student Getting Started Guide is located directly inside each class inside the “MTDA Connect Students Start
Here” folder.
Course Starting Date and Logging In
Fall 2013 MTDA Connect Credit Recovery courses start on September 3, 2013. Students may enroll in Connect courses at that time and begin taking them right away. Note: Courses are now available right away after enrollment. Spring enrollments will begin on
October 7,2013 with all Fall students finishing by January 17, 2014. Students should login during the first 48 hours after they receive
their log in instructions to assure their course is correct and all login directions work reliably.
To login:
1.) Go to http://www.montanadigitalacademy.org
2.) Click on “STUDENTS & PARENTS” in the link bar on top of the page.
3.) Read announcements for students on the left-hand side of the page each day
4.) Login to GeniusSIS on the right side of the students & parents page.
5.) Notice that your course is listed in your “Academic Snapshot” with your coach’s name beside each course.
6.) To get to your courses, click on a course name under the “Academic Snapshot” box in GeniusSIS.
7.) Begin the Connect curriculum by reading the “Connect Students Start Here” material, printing the pacing guide, then taking the pre-test for unit 1.
8.) Any module you test out of after the pre-test will be marked with a blue “e” for exempt. All other modules should be worked through to completion and are “mastered” when you have passed the module tests with an 80% or better.
9.) Module mastery tests are locked after two tries. Contact your facilitator or coach for help in getting them unlocked.
10.) Dropbox Activity work is submitted through a dropbox for that assignment to coaches for grading. A comprehensive checklist of work to complete for each class will be available inside each class folder as a “Pacing Guide”. No FAXING needed!
11.) Unit and Semester Post-tests are locked and you will need to arrange for a proctor in your district to monitor your test and a local school facilitator to unlock them during that designated proctoring time.
Contacts for Help
If you run into problems, please use the following contact information to get help!
Your Local Site Facilitator for unlocking and proctoring Unit/Semester tests or for guidance during the semester:
Curriculum questions, unlocking mastery tests or assistance with grading of written dropbox activities:
Academic Area Coaches
Look them up in your academic dashboard and under
course information in GeniusSIS.
Usernames and passwords, Genius and Technical Support Questions:
Ryan Schrenk
MTDA Instructional Program Mgr. ryan.schrenk@montanadigitalacademy.org
(preferred contact method)
406-243-6122 (M-F, 7am-4pm)
Coach Contacts
During the first week of class, use this sheet to write down email addresses and phone contact numbers of your coaches should you need to contact them later and lose access:
Class: _______________________________
Coach Name: ________________________
Contact Information:
Please use this tool for new and existing students to determine readiness and provide help and contact information. If you have feedback concerning this tool, please contact Ryan Schrenk, ryan.schrenk@montanadigitalacademy.org
.