The Bartow County School System will cease operation of its Distance Learning program at the end of this academic year and provide an opportunity for students to enroll into the Bartow Virtual Academy (BVA).
All rising sixth through 12th-grade students who are interested in online learning may complete an application May 3-28 to be considered for the program. This completely online learning option will not be available for students in pre-K through fifth-grade. Sixth through eighth-grade students choosing BVA are committing to the program for an entire academic year, while ninth through 12th-grade students are committing for at least one semester due to block scheduling.
“This virtual academy is best suited for our small population of students who flourish and demonstrate academic success in a non-traditional school environment,” said Deputy Superintendent Dr. David Chiprany. “Students who are highly motivated, need a flexible learning schedule, or just want to accelerate their learning should apply.”
The BVA uses the Edgenuity virtual learning platform and will provide a grade-level Georgia standards aligned curriculum. The program is asynchronous in nature, which means students are not expected to access video conferences, lessons, or content at a defined time but must satisfy minimum pacing guide expectations. Courses will be taught by a Georgia certified virtual teacher, not a certified Bartow County teacher. BVA will offer all required graduation courses, on-level courses, dual enrollment, work-based learning, and opportunities to accelerate and participate in base school sports and clubs. BVA will not offer band, chorus, and drama courses, gifted/honors courses, Advanced Placement (AP) courses, Fine Arts pathway, and an alternative/modified curriculum. BVA students will be required to attend their base school for any state or district-mandated assessments. Grading will be consistent with Bartow County School System grading policies. All BVA students must reapply each year to maintain enrollment for the following school year. Continued enrollment is conditionally based on the student’s successful academic progress.
Progress and pacing will be monitored for a period of 10 school days for all students at the start of each grading period. The BVA coordinator will contact the parent/guardian on the 10th day of virtual instruction to discuss possible withdrawal from BVA and transition to the student’s base school if the student is not on track to meet successful academic progress.
All applications will be evaluated for approval based on a variety of factors including grades, attendance, student-written essay, and school recommendations. You will be notified of your acceptance by writing no later than June 10, 2021, and an orientation will be required. Access to supportive services such as Exceptional Education, 504, and English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) will be available.
Homeschool students are eligible to participate in the virtual academy. Once accepted, students must enroll in their base school within the district they live. Students enrolled in BVA do their learning at home, but they are considered active students of the Bartow County School System.
“We are excited to be able to offer our students this individualized flexible learning experience that has been in development long before we were impacted by COVID-19,” said Superintendent Dr. Phillip Page. “Wonderful subcommittee work has been done to research best practices, develop a comprehensive plan for our large school system, and vet it through our Parent Advisory Council, assistant principals, principals, counselors, Guiding Coalition, school board members, and stakeholders. This is a much-needed fully online alternative for a select group of our student body.”