For more than twenty years, Roanoke County Schools has offered online learning for high school students through RCPSOnline Academy. Since the very beginning of the program, we have developed a rich curriculum delivered by our own teachers. Our experience with online learning puts us in a unique position to meet the wide range of current needs.
RCPSOnline Academy classes differ from regular classes in several ways. Aside from the obvious lack of face-to-face time in a classroom, they are structured, paced, and scheduled using best practices for online teaching. Some of the key differences are:
The courses are largely self-paced with deadlines set by the instructor.
With the exception of World Language courses, there are no set times a student must be online with the instructor.
Students have ready access to their instructors for help, guidance, and individual attention.
Every course is through Canvas, our learning management system.
Except for a few dual enrollment courses (with VWCC), and World Language courses, most courses are completed in a semester.
Students take online courses for many reasons. Schedule conflicts, limited course availability at a base school, getting ahead or catching up, and even medical issues have all been reasons students have taken our courses in the past.
All couares require a face-to-face final assessment per Roanoke County School Board policy.
