3/24/21 - Higley Virtual Academy Overview

Good afternoon parents and guardians of current online students,

I hope this email finds you well and you are enjoying a well-deserved Spring Break. As shared throughout the past few weeks, I will be overseeing the responsibilities of the newly established Higley Virtual Academy.

Understanding the importance of your child’s education, I recognize many of you may still be deciding on the option to return in-person versus remaining online for the 2021-2022 academic school year. To help guide and/or provide support regarding HVA, I have created a video that outlines the look and feel of this educational platform. I encourage you to take a moment and familiarize yourself with the information provided. Higley Virtual Academy Overview.

Should you have questions after viewing, feel free to email me directly at John.Dolan@husd.org. Additionally, I have set up two Microsoft Team meetings, noted below, that will allow you the opportunity to learn a little more about myself, my background, and provide a Q & A forum specific to Higley Virtual Academy.

Microsoft Teams Meeting:

Monday, March 29^th, 10:00am - Click Here to Join

Monday, March 29^th, 5:30pm  - Click Here to Join

For those I have not had the opportunity to meet personally, know that I take great pride in being honest. I recognize that we are embarking on a journey together where some decisions will be made by trial and error – emphasizing the importance of having a Growth Mindset. There is an old saying, “To teach is to learn twice” and that certainly holds true for parents, educators, and administrators. Together, our vested interest and partnership will continue to benefit our next generation.

If you are interested in reserving your spot at Higley Virtual Academy, please fill out the interest form on our HVA website. Once you fill out the form, we will communicate directly to you about the next steps in the formal enrollment process.

I look forward to traveling this journey side by side. 

Respectfully,

John Dolan

Principal

3/10/21 - Higley Virtual Academy Now Open

As we approach the 2021 – 2022 school year, we want to share important information about our new online school, Higley Virtual Academy (HVA). We are very excited that HUSD will have a stand-alone, comprehensive K-12 school that will help us meet the needs of our families. 

Currently, online students are enrolled in an existing HUSD school, and their online class might include a combination of students from different schools. Next year, HVA will be a separate school where students who attend will be enrolled in HVA, not a brick-and-mortar HUSD school. Transcripts will reflect HVA as your student’s school of record.

During the 2020-21 school year, online students have had some flexibility in changing from online to in-person instruction during the semester. Beginning with the 2021-22 school year, movement between HVA and in-person instruction at another HUSD school will be limited to the beginning of each semester. This change would involve withdrawing from HVA and then enrolling in another HUSD school. While the standards taught by HVA are equivalent to the standards taught by all schools in HUSD, the scope, sequence and pacing are different than what is being provided to students that are attending in-person. Therefore, a transition mid-semester is not recommended.

Higley Virtual Academy: K – 6 Elementary

HVA will provide online instruction through CANVAS by incorporating live learning opportunities combined with the Florida Virtual Curriculum. Students will have a structured daily schedule that includes live sessions for English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science/Social Studies, and specials. Additionally, weekly schedules will include opportunities for small group instruction and teacher office hours. 

Higley Virtual Academy: 7 – 12 Secondary

HVA will provide online instruction through CANVAS using the Florida Virtual Curriculum. This model allows for students to have a personalized, flexible schedule to meet their needs.  Students will work through online modules and follow a sequential pacing guide to make sure they are meeting designated benchmarks to complete the course during the semester. Teachers will not provide daily instruction but will have weekly office hours and be available via email/phone throughout the week. Secondary students have the option of full-time enrollment or part-time concurrent enrollment in HVA.  Full-time enrollment would be six courses through HVA per semester. Part-time, concurrent enrollment is available for students who wish to take classes at both HVA and an HUSD campus. Students should work with their school counselor to determine a schedule to meet their needs.

Reserve Your Spot Today!

If you would like to enroll your student in HVA for the 2021 – 2022 school year, please visit our Enrollment Page for more information or call the District Office at 480.279.7000.