While our office are closed for the summer, you may completed our enrollment request form.  When our office reopens during the last week of July, we will follow-up with you. 

During the school year, please contact our office manager Mrs. Stephanie Blohm (stephanie.blohm@svusd.org). 

If you are would like additional information to make an enrollment decision, please give us a call to discuss at 949-830-3400. 

Yes, students can transfer back to their residence school during the school year.  Ideally, students would transfer at the end of the grading period (trimester/semester) to avoid disruption to the educational program for students and teachers.

Any K-12 student residing within the Saddleback Valley Unified School District may enroll. Students who reside outside of SVUSD need to complete the interdistrict transfer paperwork with their current district of residence before they are able to enroll.

If a student has an IEP, the IEP team must meet prior to enrollment to determine if the SVUSD Virtual Academy is the best placement for the student. Please contact your school psychologist. 

Yes.  However, before a student with an IEP can enroll in the SVUSD Virtual Academy, the IEP team must meet to recommend the student for the SVA. Per California Education Code, any student who has an individualized education program (IEP), the IEP team must specifically recommend enrollment in the SVUSD Virtual Academy. Please contact the school psychologist (or principal) at your home school to discuss your request. 

SVUSD Virtual Academy students come from a variety of backgrounds including:

• students whose activities outside of school preclude them from attending a traditional school (actors, olympic hopefuls, equestrian…);
• previously home-schooled students;
• students with diverse social-emotional and non-medically fragile needs;
• students seeking a non-traditional school environment or flexibility to pursue other other interests.

Our education model follows best practices in online learning by blending synchronous (all together) instruction, in which students log into their class at the same time to learn together and build a shared sense of community, with asynchronous (independent) instruction, in which students will learn at their own pace (within defined limits) with various resources including books, recorded lessons, assignments, and adaptive online programs.  As teachers combine and choose effectively between the two learning approaches, they are able to create a more personalized approach to learning and provides a balance of structure and flexibility to meet the diverse needs of students. 

Depending on the grade level, the amount and length of online meetings will vary by grade level.  Students in grades K-6 meet with their teachers for 20-30 minutes, 4-6 times per week. Students in grades 7-12 will meet with each content area teacher 30-45 minutes, 1-2 times per week. 

YES! During the week, each teacher holds office hours to meet with students individually to provide feedback, individualized support, and encouragement. 

Yes! We call in-person learning BLD (Blended Learning Day).  BLD is an opportunity for students to attend class in-person. While in-person attendance is not required, we believe it is important that our students are offered the opportunity to connect with their teachers and peers in a face-to-face environment.  Relationships are foundational to learning and at least occasional face-to-face contact supports the building of student-teacher and parent-teacher relationships.  As a community-based online school, we are grateful to offer our students a physical space to work with their teachers and build community.   

The frequency and length of time of BLD depends on the grade level.  

Elementary Students

Students in grades K - 6 attend in-person on Wednesdays from 10:30am - 2:15pm. BLD consists of a mix of instruction and academic support as well as recess and opportunities for students to play and socialize.   In addition, from 1:20 to 2:10 students participate in the SVUSD music program which varies by grade. 

Intermediate Students

Students in grades 7 and 8 attend BLD on Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00am - 12:00pm. During the intermediate BLD students receive math and science instruction, have time to collaborate and work with their peers, and have the opportunity to receive in-person academic support from their teachers. Additionally, students have time to socialize and play. 

High School Students

Students in grades 9 -12 have access to the SVA Learning Lab.  The learning lab is designed to provide students with a physical place to complete their assignments, interact with and collaborate with peers, and get in-person academic support from their teacher.  The learning lab is open from 9:00am - 1:00pm, Monday - Thursday. 

Additionally, high school students may elect to participate in our blended learning pathway.  Students enrolled in the pathway will still meet with their teachers online but are required to attend in-person on Wednesday and Thursday from 9:00am - 1:00pm for structured academic support and guidance. 

Yes.  The SVUSD Virtual Academy follows the same academic calendar as all other schools in the district.  

There are many benefits to an online education including: 

• Flexibility: technology provides the opportunity for students to learn anywhere, at anytime, and set their own pace to meet learning objectives and assignment deadlines.
• Increased personalization of student learning: online learning offers individual data, timely feedback, and flexible pathways.
• A focus on mastery: because students have greater control over their own pace, students advance based on content mastery, not time.

No. The majority of the coursework is completed by students asynchronous (independent).  They provides students (and families) flexibility.  While students must complete their work on a weekly basis, students can choose the time and place during the week that the complete their coursework.   This does not mean that there will not be required synchronous (live) group and class online learning sessions.  Live online class and group meetings are an important component to building a class community, helping a student develop a sense of belonging, as well as providing important instructional emphasis and details. 

All SVUSD programs are web-based.  Students can complete their assignments on any device that allows them to access the internet. (Although many online programs are not ideal on a smartphone.) If needed, students can borrow a Chromebook for use at home. 

Certain characteristics make students more likely to succeed in an online school including a sense of responsibility to complete school work, sufficient academic preparation and determination to enable the student to work independently, a willingness to communicate with teachers on a consistent and timely basis (and ask for help when needed), and comfortable using technology.  In addition, especially for younger students, parents play an important role to support students' success.  As students are developing their self management and academic skills, parents play the important role of learning coach. 

Parents play the crucial role of “learning coach”. In general, the learning coach supports the student in four key areas:

1. Provide structure, routine, and organization support;
2. Support student accountability and motivation; 
3. Communicate and work in partnership with their student’s teacher. 
4. Basic assignment assistance (more important for K-8 students)

Students are required to complete all of their weekly assignments by the due date, attend their class and teacher meetings, and participate in all assessments. In addition, students must demonstrate satisfactory academic growth. If these conditions are not all met, an evaluation meeting will take place to discuss student placement.

In general, the role of the SVA teacher is to develop the curriculum, provide the instruction and academic support, evaluate student work, provide instructive feedback, and communicate with students and parents. 

The SVUSD Virtual Academy’s individualized approach to learning allows teachers to support students with different learning styles, aptitudes, motivation, including Gifted and Talented (GATE) students.  Our teachers have prior experience teaching GATE identified students and understand the need to provide them with greater depth and complexity in instruction and opportunities to create and accelerate beyond the core content areas.

Throughout the week, students have various "Real Time Class" (RTC). The week usually begins with whole class advisory meeting.  The purpose of advisory is build student community, explicitly teacher specific character and social and emotional skills, and prime the students for the week ahead.  Throughout the week, usually on Tuesdays and Thursdays, students meet in their "leveled" reading and math groups for more personalized instruction and skill practice. In addition, RTC science and history meetings will be held. Finally, the week wraps up with an optional fun Friday activity. 

The SVUSD Virtual Academy does offer Math 7 Honors and Algebra 1.  However, the SVA does not have separate honors courses for English, history, or science.  Rather, all students are pushed to the level of their ability and supported in the ways that they need. Depth and complexity is provided for students so they are prepared to enter honor or AP classes in high school.  Many students have been successful in 9th grade honors and AP courses after having attended the SVUSD Virtual Academy for 7th and 8th grade. 

Students are required to participate in weekly scheduled class meetings.  Most classes have one scheduled class meeting each week.  Math and science courses may require additional class meetings. Additionally, some students may be required to attend daily in required by the teacher. 

Students may choose to attend the class meetings in-person by enrolling in the Blended Learning option or they may choose to attend class meetings online by enrolling in the Only-Online option.

In addition, teachers at all grade levels will be available on school days for student targeted instruction/intervention, communication, and additional content support. 

Yes. The SVUSD Virtual Academy maintains a full UC “A-G” and NCAA approved course list.  The SVUSD Virtual Academy is designed to be “college prep” providing opportunities for students to meet the University of California entrance requirements. 

Students are required to participate in weekly scheduled class meetings.  Most classes have one scheduled class meeting each week.  Math and science courses may require additional class meetings. Additionally, some students may be required to attend daily in required by the teacher. 

Teachers at all grade levels will be available on school days for student targeted instruction/intervention, communication, and additional content support. 

Below is a sample online class schedule for a 10th grade student. 

Yes, the SVUSD Virtual Academy does offer AP courses but, in general, our philosophy is to encourage students to take higher level courses at the community college. By taking courses at the community college students can earn both high school and college credit.  

For more information about SVA-HS course offerings, please see the SVA Course List.

Yes. SVA high school students have the opportunity to enroll at their resident school for one or two classes while taking the majority of their classes (four or more) with the Virtual Academy.

Yes! The SVUSD Virtual Academy has a CIF Multi-School Agreement with all high schools in SVUSD.  This permits full-time students of SVUSD Virtual Academy to participate in CIF athletics at their resident high school. Students are only allowed to participate on teams for their residence high school.  For more information about which sports are offered and how to tryout, please contact your resident high school directly.   

Yes, students who are enrolled at another high school in SVUSD may enroll in up to two classes at the SVA.  Please contact your school counselor to begin the enrollment process. 

No, students must take at least four classes at either the SVUSD Virtual Academy or four classes at their home school.   

Yes, we highly encourage students to take classes at Saddleback College or Irvine Valley College. The added flexibility of our online school provides students with many opportunities to take classes at Saddleback College.  In fact, this coming year, through our partnership with Saddleback College, students can begin a course pathway to earn a certificate in either Business or Cybersecurity.  These classes would be taught entirely online by Saddleback College professors and open only to SVUSD high school students.

Through a partnership with Saddleback College, students can earn a certificate in either Business or Cybersecurity.  The early college pathway is open to all SVUSD students. For more information, please visit: Early College Pathways.