ST. LOUIS — Ladue Schools announced it is launching the Ladue Schools Online Academy(LOA) beginning with the 2021-22 school year.
When the district returns to its regular five-day, in-person schedule in August, LOA will be offered to families who wish to remain in a virtual environment.
Ladue isn't the first St. Louis-area district to offer a choice between virtual and in-person school. Last month the Rockwood School District gave students and families a similar option, asking for a decision whether they preferred in-person or virtual learning.
Ladue's new online program, it said Wednesday, is designed to meet the evolving needs of students by providing flexibility for families through a high-quality and rigorous educational experience.
“This past year has taught us so much about how to provide a quality education in a virtual setting,” said Ladue Schools Superintendent Dr. Jim Wipke.
“The Online Academy allows us to take what we’ve learned and offer an online option next year for students. This is not the pandemic version of virtual learning, rather, it’s an innovative new program that uses technology to enhance our students’ experience.”
Students will enroll in LOA for an entire semester and have the option to return to the classroom to begin the second semester or stay enrolled in the program.
District families are applying for the program, after which administrators and counselors will work with them to determine each student’s educational best interest.
“This initiative will help us cut down on concurrent teaching, in which teachers are interacting with both in-person and virtual learners at the same time,” said Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Amy Zielinksi.
“That model is not sustainable in the long-term, so the Online Academy will allow us to improve the educational experience for both students and teachers by providing high-quality instruction regardless of where learning takes place.”
Ladue Schools said it hopes LOA will build a sustainable structure to meet students’ immediate needs while laying the groundwork for future expansion.
To learn more, visit LadueSchools.net.