COLLIERVILLE, Tenn. — Families in Collierville will have a new learning option next year, and the school district is doubling down on digital learning.
Collierville received state approval to add a tenth school, but this school will be a totally virtual academy for grades three through 12 called Collierville Virtual Academy.
Collierville Schools says they will be the first in the Mid-South to offer the virtual academy to the primary grades. The district believes this will help learning capabilities of more children.
COVID-19 forced schools to rethink how students receive their lessons. It also meant rethinking the classroom.
Kitchen tables and living rooms transformed into the new classroom as millions of students across the country did virtual learning. For some, that model works better.
Mario Hogue with Collierville Schools says after surveying families, they saw interest in a virtual academy.
“What I’ve heard from the public is, ‘This works for our family.’ Our child is soaring academically,'” said Hogue.
Next year students in the district can enroll in Collierville Virtual Academy. Right now they’re anticipating between 500 to 700 students.
“That number will fluctuate because, as we approach the return to school ,which is August 9, we are going to see an uptick in parents who want to enroll their students in the virtual academy,” Hogue said.
“I was extremely excited,” said Angela Brunson, a PTA member at Crosswind Elementary who has two children in Collierville Schools. “There’s a lot of different reasons why parents might want that option and I’m glad that Collierville is able to provide that.”
Hogue says the new virtual academy is an example of lasting innovative thinking because of the pandemic.
“There’s a lot of positive takeaways that we are going to continue beyond the reaction to COVID-19,” he said.
To sign up for Collierville Virtual Academy
If you have not registered and would like for your child to be enrolled in Collierville Virtual Academy, please reach out directly to Melissa Widner at mwidner@colliervilleschools.org with the Department of Curriculum and Accountability.
All students — both in-person and virtual — please complete the “registration update,” the information was delivered by e-mail box on May 3. If you did not receive the new school year registration, please contact the Department of Student Services at (901) 286-6398.