virtual academy - how’s it going?

[Anonymous]

For those who are doing MCPS virtual academy this year - how’s it going? Can you provide a review so far - pros and cons? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

It's great! Small class sizes and lots of individual instruction (at least at the middle level)

[Anonymous]

Another very happy with VA. Teachers for the most part have been excellent and they are really making an effort each year to make things better/improve and listen to parent feedback. The main con is the social aspect. Academics/teachers are the pro.

[Anonymous]

So far so good here too. It’s a welcoming environment, helps my son organize homework, missing assignments. Coursework is adequately challenging. He’s gotten individualized comments on homework assignments, which are helpful. There have been a few meet ups that I didn’t attend but glad to have them so it feels like a sense of community. Of course socially it’s a disadvantage but I did hear my son engaging with others in breakout rooms. He’s in sports 4x a week so that is my compromise for social activities. We’re new this year and pleasantly surprised.

[Anonymous]

My high schooler is also having a great experience! The teachers are good and dedicated to the VA concept, which I think helps. The only thing that I worry about, and am trying to solve, is the isolation factor.

[Anonymous]

Agree with the others- the education part has been superior, in part due to the smaller class sizes. But you can’t really replicate the socialization piece with a couple sports practices per week (and one of my kids is not really into sports so still searching for a Covid-safe activity for them). We will re-evaluate next year depending on new vaccines and treatments, just not possible this year with no mitigation in mcps.

[Anonymous]

What is the average size of classes in high school?

[Anonymous]

Just curious why you are asking?

[Anonymous]

Do they let people take just one course at VA? FOr example, a language or specialty math class not offered at the home school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do they let people take just one course at VA? FOr example, a language or specialty math class not offered at the home school?

In some situations yes, but its more of a future goal than currently happening except in specific situations. It really depends if the home school with work with them. VA doesn't have a lot of languages available right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do they let people take just one course at VA? FOr example, a language or specialty math class not offered at the home school?

In some situations yes, but its more of a future goal than currently happening except in specific situations. It really depends if the home school with work with them. VA doesn't have a lot of languages available right now.

Thanks. I was hoping we might have an option outside of French or Spanish next year for MS, and that maybe that could happen through VA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do they let people take just one course at VA? FOr example, a language or specialty math class not offered at the home school?

In some situations yes, but its more of a future goal than currently happening except in specific situations. It really depends if the home school with work with them. VA doesn't have a lot of languages available right now.

Thanks. I was hoping we might have an option outside of French or Spanish next year for MS, and that maybe that could happen through VA.

They only offer French and Spanish.