At the start of the 2020-21 school year, Bristol Township School District partnered with Edmentum EdOptions Academy and the Bristol Township Education Association, per the Memorandum of Understanding, to launch the Bristol Township Cyber Academy – a virtual option that allowed students to stay in the school district.
The EdOptions Academy has been providing online learning to students since 1997 and supports more than 85,000 K-12 students nationally.
The Bristol Township Cyber Academy offers a flexible learning pace and schedule, giving students the freedom to complete lessons whenever they choose.
“One thing that I really like about the Cyber Academy is that I can work at my own pace,” said Anaya Medina, a sixth-grade student. “If I start to struggle on some work, I can reach out to my teachers and principal for additional help. I also like that all of the assignments have due dates, so I will be able to know when specific assignments are due.”
“Anaya is able to log in and log out whenever she chooses,” added her mom Chelsie Medina. “Sometimes I allow her to take a midweek day off without needing an excuse, for example. Sometimes she works half a day if we have doctors’ appointments or have to step out of the house. The best thing is, the home school [Neil A. Armstrong Middle School] still provided her a laptop for her studies.”
All students in the Bristol Township Cyber Academy receive a Chromebook from their district home school and onsite tech support to participate. Students work closely with state-certified online teachers who are a mix of current Bristol Township teachers and EdOptions Academy instructors.
“So far, any teacher Anaya has had, has been extremely communicative and helpful,” said Chelsie. “Even Mr. Shire, Anaya’s teacher, communicates with me monthly by phone and via email weekly.”
Chelsie received weekly emails of progress reports, which states how many assignments are required from each course and how many she has left to complete. This allows her to know if she is on track, behind or ahead of schedule.
“I feel very supported by my teachers,” said Anaya. “My favorite part is that I am able to learn about different things in many types of lessons.”
Bristol Township Cyber Academy students also have access to the same resources as Bristol Township School District students, including support, clubs, dances, field trips and sports. They also earn a BTSD diploma upon graduation.
Currently, Chelsie is unsure if Anaya will stay in the Bristol Township Cyber Academy next year or attend Armstrong. Regardless, she’s excited to sign up for volleyball, which she loves playing in her free time.
“We are definitely looking forward to volleyball next year whether she goes physically or stays in the program,” said Chelsie.
While Chelsie admitted the cyber program was an adjustment for Anaya, she recommends it to any families who may be interested.
“I would definitely recommend the program,” she said. “I honestly love it and Anaya has gotten used to it. I find it extremely helpful, less confusing with schedules, and like being able to get up and go on vacation without an excuse.”
Visit enroll.edmentum.com/bristol-township for more information.
