Home School Support Network

Encouraging and Equipping Home School Parents

Frequently Asked Questions

These are frequently asked questions (FAQ) and answers for students and parents.

How are classes delivered?
  • The classes are taught by way of video that can be accessed over the Internet. Your child joins the class using a computer to connect to the Internet from the comfort of your home. The teacher provides class sessions that may contain additional assignments to view information on the Home School Support Network Online Academy (HSSN) web site. The teacher may present material using the virtual blackboard, a slide presentations, video demonstrations, desktop sharing, and/or lectures. Your child can interact with the teacher and ask questions using the Online Academy web site. The length of the class is determined by the teacher. Most class sessions will average about one hour in length. Students will also be assigned additional work such as reading from books and Internet resources that result in reports posted/uploaded to the Online Academy web site. The Online academy web site also provides a feature to quiz or test your child. You may be asked to proctor (supervise) a graded quiz or test.
What are the technical requirements to participate in a class as a student?
    1. A computer meeting the following technical specifications for:

      Windows

      • 2.0GHz Intel® Pentium® 4 or faster processor (or equivalent) for Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1
      • Windows 8.1 (32-bit/64-bit), Windows 8 (32-bit/64-bit), Windows 7 (32-bit/64-bit)
      • 2GB of RAM (4GB recommended) for Windows 7 or Windows 8
      • XGA (1024×768) or higher display
      • Microsoft Internet Explorer 8, 9, 10, 11; Mozilla Firefox; Google Chrome
      • Adobe® Flash® Player 11.2+

      Mac OS X

      • 1.83GHz Intel Core™ Duo or faster processor
      • 2GBB of RAM (4GB recommended)
      • Mac OS X 10.7.4, 10.8, 10.9
      • XGA (1024×768) or higher display
      • Mozilla Firefox; Apple Safari; Google Chrome
      • Adobe Flash Player 11.2+
      • VMWare Fusion 6 or later (approximately $69)

      Linux

      • Ubuntu 12.04; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; OpenSuSE 12.2
      • No Add-in support for Linux. Users on Linux can attend meetings in the browser.
      • XGA (1024×768) or higher display
      • Mozilla Firefox
      • Adobe Flash Player 11.2+
    2. A high-speed Internet connection via Cable, DSL, or other broadband services
    3. A headset with built-in microphone that works on your computer is recommended for the periodic live Q&A sessions. If you do not already have a headset. I recommend the Plantronics .Audio 655 USB Multimedia Headset (approx. $35 on Amazon and is a one-time purchase to be used in all our classes.) It will be used for live interaction with the teacher during Q&A sessions using Adobe Connect collaboration software.
Can parents observe the classes?
  • YES! We encourage all parents to join the class and actually require parents to monitor children under 13 years of age.
Can parents enroll in the classes?
  • YES! Absolutely. While we target home school students, anyone can register and take a class.
Do students have to be homeschooled to take a class?
  • No. Our primary target audience is Christian homeschoolers, but classes are open to anyone. Christian homeschoolers will be very comfortable knowing they are in a class led by a teacher who shares their faith.
Do classes meet state standards?
  • We believe that parents should decide what is best for their children. Each class should be monitored and evaluated by parents to ensure that the content meets the needs of their family including any state or local education standards with jurisdiction over their family. The South Carolina Career and Technology Education (CATE) programs are used as a guide for some courses. However, these are just guides and home school parents should evaluate and monitor all classes, homework, and extracurricular activities to determine the amount of credit give to each child for a particular class.