A Glimpse at New Schools: Jeffco's 21st Century Virtual Academy
It seems almost everyone is getting in on the virtual public school act in Colorado these days. But that’s a good thing, because having more options is better for students and parents.
One of the latest options, opening new for fall 2009, is Jeffco’s 21st Century Virtual Academy. Operated by the state’s largest school district — Jefferson County Public Schools in west metro Denver — the program offers a wide range of high school course offerings for students ages 14 to 20 who are Colorado residents (and not necessarily of Jefferson County).
Courses are aligned to state standards and local graduation requirements, but also feature an array of electives as well. Besides the core areas of English, math, science, and social studies, subjects available through the virtual program include:
- Foreign languages (Spanish, Russian, and Chinese)
- Career and technical education
- Music, photography, and video game design
- Physical education
I’m pretty sure those P.E. courses include more than just keyboard finger exercises … seriously, though, it’s pretty amazing the variety of courses you can take using online technology. If you need to know what sort of resources and tools you need, what kind of interaction you’ll have with teachers and other students, and other important issues, check out the FAQ page.
Classes begin next Monday, August 24, but you can enroll online for the 2009-10 school year up through September 4.
For a complete list of public virtual school options available to families in Colorado, check out this helpful page from our School Choice for Kids website.
Other new schools featured: