SHS Offers Online Courses To Great Success

Thanks to a new course program at , students now have the opportunity to learn outside the confines of "the brick and mortar," as headmaster Dr. Beth Smith put it best at this month's meeting.

Virtual High School is a non-profit, worldwide collaborative online teaching software program.

SHS launched VHS in the Fall 2011 academic semester, under the direction of site coordinator Joan Tichy. Twenty-four of the maximum 25 students are currently enrolled, and Tichy reported that midterm grades "were all grade C and above, mostly in the A and B range."

VHS offers over 200 courses that can be taken for either a single semester or the entire school year. The classes - ranging from Advanced Placement physics to Caribbean art history to criminology - can be accessed from any computer hooked up to the 'net. There are reserved seats for VHS students in the high school's computer lab.

"Kids today are busy, they have crazy schedules," BOE secretary Arlene Liscinsky said. VHS gives "really motivated kids" the opportunity to take on a bigger course load, replaces empty study hall periods and opens up additional seats for SHS classes that get filled up quickly. It has also proven to be a last-minute lifesaver for high school seniors in need of credit recovery to graduate.

Aside from offering a slue of interesting study topics, VHS provides a platform for shy or introverted intellectuals who might otherwise be drowned out or intimidated in a large classroom setting.

Rosemary Pagliaro, who teaches a poetry writing course, shared incredibly positive feedback from her students. In spite of the physical distance, Pagliaro said they reported feeling a sense of closeness amongst the group, and one student reflected that "[VHS] gave me the courage to be myself."

Board member Mark Holden said this kind of technology provides opportunities for students with learning disabilities as well. "My friend has Asperger's [syndrome] and one of her biggest concerns is calling attention to herself by raising her hand," he said.

BOE members agreed that VHS has abundant positive potential within the Shelton public school system, though going forward may initially be tricky as growth trends and subsequent funding are hard to predict.

"I'm thinking this is a program that could easily grow and I'm wondering what the financial ramifications are," James Orazietti said. "If we have to funnel some of our assets into the program, it seems like the way to go."

Annmarie Marini, an SHS student currently enrolled in "The Power of Modern Media" VHS course, said the software is "very interactive, very helpful and easy to use." Her teacher, who conducts the class from his own computer out-of-state, posts the weekly syllabus on Tuesday and gives feedback via discussion chat rooms.

Megan Marini, currently enrolled in "101 Ways to Write a Short Story," said an added benefit is being able to track her progress neatly. "It's always good to look back and see what I've accomplished and also to look forward and see what I have to do," she said.

Dr. Smith said that because VHS was not underway at the start of this school year, there was no marketing campaign, "but we anticipate this is going to grow exponentially."