A program through one Wisconsin school district is making home schooling easier. The district offers a virtual high school online -- giving parents the opportunity to home school their children with dozens of teachers ready to help ... at the push of a button.
"Pretty much, every day I'll go to the homepage," iQ Academies student Henry Holmes says.
That's how Henry Holmes enters his high school. He never worries about what to wear because he lets his fingertips do the walking.
"You can still do a little homework in pajamas, or go on the couch to finish algebra or something," Holmes says.
Holmes has a complete workload through iQ Academies at Wisconsin -- an online high school offered by the Waukesha School District.
"We are a regular high school. We have certified teachers for every course. We have guidance counselors, we have principals, we have organizations for kids to take part in," science teacher Tom Young says.
Henry's mother, Ann, is a former public school teacher but quit to home school her children.
"When this came along, it was just the perfect marriage," she says.
Ann is still involved in her son's curriculum but enjoys access to other teachers and the flexibility.
"It's not like the homework has to be crammed in, after supper when everybody's tired until bedtime, we've got all day for all of that give and take," she says.
Sometimes, Henry's day starts with what's called Elluminates.
"It's the equivalent of a virtual classroom," Henry says.
Henry joins other students and their teacher for a live lesson, complete with a whiteboard and dialogue.
"So that's raising your hand, you can smile ... clap, that's confusion," he says, pointing to icons on the screen.
The Holmes went to an information session like this one to learn about the program.
Tom Young is a full-time science teacher for iQ Academies.
He says enrollment has climbed from a couple of hundred students in its first year to about 600 students this year.
"We had dances, picnics outings ... where kids can get together if they choose," Young says.
But Young also says the program is not for everyone.
"You gotta take a look at what really fits the educational needs of your child," he says.
Henry says the program fits his needs, academically and otherwise. It leaves room to keep friends inside -- and make friends outside of his hometown.
"I'm still involved ... dance, soccer ... "
Students who enroll get a laptop computer, a printer and a stipend for internet access.
If you missed Saturday's open house, you can catch another one, next weekend.
It's at the Howard Johnson on Madison's East Side from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.