A virtual student’s reality

By D. Aileen Dodd

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Virtual charter schools are convenient for children who want to race through the curriculum, move at a slower pace or fit academic schedules around acting lessons or Olympic aspirations.

Teachers stream live lessons to their kitchen tables. And far- flung students raise their hands to be recognized by clicking a mouse.

Donna Sellers of Sugar Hill said virtual education helped provide a future for her special needs son, John, who dreams of being a firefighter.

She said stress from bullying at Sycamore Elementary drove her son’s blood pressure so high, a doctor advised her to home school him.

When he left Gwinnett County schools in 2007, John couldn’t write, Sellers said. Now, as a fifth-grader at Georgia Virtual Academy, he has an individualized education plan for his disabilities and is writing essays.

“He made his first 100 percent on a spelling test this year,” Sellers said.

John is required to have speech and occupational therapy. “GVA sends us to Essential Therapy in Cumming once a week. ... He wasn’t getting that in Gwinnett County schools,” she said.

John has Cushing’s Syndrome and attention deficit disorder, among other diagnoses, and prefers to learn at home. He’s on course to finish his studies in early spring before most of his peers. Although he qualifies for a reduction in work to 70 percent, he is doing 100 percent, his mother said.

During class, if he needs help he can chat online in private with the teacher. His mother also has his teacher’s cellphone number if needed.

Classmates meet most weeks for outings and field trips to socialize, exchange fiction books or turn in homework.

John’s grades have gone from C’s, D’s and F’s to A’s and B’s, his mother said.

“I don’t have to be teased every day, which I hated,” John said.

Sellers is president of Georgia Families for Public Virtual Education, an advocacy group. For information about the group, visit www.gavirtualed.org.