An increasing number of Catholic schools are expanding their course offerings by partnering with The Virtual High School (VHS, Inc.), a non-profit organization empowering schools with the industry’s most extensive selection of online and blended learning programs. Since the 2015-16 academic year, 38 new Catholic schools have partnered with VHS, bringing the total number of Catholic schools with a VHS membership to 85.
Among VHS Catholic school partners is the Diocese of Harrisburg, a large consortium of Catholic schools. Due to the effectiveness and popularity of VHS online courses, the diocese recently increased the number of students taking those courses from 128 to 161. “VHS has been a wonderful addition to our academic program,” said Mrs. Cathy Pagliaro, the Assistant Principal for Academics at the diocese. “The wide selection of courses allows us to cater to the diverse needs of our students in ways we previously could not have imagined. The VHS teachers are excellent, the staff is more than accommodating and our partnership has exceeded all of our expectations.”
Bishop McNamara High School (BMHS), joined VHS in 2016. “VHS has allowed our students to have access to more innovative technology courses, ” said Dr. Nigel A. Traylor, the school principal. “We offer Web Design and Video Game Design, and our students have been able to improve their technical skills and are expanding their knowledge in these areas. If we had not utilized VHS, our students would not have had such a unique and rewarding learning opportunity.”
The feedback at Bishop McNamara High School has been so positive that BMHS recently asked VHS to design and manage a customized Web Design course for the school and provide training for one of the school’s teachers to teach the course. VHS also trained an additional teacher for the Video Game Design course to meet the demand for all the BMHS students who wish to take the course. The school has nearly 200 students taking these courses.
For 22 years, VHS has provided superior online and blended education to more than 600 schools across the United States and around the world. The nationally recognized non-profit organization offers over 200 online courses, including 23 Advanced Placement offerings, such as AP Computer Science Principles, as well as a variety of unique STEM offerings. VHS is fully accredited and courses are NCAA-approved.
“The Virtual High School believes every child deserves access to a rigorous and engaging education,” said Carol Ribeiro, President & CEO of VHS. “Schools are working with us to ensure their students receive the best, well-rounded education possible. Using online and blended learning can present a challenge for those new to the experience. We’re pleased that so many Catholic schools have trusted our experience to guide them through the process.”
About The Virtual High School
The Virtual High School (VHS Inc.) is an online learning pioneer. Since 1996, the organization has set the standard for quality online education. VHS provides courses taught in global online classrooms for secondary school students and online professional development for educators. The organization also meets the unique educational needs of schools through custom course development and individualized course offerings. VHS design and delivery standards are the model used by the National Education Association in their recommended standards for online learning. The organization has won numerous awards, including the Stockholm Challenge Award for Global Excellence in Information Technology, and is a three-time winner of the United States Distance Learning Association’s (USDLA) award for Excellence in Programming and Excellence in Best Practices. For more information, visit www.vhslearning.org or call (978) 897-1900.
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