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A NEW Learning Option for Families Coming in 2023!
Central Minnesota Virtual Academy (CMVA), an online academy through District 742, has been in the making for two years and will provide another pathway towards graduation for students. Beginning as early as this winter, students will be able to enroll for the 2023-24 school year.
Watch for more information in the coming weeks for CMVA enrollment information and class offerings.
The Minnesota Department of Education and District 742 Board of Education recently approved CMVA which will host online classes for students in grades six through 12. Any student who lives in the state of Minnesota can enroll in the academy.
In planning CMVA, District 742 listened to student voice. Forty percent of students in the graduating classes of 2024-27 expressed interest in an online academy.
There will be two types of offerings: comprehensive full-time online learning and supplemental learning that will be part-time online and part-time in-person. The academy will also offer support in special education as well as English Language (EL learning). Students enrolled in CMVA are still eligible for after-school activities as well.
A day in the life of a student could be in-person for the first three periods of the day and online for the last three periods. A full-time CMVA student will have asynchronous learning (learning on your own schedule) and start the day without worrying about travel time. Apollo students may be in an online class together with Tech students.
Ryan Cox, Director of Innovation and Instructional Technology for District 742 says, “It will be a learning opportunity for all of the learners in our district.”
CMVA will allow some students to take classes outside of traditional school hours to fit their schedule similar to PSEO (Post Secondary Education Options) or possibly take an additional class for a one class overload.
In addition to providing online video support, CMVA will allow for increased student independence and responsibility, more time devoted to learning, and the opportunity to teach students where they’re best able to learn.
“We make the mistake [thinking] that a student who's struggling in a brick and mortar, face-to-face classroom will automatically struggle in an online environment,” says Cox. “Something we've seen the last couple years is some of those students have, very surprisingly, thrived … in an online environment. They're getting more work done when they're not having the distractions of other students or the school environment.”
District 742 students entering grades six through 12, as well as students outside District 742 boundaries are invited to enroll for the 2023-24 school year.