What is VHS?
Virtual High School Global Consortium (VHS) is a non-profit international collaboration of public and private schools from the United States and 29 other countries. VHS offers students high-quality online courses and provides professional development for online teachers. The program has been internationally recognized as a model for K-12 online education. VHS is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools.
VHS courses are accessed through the Internet using Desire2Learn (D2L). Unlike other online schools, all VHS classes are teacher facilitated. Class sizes are limited to 25, and there is an emphasis on interaction between teachers and students. Activities are student-centered; discussion and group activities are a part of each VHS course.
Why VHS?
Participation in VHS allows schools to greatly expand their course offerings, giving students access to innovative, high-quality courses that the schools may not otherwise have been able to offer.
How does the collaborative work?
Member schools select one or more faculty members to teach over the Internet.
VHS teachers receive online training in how to teach VHS NetCourses in ways that are student-centered, collaborative, and make effective use of technology.
In exchange for each teacher released by the school to teach a VHS NetCourse, the school is able to register 25 students per semester in VHS's full catalog of NetCourses.
Each school also identifies a site coordinator who is trained to act as an advisor and administrative contact for VHS students in their school.
Beca and VHS
Beca joined VHS in January 2008, as a fully participating member school. The Academic school year 2008 - 2009 was our first year with students enrolled. The Netcourse that Beca provides is AP® Spanish Language. This full year course allows us to enroll 50 students in VHS courses, 25 in the fall and 25 in the spring.
In April 2012 Allentown Central Catholic, Berks Catholic, Bethlehem Catholic, Nativity BVM, and Pius X formed the Diocese of Allentown Consortium. The consortium allows us to transfer seats between schools and also lowers the per seat fee for additional seats. The lower seat fee allowed us to register 6 additional students for the 2012-2013 school year.
Students incur no fees for VHS courses. Books and materials for VHS courses are provided by the instructors' schools.
VHS courses are currently offered to juniors and seniors.
