Alisal Virtual Academy

We are so excited to share the news on a new school program that we are offering to the entire Alisal Community. During the March Board meeting, the Alisal School board approved the plan to open the Alisal Virtual Academy for the 2022 - 23 school year. This will be called an “Alternative School of Choice” which means it is open to any student in grades Kindergarten through Sixth in the district. The board approved plan specifically did not include transitional kindergarten since we believe online school isn’t the optimal setting for 4 year old students.

What excites us most about the Alisal Virtual Academy (or AVA for short) are all the things we have planned for it. AVA will be very different from Remote Instruction. For starters, AVA will have a physical presence so that when you need to come talk to a teacher or an administrator, you will have a place to go. Imagine a virtual school but you still have in-person connections to the educators in your child’s life. AVA students will get all new equipment, including larger chromebooks to make their learning even better. Also, to make online learning as engaging as possible, we are planning for this school to have a more hands-on approach to learning. AVA teachers will use the Experiential Learning approach.

We’re hoping for it to be a place where kids are excited to get into their online classrooms and learn by doing, making, trying things out and reflecting on how they did. We are going to have a lot more live, synchronous instruction than Remote Instruction, and AVA students will be in school for full days. Another exciting highlight that we think will make a positive impact is that we’re planning (at least) monthly in-person learning or community events per month for each grade. These could be hands-on science lessons, field trips, or activity days! We hope this gives both teachers and students a sense of classroom community, and families a sense of school community.

Please click through the slides below to learn more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why is Alisal setting up a Virtual School now?

A: Mostly due to parent demand. Parents across Monterey county want a choice in school settings.

To make sure all Alisal parents have a choice of setting for their students without needing an interdistrict transfer.

Q: Will AVA go away after COVID is “over”?

A: This largely depends on enrollment and intertest. However, although the pandemic might have been the catalyst for many online schools, virtual learning existed before the pandemic. AVA is not being planned as a temporary program. The people in the Educational Service Division want to make AVA something special and valuable to the Alisal community and the students who attend this school.
We hope it is here for a long time.

Q: How much will recorded video be used for Instruction at AVA?

A: We have heard many concerns about asynchronous lessons. We know that many parents were concerned about how much their child learned only from videos in a lesson. AVA teachers will use synchronous, live instruction far more than asynchronous.

Q: Are the instructional minutes the same as a regular school?

A: Yes! During Remote Instruction, the state was more flexible with those minutes, but now we have to fulfill them just like any school.

Q: Will AVA have support for English Language Learners?

A: Of course! This is not only a requirement by the state of california, it is a moral imperative in the Alisal community.

Q: My child has an IEP or a 504 plan, will they still be eligible?

A: Yes, AVA will provide all the same services as a brick and mortar school. In the case of students with IEPs, the entire IEP team will meet with the family to look at the placement.

Q: Where will AVA be housed?

A: It will be at the Alisal Community School Campus.

Q: Will the school hours be like the other schools in the district?

A: Yes, the start and stop times will be the same as the other Alisal schools.

Q: Will AVA have a counselor?

A: Yes, they will share a counselor with one of the traditional schools. Some of the brick and mortar schools have a smaller enrollment than others, so the counselors at those sites can take on more students?

Q: Will there be combined grade classes?

A: This depends on enrollment. We will do our best to keep the classes single grade, but it may become necessary to combine grades. We will do our best to combine grades by like ability and to try to make sure that teacher has extra support.

Q: What will the student equipment be like?

A: We are planning on buying larger, more powerful chromebooks for the AVA students as well as a new over-the-ear headset with a microphone. Hotspots may be available for families who need help with internet connectivity. There will also likely be monthly supply pick-ups for students to do hands-ons activities at home.

Q: Will AVA offer a bilingual or Dual Immersion program?

A: This will very much depend on enrollment and demand. At this point, in the first year, we are not sure there will be enough interest in a bilingual program amongst those who choose to enroll in AVA. If the demand and enrollment support a bilingual program, we will absolutely try to put one in place.