“I want my students to develop a love of learning, to develop confidence in themselves, and to become critical thinkers and problem solvers. I also want them to discover the joys of reading and realize the importance of how we encounter math in the real world.”
–Mrs. Barlage, third grade teacher
Families with elementary and middle school students value the safety and flexibility offered by VCS Ohio. VCS is the right choice for many people for many reasons!
VCS is a great option for families who:
- Appreciate individual attention from teachers
- Enjoy being able to work at their own pace
- Like the ability to review lessons multiple times
- Need time for elite sports or volunteer commitments
- Want more control over the social influences in their child’s life
- Have family obligations that make traditional school difficult
- Are being bullied at traditional school
- Have physical challenges or illnesses that make attending school difficult
- Do better work at night and prefer to sleep later in the morning
- Travel frequently
- Split time between multiple households
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding grades K-8
- How do students learn to read without a teacher sitting beside them?
- How do teachers assess my kindergartener’s handwriting?
- I’m not good at math. Is someone available to help my child?
- I work during the day. Do teachers have office hours during the evening?
- How many calls are too many? I don’t want to bother the teachers/principal/help desk.
- How will my child socialize with other students?
- My daughter stays with her grandmother during the day while I go to work. Can she still learn with VCS?
- Our family travels frequently. Does the student need to be present Monday through Friday?
- Can special accommodations be made for my child with special needs? What about for my gifted child?
- Will someone at VCS be supervising my child while I’m at work each day?
How do students learn to read without a teacher sitting beside them?
Teachers use a variety of methods to teach students to read. Teachers instruct students in live online sessions. Short beginner reading books are provided for parents to print and practice with their child. Teachers also ask students to practice reading short passages and use a special application to record themselves. Teachers can later access these recordings and assess a student’s reading level.
How do teachers assess my kindergartener’s handwriting?
Students are provided with a scanner. Parents of younger children assist their child in scanning in the homework, and uploading it to the teacher. The whole process doesn’t usually take more than 10 minutes.
I’m not good at math. Is someone available to help my child?
That’s why our teachers are here! Each grade has at least one full time teacher dedicated to helping students. Middle school grades have a teacher for each subject. Teachers are available for phone calls at any time during their office hours.
I work during the day. Do teachers have office hours during the evening?
Some teachers schedule office hours a few evenings per week. However, all teachers are more than willing to make appointments for phone conferences with a parent during the evening hours.
How many calls are too many? I don’t want to bother the teachers/principal/help desk.
Impossible! Our goal at VCS is to provide a world-class education for your son or daughter. We are always available to answer your questions, (even if you call 20 times a day).
How will my child socialize with other students?
Students have the opportunity to interact with others during the live online instruction. (These take place two to four times a week.) Elementary and Middle School students can also interact with others by taking part in our online book club, our Wolf Pack club, and our X-Team (gifted and talented middle school students). There are also face-to-face learning opportunities available regularly in Columbus and Dayton. In addition, teachers sometimes set up live field trips in response to student demand. If you’re interested in something like this, let your teacher know!
My daughter stays with her grandmother during the day while I go to work. Can she still learn with VCS?
All coursework is online, which means that students can access it from any computer with high speed internet. No books or papers are required. If your child’s daytime caretaker does not have a computer, you can make arrangements to have your child’s VCS computer kept at the caretaker’s house, rather than your own. You can even request that VCS reimburse the internet bill at the house of your child’s caretaker, rather than at your own house.
Our family travels frequently. Does the student need to be present Monday through Friday?
Students need to log that they have worked on coursework throughout the week. However, in Elementary and Middle school, the final deadline for homework is at the end of each quarter, rather than at the end of each day or week. This means that classes at VCS are flexible enough to meet your needs. Your child can work during the evenings rather than during the daytime hours. He can work Wednesday through Saturday instead of Monday through Friday. Your child can even take a day off as long as he can make up ALL of his work by the end of the quarter deadline.
Can special accommodations be made for my child with special needs? What about for my gifted child?
All Elementary and Middle School students will take the i-Ready reading and math tests. These are online diagnostic tests that give very detailed information about each student’s specific strengths and weaknesses in reading and math. All students will receive individualized remedial instruction designed to compensate for their weaknesses. In addition, students on an IEP will be placed in reading and math classes with students working at a similar grade level. Families with students functioning above grade level in reading or math can contact the K-8 principal, Dr. Teeters, to discuss advanced placement options.
Will someone at VCS be supervising my child while I’m at work each day?
VCS teachers have office hours during the day to answer all of your child’s academic questions. The VCS help desk is available to assist with all of your child’s technical problems. However, our school relies heavily on parents to make sure that their child is completing coursework on a daily basis. Unfortunately, VCS staff cannot monitor your child each day to make sure that he has gotten out of bed, eaten a balanced breakfast, brushed his teeth, and begun his schoolwork. Day-to-day supervision and academic “motivation” are still the responsibilities of the parent.