State College Area School District Virtual Academy Option

Our SCASD Elementary Virtual Academy will be offered as a choice for families as they consider their needs for the fall. Our virtual academy option is for families who want their children to learn from home, and who want a less structured approach to their children's day than is provided in the remote option. In this option, students will be assigned to a SCASD teacher, but it may not be a teacher from their assigned school. Students will be a part of a virtual classroom of students from across our district who participate in our virtual academy. There is not a set schedule to the day and students engage in assigned grade level asynchronous experiences that include both on screen and off screen activities. Students will engage in some synchronous experiences such as class meetings and small group instruction as well as one on one check ins. Our virtual academy is not self-paced; students complete assigned tasks just as they would in school. This option works well for families and students who want a more independent approach and schedule to a virtual experience. In addition there are specials, and other services such as special education, counseling, gifted, etc.

For more information about the virtual academy we are recommending, pending Board approval, please see the following links:

  • FuelEducation Curriculum We will be working to align the Fuel curriculum with our SCASD curriculum so not all of the courses and modules on this link will be available as part of our virtual academy.

  • A Day in the Life of a Student: https://dil.k12.com/

  • Sample Lessons: https://www.k12.com/online-public-schools/k-8-program-courses/sample-lessons.html

  • K-1: 30% online/ 70% offline

  • 2-4: 45% online/ 55% offline

  • 5th: 70% online/ 30% offline

    • Example: If a student is in 3rd grade they will have (3 hours online, 2-3 roughly of offline activities). Developmentally, students are not advised to be online 100% of the time in grades K-4, which we have built our content around.

  • Generally, parents will need to support their child for 1-3 hours a day depending on the grade and the level of independence of the student for thing like logging in, setting up student activities, ensuring work is completed, reporting attendance, answering questions.

At SCASD, we offer eight brick and mortar schools. We also offer a virtual school, taught by SCASD teachers who assign the lessons from the Virtual Academy. Our Virtual Academy will provide:

    • An online platform that allows for more asynchronous, flexibly scheduled learning

    • An online platform that is aligned to the same standards our curriculum follows

    • Instruction by virtual SCASD teachers

    • Virtual classrooms that include:

      • SCASD curriculum standards

      • Teachers will offer experiences in reading, writing, math, science, social studies, and specials.

      • Virtual classroom community building through synchronous Zoom sessions

      • Scheduled office hours for one on one support

      • SCASD Resources - supplies and instructional materials like manipulatives

      • SCASD Instructional technology tools - Chromebook, Zoom, IXL, MyOn, etc.

      • SCASD services such as gifted support, counseling services, special education, Title I, ESL, etc. and provided by SCASD teachers.

Virtual Academy enrollment will provide a more flexible approach to a daily schedule for families who may need that. (Our remote plan has a more structured schedule).