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By Lew Gilliland

The Selma Times-Journal

Selma City Schools will hold an orientation meeting Tuesday, at 4:30 p.m. for parents of students in grades K-5 whose children will be participating in the Saints Virtual Academy.

The event will be in the Selma High School auditorium.

“We are excited to be able to offer this option to our elementary families,” Selma Superintendent Dr. Avis Williams said. “Please keep in mind that this is an independent learning program, and scholars will need adult support at home to be successful. Join us for Open House on Tuesday to learn more and decide if this is a good fit for your child.”

The city school board met two weeks ago and was presented with two virtual options for K-5. One featured a live teacher, and the other did not. The board voted against the former and for the latter. Williams said the board could have adopted both programs.

“I recommended both, and the school board voted to adopt this one,” Williams said. “It is a program that Dallas County, Perry County and Macon County are also using,”

The Saints Virtual Academy is being offered through Acellus CyberSchool. Acellus offers an expansive selection of standards-based courses, including math, science, social studies and language arts/reading.

Additionally, Acellus offers STEM and foreign language.

With independent virtual learning, scholars receive instruction through video-based lessons. Lessons are pre-recorded from teachers outside of the Selma school district, and scholars work through assignments at their own pace.

This independent virtual learning option offers flexible, self-paced learning for participants.

For students to take advantage of the virtual option, parents must withdraw them from their current school, enroll them in Acellus CyberSchool, select courses and attend today’s parent orientation.

Parents/guardians are asked to notify their child’s current school of their intent to withdraw. Withdrawal forms can be returned to the current schools or the Selma City Schools Central Office (Attn. Mrs. Scott).

For more information, visit the Selma City Schools website at selmacityschools.org.