Letter from our Head of School
Welcome Parents, Caregivers, and Other Learning Coaches!
As head of the Ohio Virtual Academy (OHVA), I'd like to introduce the school to you by sharing a little about the school's history. OHVA began its operations in September 2002 as a publicly funded community school in the state of Ohio. Today, we are touching the lives of approximately 6,000 students in grades K-12 from across the state.
OHVA was chartered in Lucas County through a charter contract with the Ohio Council of Community Schools. The governing authority for OHVA is the Board of Trustees.
While OHVA is a publicly funded, tuition-free community school, it is also a virtual school. Students are educated outside the traditional classroom, using Internet technology and traditional teaching materials. The heart of the program is the K¹² Online School (K-8) and the K¹² Learning Management System (9-12). This extensive curriculum and school management tool is graphically delivered over the Internet and includes lessons, mastery tests, lesson planning tools, attendance tools, and progress screens. The scope and sequence of this curriculum and the technology for its delivery have been developed by K12 Inc.
The OHVA program is rich and complete. Licensed teachers work with parents and students using a blend of traditional and technology-based teaching strategies and support. Each month, outings to museums, science centers, and sometimes just roller-skating in the park are organized by OHVA faculty to bring students and parents together for "outside-the-classroom" activities. Educational “ClassConnects” (web-based sessions) are offered for students who may benefit from added instruction in a particular subject or for learning coaches who need additional assistance in supporting their students.
The school's program is challenging. Parents can expect students to work approximately five to six hours per day to maintain a typical school year's pace for accomplishing lessons associated with assigned grade levels. The curriculum is flexible enough to challenge students according to their mastery of skills. Most students (K-8) spend about 10 to 20 percent of their day actually online and the rest of their time working offline in workbooks, printed lessons, or other related activities. High school students spend the majority of their learning time on the K12 online Learning Management System. OHVA students participate in state achievement testing like all other public school students.
In addition to the K¹² curriculum, OHVA families receive a computer and a printer on loan, as well as teaching materials, including texts, novels, workbooks, math manipulatives, musical instruments, science experiments, and just about everything you need in the way of supplemental supplies—all at no cost to the parent.
We are proud of our school and welcome your inquiries. If you would like to hear more about us, please call our main offices in Maumee, part of the greater Toledo metropolitan area, at 419.482.0948. We look forward to assisting you.
Sincerely,
Jeff Shaw
Head of School
