Las Vegas NowStudent Take Classes in Virtual World

Student Take Classes in Virtual World

Hundreds of in grades K thru 12 will have a much shorter walk when the new school year starts next week. But that's not the main reason more families are now opting for virtual school at home.

When 11-year-old Valentina Dunder heads to sixth-grade next week, her bedroom will be her classroom. "What I like best is I get to sleep in. I don't have to get up at 6 a.m. to go to school," she said.

But don't think for one minute that Valentina is a slacker. This straight A student is an aspiring tennis pro who spends four to five hours on the court practicing every day. "She's one of the top players in Nevada," said her father, Frank Dunder.

And when she's not practicing, she's playing in tournaments that can take her out of town for days at a time during the school week. The solution was Nevada Connections Academy, a public charter school licensed through the Nevada State Department of Education.

Unlike traditional home school, Valentina's parents are not her teachers. They play a critical supporting role, but instruction comes from certified teachers who have daily contact with Valentina online and over the phone. "She has a daily schedule of what she has to read, what her homework is, and which tests she has to take online," said Dunder.

Valentina not only likes the flexibility of virtual school, she thinks she's learning more than she did at her traditional public school. "A lot more actually, because I can go at my own pace and I don't have to wait for every kid in my class to get what we're doing," she said.

And like any public school, Valentina's textbooks, workbooks, and art supplies are provided free, as well as a computer to use at home. "This school really works for us for now," said Dunder.

Virtual school allows Valentina to excel both academically and on the court. "If I can, I'll keep going with my tennis career. But if I can't, then I hope to at least get a scholarship and become a doctor," she said.

Valentina is one of more than 500 Clark County students now enrolled at Connections Academy. The school also provides students a chance to interact during live web lessons and to socialize during field trips, dances, and parties.