Blazer Virtual Academy (BVA) provides online delivery of curriculum that allows students to be taught from home through instruction via the Internet and a computer. Students can work full or part-time through online courses at home at their own pace.

BVA is designed to allow maximum flexibility for students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students will be able to transition between the BVA and the regular Daniel Boone brick and mortar curriculum.

BVA is delivered synchronously and asynchronously. Platforms utilized may include Google Classroom, Schoology, and Zoom Video conferencing. 

Students must have access to the Internet at home, prior to enrolling and attending orientation. All full-time students are given an iPad by the Daniel Boone Area School District. To help defray the cost of the Internet, each household receives a $36/month Internet stipend. Internet stipends are mailed at the end of each month and are only sent to students who have been in attendance the previous month.

Part-time students are responsible for having their own computer to use at home or at school and will not receive an Internet stipend.

Students in grades K-12 who are residents of the Daniel Boone Area School District may enroll in Blazer Virtual Academy.

The benefits of enrolling a child into Blazer Virtual Academy, as opposed to a cyber charter school, are extensive. A few of the important benefits include:

1. Flexible scheduling which includes full-time and part-time options.
2. The ability to participate in local school district extra-curricular activities, school-sponsored events and attend Career and Technology Centers.
3. Support offered by the Daniel Boone Area School District, and online teachers and staff.
4. Technical support provided by the Daniel Boone Area School District.

In addition, students graduate with a Daniel Boone Area School District diploma.

When a student wants to enroll in Blazer Virtual Academy online courses, the student or family member needs to contact the school counselor to begin the process. The school counselor is then responsible for completing the online enrollment form with relevant student information and recommends the appropriate courses to ensure all graduation requirements are fulfilled. The student is then contacted by the school counselor who will schedule the orientation and complete the enrollment process. 

There is no cost to students or parents.

Yes, courses available through Blazer Virtual Academy are aligned to the PA State Standards and Common Core State Standards and are taught by PA certified teachers.

Staff members from Blazer Virtual Academy work with school district personnel to keep track of and monitor the progress of students. We send weekly progress reports to the school district liaison, parent, and student. When students are not keeping up with work or doing poorly in a course, both the school district liaison and the parents are notified. Course progress can be viewed at anytime by accessing the student account. The course percentage from each online course is sent to the school counselor upon completion, and the district is responsible for designating a letter grade according to school district guidelines.

Parents will be able to access their child’s grades via the student’s online account at any time. Some vendors provide a parent portal for parents to log into to view grades and progress. Other vendors offer a reporting option where a BVA staff member will send parents bi-weekly reports on students’ progress. Interim reports will be sent to students at the half-way point of each semester-based course (mid-November in the fall and mid-April in the spring) to notify parents of student progress and keep BVA families informed.

Blazer Virtual Academy embraces the philosophy that online courses should be as rigorous as those taken in the school buildings. Most courses are designed to prepare online students for life after graduation. The program guidelines meet standard NCAA eligibility requirements. All credits earned through Blazer Virtual Academy will be recorded as part of each high school student’s official school district transcript. Students can receive career and college counseling through their local school district.

The online courses already have built-in flexibility, adaptations such as text-to-speech, unlimited time on tests, translation features, and vocabulary help. We contract with local districts to meet the needs and accommodations outlined by a student’s IEP. The student must be monitored by a case manager assigned by the school to ensure that the student’s needs are being met. The local school’s special education staff would develop any needed IEP and create a learning plan that meets the student’s needs.

Blazer Virtual Academy Counselors work to serve as an advocate for students and families and to provide current information to school district staff members. Our primary goal is to make sure each student is making progress and is meeting or exceeding course expectations. We closely monitor student progress and address concerns as they arise by contacting the appropriate party whether it is parent, student, school counselor, online instructor, or another relevant person.

Online courses through BVA are an exceptional choice for gifted students because they offer the ability for students to move through the course material at an accelerated pace, attempt more difficult coursework, and offer access to challenging courses that may not be available in the traditional curriculum.

BVA courses are rigorous college-prep level. Additionally, BVA offers honors-level courses and AP courses. Enrollment for AP courses is limited to the beginning of the school year..

Yes, all BVA students will be required to take the same state-mandated exams as their brick and mortar peers at their local school. This includes PSSAs in grades 3, 4, 5, 8, and 11, as well as the Keystone Exams.