Student Experience

Virtual students experience the same college preparatory instruction, engaging activities, and hands-on projects as their in-person peers. Instructors take advantage of a variety of innovative strategies including educational web-based tools and apps to engage students in the virtual classroom. Virtual students attend classes synchronously--that is, in real-time--learning alongside their on-campus classmates. 

All students will purchase a recommended device as well as the recommended style of headphones. To ensure no interruption in the virtual learning environment, families are required to have a reliable and stable high-speed Wi-Fi connection, either hard-wired or wireless; a phone data tether or mobile hotspot device is not permitted. 

Students will complete a 6-hour Digital Boot camp training course, typically over the summer, so they are prepared for the first day of school.

SVVA is an academic program for students to complete their graduation requirements. Athletics and extracurricular activities are not a part of the SVVA program; however, your student will have social enrichment throughout the year with many opportunities to connect spiritually with their peers as a community through retreats, mass, and prayer.

In addition to the feedback that teachers provide on assignments or projects which parents can view in Canvas, they are available to assist students if they need further clarification or tutoring on course material. Teachers will have scheduled virtual tutoring sessions weekly where they will work with your student to help them be successful.

Each student will have a school account that is formatted to support the educational platforms with controls in place to minimize deviation from school-authorized websites. All students must always be logged into Chrome as well as their school account daily.  

Yes! All SVVA students work one-on-one with a counselor through Peninsula Catholic High School. One counselor focuses on the students in grades 8-10 and one counselor coaches the upper-class students in grades 11-12 through the college and career planning process. Their experience begins with a personalized academic plan that outlines the courses required to earn a SVVA diploma. Each year, your student will meet with their counselor to review this plan. Additionally, counselors are available throughout the school year to address questions and concerns academically, socially, and emotionally. 

Each classroom is equipped with a video conferencing camera to bring the virtual students in the live class with their in-person peers at Peninsula Catholic High School. Attendance is taken at the beginning of each class. All students are expected to participate in class and are required to be visible through their Chromebook webcam throughout each class.  Progress is evaluated by engagement in class and monitoring that is both informal and formal. 

SVVA and Peninsula Catholic High School students will work in a collaborative learning environment. There are many opportunities throughout each course to break into small learning groups that integrate both the virtual learner with the in-person learner. This will allow students to get to know their peers and navigate how to work across various learning applications and platforms. Outside of class, SVVA students will be integrated into the community through various spiritual and retreat opportunities and will attend mass virtually.