Board votes to end Virtual Academy

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During their meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 11, the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Educations voted 5-4 to do away with the Virtual Academy.  Virtual Academy was created at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic during the 2020-2021 school year. Currently WS/FCS offers two-virtual models, the Virtual Academy, a standalone school offering grades 3-8, and the Virtual Academy at Kennedy High School, which serves grades 9-12.   Last month, Chris Weikart, WS/FCS chief human resource officer, made recommendations to transition to a 6-12 model that will be embedded in Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy; and phasing out virtual learning for third and fourth grade over the next two years. With the approval of the recommendation, during the 2025-2026 school year Cook Literacy Elementary School will have two virtual classrooms, fourth and fifth grade. During the 2026-2027 school year and beyond, Cook will have one virtual fifth grade classroom. Currently there are 200-300 students across grades 6-12 and 60 in grades 4-5.   According to Weikart there were several factors that led to the proposed changes including enrollment declining in grades 3-5, and W-S Prep’s 6-12 configuration and magnet status that aligns with the virtual instructional format. He also mentioned that the changes will increase enrollment at...

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