The full-time virtual school reflects on the major milestone as parents continue to give high marks in annual satisfaction survey
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- When Ohio Connections Academy, a tuition-free, full-time public virtual school, began the 2023-24 academic year, it marked the school's 20th year of helping students ignite their passions and find a path to academic and personal growth.
Ohio Connections Academy opened in 2003 and at the time, full-time online learning for grades K-12 was not as prevalent as it is today. Students who enrolled were seen as trailblazers for this type of learning. Today, with 20 years of online learning expertise and a program built specifically for the virtual environment, the school serves more than 5,000 students in grades K-12 from every county in the state of Ohio.
Ohio Connections Academy provides a personalized education that is supported by teachers who are specially trained in online learning. The curriculum is designed to have real-world value by focusing on preparing each student for wherever life takes them. As a public school, the school requires students to meet the same state standards as their traditional brick-and-mortar school counterparts.
According to Superintendent Marie Hanna, Ohio Connections Academy is a great fit for a variety of students and each student is unique. Those who attend Ohio Connections Academy come from different backgrounds and choose full-time online school for various reasons. Some students prefer to take ownership of their education and benefit from the flexibility that virtual school offers, while others are looking for a consistent, safe learning environment.
"Finding the school environment that is the right fit for your student is an important decision, so I invite families to join us and see how learning in a true virtual classroom setting might make a difference," said Hanna. "We also encourage parents to contact us directly and speak with one of our faculty members. This is a critical decision, and we are here to help families determine what would be the best learning environment for their student this fall."
Anna Ridenour was among the first students to enroll in Ohio Connections Academy when it opened in 2003. She was entering the fifth grade and her parents were seeking a more individualized academic setting where she could advance at her own pace.
According to Ridenour, online education was very new and her first year at Ohio Connections Academy was a big adjustment, however she immediately enjoyed the flexibility it provided. As she continued to attend the school through her senior year, she appreciated how the virtual platform offered many ways to interact directly with her teachers and her peers. She said her teachers inspired her to become an educator.
Ridenour graduated from Ohio Connections Academy in 2011 and was named the class valedictorian. She earned her bachelor's degree in education from Mount St. Joseph's College in 2015 and returned to Ohio Connections Academy to begin her teaching career as a freshman math teacher. Ridenour currently serves as Ohio Connections Academy's state testing coordinator.
"It's hard to imagine my life without Ohio Connections Academy. The most significant benefit has probably been having a community of teachers who believed in me and want to help me succeed," Ridenour said. "My teachers and my education changed how I thought about myself and the world around me, and I wanted to continue that for other students."
Ohio Connections Academy recently received very high marks and is considered a high-quality academic option according to its 2022-23 Parent Satisfaction Survey, an annual third-party survey that provides families with the opportunity to review their experience with the full-time online public school.
Ninety-six percent of parents say the Ohio Connections Academy program gives them greater opportunity to be more involved with their child's education. Ninety-five percent of parents also agree their children are satisfied with the program and 93 percent of parents agree the curriculum is high quality.
In addition, 96 percent of parents are satisfied with the helpfulness of their child's teachers and 92 percent of the parents who responded said they would recommend Ohio Connections Academy to parents whose children are not enrolled in the program.
Enrollment for Ohio Connections Academy's 2023-24 school year is still open for students in grades K-11. Families who are interested in learning if a full-time online school is the right fit for their child are encouraged to attend an online information session. During the session, parents will have the opportunity to speak to staff members, learn how the online classroom works and how teachers engage and support the students.
For more information about Ohio Connections Academy or to begin the enrollment process, visit http://www.OhioConnectionsAcademy.com or call 1-800-382-6010.
About Ohio Connections Academy
Ohio Connections Academy is a unique, tuition-free, online public school for K-12 students. Every day, we create a high-quality educational experience that keeps students motivated and engaged in a safe, virtual learning environment. In addition to academics, teachers focus on emotional well-being and social development, working closely with families to help students learn how they learn best. Here, students gain the skills and confidence they need to direct their own educational journey, learning to thrive in the real world by first learning how to be resourceful and resilient. For more information, call 1-800–382–6010 or visit http://www.OhioConnectionsAcademy.com.
Survey methodology
Connections Academy conducts the annual Parent Satisfaction Survey to find out how parents, guardians and Learning Coaches grade the program in several key areas. The 2023 survey was conducted from January 19 to February 26 by Shapiro + Raj, an independent market research company that created the questionnaire, collected the data and tabulated the results. Parents and caretakers of all students enrolled at the time of the survey were invited to complete the survey online. A WebMail invitation was sent to each parent and caretaker, and one response per household was submitted.
Media Contact
Mark Rickel, Connections Academy, 614-232-8309, [email protected], https://www.connectionsacademy.com/ohio-eschool/
SOURCE Connections Academy
Share this article