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Top Performing Virtual School in Arkansas Credits High-Quality Digital Courses for Success

Top Performing Virtual School in Arkansas Credits High-Quality Digital Courses for Success

Dec 12, 2024, 14:01 by Hailey Fitch
Fayetteville Virtual Academy has high student performance outcomes. We spoke with the Principal of the virtual school to learn how they’ve reached success.

By: Hailey Fitch, Communications Manager, FlexPoint

A young person attending a virtual school smiling at a laptop, wearing a blue and pink plaid shirt in a kitchen setting.

 

Fayetteville Virtual Academy (FVA), an online tuition-free public school in Arkansas, opened its virtual doors in the fall of 2016 to meet the unique needs of fourth through eighth grade students in their district. 

Since 2016, the virtual school has expanded their offerings to serve students in grades K-12, ensuring they receive a high-quality education in a flexible learning environment. FVA earned an ‘A’ rating from the Arkansas Department of Education and is the highest performing virtual school in the state. 

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Kim Cook, the principal of Fayetteville Virtual Academy, to discuss the virtual school’s success, our partnership, and the importance of providing students with rigorous digital curriculum that promotes content mastery.

Virtual School Principal headshot with glasses, brown hair, and a pink blouse.
Principal of Fayetteville Virtual Academy, Kim Cook

Me: Hi Kim! I am so excited to chat with you today about Fayetteville Virtual Academy (FVA). To give our readers some background, can you tell me about yourself and FVA?

Cook: Hello! It’s nice to meet you. I am the principal for Fayetteville Virtual Academy and I’m constantly in awe of our educators’ and students’ success. Fayetteville school district had a vision to create a school that served the needs of homeschooled students as well as students who had unique situations that needed a high-quality, yet flexible learning environment.

Me: Why did FVA decide to partner with FlexPoint?

Cook: Our school district’s curriculum team audited many different educational curriculum providers and the only one that the team agreed met our criteria of a high-quality and engaging digital curriculum that maintains the rigor and relevance for learning was FlexPoint.

Me: What are you most proud of when it comes to FVA?

Cook: I am most proud of the comprehensive K-12 program we’ve created which includes special education services, Advanced Placement™, Career and Technical Education (CTE), and dual enrollment to name a few. 

Me: Congratulations! That is fantastic to hear. What do you think has contributed to the success of FVA?

Cook: The investment our school district has made into FVA has allowed us to earn the distinction of being the highest achieving virtual school in Arkansas. While our students have the flexibility to learn anywhere, FVA also has a dedicated campus in Fayetteville that they can visit to work directly with their teachers in a face-to-face setting if needed. Our K-5 students meet weekly for physical education classes along with other supplemental services that support our core instruction. In addition, community service projects and field experiences are a cornerstone of our program where our students learn the value of service to others and real-world learning.

Me: How would you describe the partnership between FVA and FlexPoint? What is the biggest benefit you’ve seen? 

Cook: Our partnership with FlexPoint is a significant factor in our overall success. The curriculum and support we receive is second to none. Anytime a question regarding curriculum, technology, or any other matter arises, the FlexPoint team is very responsive. We have developed a true partnership over the years and appreciate their commitment to FVA.

Me: Speaking of curriculum, what do you like about the FlexPoint courses? What do your students and families like?

Cook: FlexPoint provides us with an enriching digital curriculum that has a multitude of engaging activities throughout the suite of courses. We particularly love the Discussion-Based Assessments because they allow teachers to informally assess student understanding and address learning deficits or extend learning that is personalized to each student. Students and families enjoy the variety of course offerings, and parents feel confident their children are growing academically.

Me: What do you wish more educators knew about online education? 

Cook: When the right components of virtual learning are in place, online education equips students with so much more than just course content. Students learn to be independent, manage their time and calendars, communicate with teachers in a one-on-one setting, and become active learners in their education.

Thank you to Kim for speaking to me about Fayetteville Virtual Academy, their experience with FlexPoint curriculum, and the success of their educators and students. To learn more about FVA, visit their website. Additionally, to learn more about FlexPoint and what we offer, visit our school and district services webpage