RADFORD – Radford City Public Schools’ involvement in the newly-created Region VII Virtual Academy will provide an on-line school option for Radford students starting in the upcoming school year.
RCPS has joined several other school divisions in Region 7 in the creation of the on-line academy.
“As many of you are aware, we will continue to have two learning platforms, virtual and in person, during the next school year,” RCPS recently announced. “Region VII has created a Regional Virtual Academy in order to help us provide the most robust virtual learning platform possible.
“Through the academy, we have been able to establish partnerships with Virtual Virginia (VV) of the Virginia Department of Education and Virginia Virtual (VAVA) of Stride, formally known as K12,” the announcement continued. “These are the two platforms our students who choose to be fully virtual may use (they will choose one) during 2021-2022.”
More information on the Virtual Academy can be found at www.rcps.org, including a video and a survey.
The Region VII Virtual Academy “was established as a joint-operated school to alleviate the participating school division demands of providing both remote and in-person learning
opportunities,” according to the academy’s memorandum of understanding. “Participating school divisions believe students in these small, rural divisions can be better served by collaborating with one another in order to produce a quality virtual learning environment for students.”
The academy “aims to provide 21st-century educational opportunities for students in Southwest Virginia,” believing “students can thrive in an environment that immerses them in interactive learning while equipping them with the necessary skills to interact and be successful in an ever-changing, progressive workforce.”
It allows students to utilize remote instruction “without losing the connectedness to their school division of residence.”
There is no cost to students and families. The initial investment in the academy was $10,000 per school division.
“The cost per remote pupil depends on the organization the student and family chooses” to provide the virtual learning, said RCPS Superintendent Robert Graham..
The participating school divisions are: Bland County, Bristol City, Buchanan County, Carroll County, Galax City, Giles County, Norton City, Pulaski County, Radford City, Russell County, Smyth County, Tazewell County, Washington County and Wythe County.
— Heather Bell