Virtual Academy 2022-2023

[Anonymous]

Have there been any indications whether VA will continue next school year? When do you think this decision will be announced?

[Anonymous]

Of course it's open. VA was in the works before the pandemic.

It is meant as a stand-alone virtual school within MCPS, to cater to competitive athletes, artists, medically fragile students, or anyone with particular needs for whom either crowded schools or the typical school schedule doesn't work. The day is still structured like an in-person school day (this year they have block scheduling, like some magnet schools), but students can move around if they need to travel for competitions or other things.

My kids are in the VA now, and while we like it and appreciate all the administrators and teachers, who are hard-working and competent, we're probably going back in-person for next year, for various reasons. Which leaves a spot for your kid...
We had until Jan 17th to confirm our attendance for next year. We did not confirm it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course it's open. VA was in the works before the pandemic.

It is meant as a stand-alone virtual school within MCPS, to cater to competitive athletes, artists, medically fragile students, or anyone with particular needs for whom either crowded schools or the typical school schedule doesn't work. The day is still structured like an in-person school day (this year they have block scheduling, like some magnet schools), but students can move around if they need to travel for competitions or other things.

My kids are in the VA now, and while we like it and appreciate all the administrators and teachers, who are hard-working and competent, we're probably going back in-person for next year, for various reasons. Which leaves a spot for your kid...
We had until Jan 17th to confirm our attendance for next year. We did not confirm it.

It's interesting they wouldn't expand it, given the interest?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course it's open. VA was in the works before the pandemic.

It is meant as a stand-alone virtual school within MCPS, to cater to competitive athletes, artists, medically fragile students, or anyone with particular needs for whom either crowded schools or the typical school schedule doesn't work. The day is still structured like an in-person school day (this year they have block scheduling, like some magnet schools), but students can move around if they need to travel for competitions or other things.

My kids are in the VA now, and while we like it and appreciate all the administrators and teachers, who are hard-working and competent, we're probably going back in-person for next year, for various reasons. Which leaves a spot for your kid...
We had until Jan 17th to confirm our attendance for next year. We did not confirm it.

It's interesting they wouldn't expand it, given the interest?

There are discussions of expanding it. It is funded for the next few years. But, expanding it means more funding. It's in its first year. Give them time to get it figured out.

It is open to anyone and not just those listed above. I don't know if it was in the works pre-covid but it has been announced its here to stay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course it's open. VA was in the works before the pandemic.

It is meant as a stand-alone virtual school within MCPS, to cater to competitive athletes, artists, medically fragile students, or anyone with particular needs for whom either crowded schools or the typical school schedule doesn't work. The day is still structured like an in-person school day (this year they have block scheduling, like some magnet schools), but students can move around if they need to travel for competitions or other things.

My kids are in the VA now, and while we like it and appreciate all the administrators and teachers, who are hard-working and competent, we're probably going back in-person for next year, for various reasons. Which leaves a spot for your kid...
We had until Jan 17th to confirm our attendance for next year. We did not confirm it.

It's interesting they wouldn't expand it, given the interest?

They want to expand. One reason we're leaving is that my high schooler wants to go up to AP Latin, and the VA could not offer it this year, and will probably not have enough student interest to offer it next year. Since his home school offers it, he'll probably make the switch. My middle schooler wanted to take Global Humanities, but they only have World Studies, or whatever it's called. If they expanded, they'd be able to offer the whole roster of courses.

That being said, I want to note here that they hired teachers and administrators who WANTED to be part of the VA. So the online nature of the courses has not posed an issue - these are all tech-savvy teachers and people who want to build something from the ground up. The VA administration was understandably overwhelmed at the beginning of the school year, but I really admire all their hard work and dedication. The dean of the upper school in particular, Steven Orders, is wonderful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course it's open. VA was in the works before the pandemic.

It is meant as a stand-alone virtual school within MCPS, to cater to competitive athletes, artists, medically fragile students, or anyone with particular needs for whom either crowded schools or the typical school schedule doesn't work. The day is still structured like an in-person school day (this year they have block scheduling, like some magnet schools), but students can move around if they need to travel for competitions or other things.

My kids are in the VA now, and while we like it and appreciate all the administrators and teachers, who are hard-working and competent, we're probably going back in-person for next year, for various reasons. Which leaves a spot for your kid...
We had until Jan 17th to confirm our attendance for next year. We did not confirm it.

It's interesting they wouldn't expand it, given the interest?

They want to expand. One reason we're leaving is that my high schooler wants to go up to AP Latin, and the VA could not offer it this year, and will probably not have enough student interest to offer it next year. Since his home school offers it, he'll probably make the switch. My middle schooler wanted to take Global Humanities, but they only have World Studies, or whatever it's called. If they expanded, they'd be able to offer the whole roster of courses.

That being said, I want to note here that they hired teachers and administrators who WANTED to be part of the VA. So the online nature of the courses has not posed an issue - these are all tech-savvy teachers and people who want to build something from the ground up. The VA administration was understandably overwhelmed at the beginning of the school year, but I really admire all their hard work and dedication. The dean of the upper school in particular, Steven Orders, is wonderful.

That's great feedback, thanks.

[Anonymous]

Let me guess. We need to sign up now and commit to an entire school year without knowing if the pandemic will be better or worse. If we get it wrong, we are told we failed to plan.

If the school gets it wrong, they expect to be excused.

VA should have been expanded last month and it's pure incompetence that it wasn't

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let me guess. We need to sign up now and commit to an entire school year without knowing if the pandemic will be better or worse. If we get it wrong, we are told we failed to plan.

If the school gets it wrong, they expect to be excused.

VA should have been expanded last month and it's pure incompetence that it wasn't

They aren't taking applications for next year. They are asking that you recommit now so they can get numbers.

They cannot expand because of how they are funded and they simply don't have enough staff to do it. It is run as a stand alone school so they cannot take your kids for a few weeks while you do the covid panic and then return them back to in person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let me guess. We need to sign up now and commit to an entire school year without knowing if the pandemic will be better or worse. If we get it wrong, we are told we failed to plan.

If the school gets it wrong, they expect to be excused.

VA should have been expanded last month and it's pure incompetence that it wasn't

It will be over. People will still get covid. If you 100% do not want to get covid get a virtual job, apply to virtual academy, do delivery or pick up and wear a M-95 fitted tight enough to leave marks. Not kidding. So you should make your decision based on the assumption that covid will be around and MCPS will be normal because anymore than a few more months of this and society is going to pull apart at the seams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let me guess. We need to sign up now and commit to an entire school year without knowing if the pandemic will be better or worse. If we get it wrong, we are told we failed to plan.

If the school gets it wrong, they expect to be excused.

VA should have been expanded last month and it's pure incompetence that it wasn't

It will be over. People will still get covid. If you 100% do not want to get covid get a virtual job, apply to virtual academy, do delivery or pick up and wear a M-95 fitted tight enough to leave marks. Not kidding. So you should make your decision based on the assumption that covid will be around and MCPS will be normal because anymore than a few more months of this and society is going to pull apart at the seams.

Your post makes zero sense. Most people are living their lives as normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let me guess. We need to sign up now and commit to an entire school year without knowing if the pandemic will be better or worse. If we get it wrong, we are told we failed to plan.

If the school gets it wrong, they expect to be excused.

VA should have been expanded last month and it's pure incompetence that it wasn't

They aren't taking applications for next year. They are asking that you recommit now so they can get numbers.

They cannot expand because of how they are funded and they simply don't have enough staff to do it. It is run as a stand alone school so they cannot take your kids for a few weeks while you do the covid panic and then return them back to in person.

2,200 people are dying every day this week in the USA, but you keep pretending we aren’t in a pandemic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let me guess. We need to sign up now and commit to an entire school year without knowing if the pandemic will be better or worse. If we get it wrong, we are told we failed to plan.

If the school gets it wrong, they expect to be excused.

VA should have been expanded last month and it's pure incompetence that it wasn't

They aren't taking applications for next year. They are asking that you recommit now so they can get numbers.

They cannot expand because of how they are funded and they simply don't have enough staff to do it. It is run as a stand alone school so they cannot take your kids for a few weeks while you do the covid panic and then return them back to in person.

2,200 people are dying every day this week in the USA, but you keep pretending we aren’t in a pandemic.

I am not pretending anything. My kids are virtual. If you want yours and they are not, you can homeschool or pay for a private program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let me guess. We need to sign up now and commit to an entire school year without knowing if the pandemic will be better or worse. If we get it wrong, we are told we failed to plan.

If the school gets it wrong, they expect to be excused.

VA should have been expanded last month and it's pure incompetence that it wasn't

They aren't taking applications for next year. They are asking that you recommit now so they can get numbers.

They cannot expand because of how they are funded and they simply don't have enough staff to do it. It is run as a stand alone school so they cannot take your kids for a few weeks while you do the covid panic and then return them back to in person.

Where did the funding come from? Just curious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let me guess. We need to sign up now and commit to an entire school year without knowing if the pandemic will be better or worse. If we get it wrong, we are told we failed to plan.

If the school gets it wrong, they expect to be excused.

VA should have been expanded last month and it's pure incompetence that it wasn't

They aren't taking applications for next year. They are asking that you recommit now so they can get numbers.

They cannot expand because of how they are funded and they simply don't have enough staff to do it. It is run as a stand alone school so they cannot take your kids for a few weeks while you do the covid panic and then return them back to in person.

Where did the funding come from? Just curious.

Covid funds. The money per student still goes to the home school. They plan to change it in the future but right now it’s minimal funding for just basically staffing only and they are not even adequately staffed. They do a great job with what they have but they are not equal in terms of funding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let me guess. We need to sign up now and commit to an entire school year without knowing if the pandemic will be better or worse. If we get it wrong, we are told we failed to plan.

If the school gets it wrong, they expect to be excused.

VA should have been expanded last month and it's pure incompetence that it wasn't

They aren't taking applications for next year. They are asking that you recommit now so they can get numbers.

They cannot expand because of how they are funded and they simply don't have enough staff to do it. It is run as a stand alone school so they cannot take your kids for a few weeks while you do the covid panic and then return them back to in person.

Where did the funding come from? Just curious.

Covid funds. The money per student still goes to the home school. They plan to change it in the future but right now it’s minimal funding for just basically staffing only and they are not even adequately staffed. They do a great job with what they have but they are not equal in terms of funding.

Covid funds from the federal govt? Or state?