Today, students have their own academic journeys and some face challenges that may take them off course, whether it’s having to work a day job to support their own families, falling short in earning course credits to graduate, facing expulsion, etc. Under no circumstance, should these students ever be left behind.
Now, there is a new option for high school students in South Carolina to ensure they receive a diploma and find the future path that is right for them. The Heron Virtual Academy of South Carolina (HVASC) is a new, tuition-free option for alternative, online education serving students in grades 9-12.
The school allows students to earn their high school diplomas on the pathway that is best for them. Students at Heron Academy receive an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP), aka an unique curriculum created specifically for each student that caters to their individual interests, academic strengths, challenges, and post-secondary planning.
“Our mission at Heron is to be the solution for parents, students, and families who have felt left behind or forgotten. We believe that all students deserve the opportunity to attend a school that believes in the possibilities of what they can achieve,” says David Crook, the school’s CEO. “Our school is passionate about the opportunity to serve those students who have had challenges reaching academic success, and show them that it is possible, no matter what past circumstances may have led them here.”
The school also:
- Provides career pathway opportunities, so students can prepare for industry-recognized certification exams and participate in work-based learning projects with local community partners.
- Gives students access to credit recovery courses and merit-based mastery classes that allow them to focus and recover credits at an accelerated rate.
- Teaches life skills to develop a deeper sense of community.
- Implements social-emotional learning and trauma-informed practices aimed at helping students cope with issues both in and out of the classroom.
As an Alternative Education Campus, Heron Academy’s unique enrollment requirements will put a high school diploma within reach for students who may be struggling in a traditional academic setting and need a new way to meet their challenges or may not be on pace to collect enough course credits to graduate on time.
The enrollment policies and structure make it easier to serve these students and provide them with continuity. Interested in learning more? Request more information here.
