Pandemic reveals viability of virtual school

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the way we look at the world. We now live in a world where conversations start with the phrase, “before the pandemic. . .” and have begun to change the way we think about what is normal.

It’s in education that this reimagining of standard operating procedures is being felt most acutely. While most students in South Carolina have returned to traditional face-to-face education, two years of online classes have revealed, for some students, the virtual model is viable.

Iris Riley says her three children attended a public school in the Charleston County School District before the pandemic and lived through the district’s attempt to navigate the realities of COVID-19 education with virtual school, masks and plexiglass barriers.

“I noticed my son would get upset and start to cry and just be frustrated. A child can’t learn in that kind of environment,” Riley said. “After going to face-to-face, our kids, I noticed, had a lot of stress from the students, from the teachers, bullying was happening. I said, ‘We can figure out a way to do home-schooling and have Lowcounty Connections Academy come in and assist.’”

This year, Riley’s family made the decision to log in to the Lowcounty Connections Academy. She says before the pandemic it wasn’t really an option, but now they’re perfectly comfortable with virtual school.

“Since they have been in Lowcountry Academy, they have been more independent, more responsible,” Riley said. “Even my 6-year-old is like, ‘Mommy, I have my laptop ready, I am ready to sign into my class,’ so I think that’s an added plus.”

The academy is in its second year of operation. It’s a spinoff of the South Carolina Connections Academy that has been a staple in the state for more than 15 years. It’s a go-at-your-own-pace public school, staffed by licensed teachers who give live and recorded lessons and offer flexible deadlines.

Gerita Connor is the academy’s school leader and says before the pandemic, there was a perception that online schools were generally considered alternative and reserved for students with specific cases.

“We have some who are looking for a more advanced track for learning for their children. We have professional athletes. Some in the past that have trained for the Olympics so they needed a flexible option. . . we have students who want to work during the day,” Connor said. “I think it has evolved and especially because of the pandemic families are more aware of the options that do exist.”

Flexibility is the number one draw for Riley, who says her family likes to travel.

“We travel a lot. We just came back from a 21-day trip to Europe. So we like the flexibility to be able to have school anywhere we go,” Riley said.

More students are signing up for a virtual option than ever before. Last year, Connor said enrollment was around 300 students. This year, they have a waiting list.

“The enrollment target for this year is closer to 800 students, so we are going to double our enrollment for the year,” Connor said. “We have a pipeline of students – from applicant to enrolled – of about 1,300 students. So we have more in the pipeline than we will be able to accept for this school year.”

Screen time and a lack of social interaction have been a common criticism of virtual school and while Riley says that was initially a red flag, she has since found ways to address those shortcomings.

“We are very active with our local Kingdom Hall so they are constantly with other kids their age,” Riley said. “We also try to have them involved in extracurricular activities just so they can stay connected with their peers.”

Despite the virtual nature, there are still some in-person opportunities and requirements. State tests, for example, are still required to be completed in person.

In the Charleston County School District there are around 170 students enrolled in their virtual option and in Berkeley County there are 135 students enrolled across all virtual programs.

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