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JACKSON – When the 2020-21 school year kicks off in a few months, students in Northampton County will have a new alternative option for learning.

Northampton County Schools announced the establishment of a K-12 Virtual Academy in a press release last week, which will provide education to students alongside the county’s traditional schools.

The new academy will be offered through the EdOptions Academy platform, which allows students to learn at their own pace through an online curriculum. Exceptional Children and ESL services will also be available for Virtual Academy students if necessary.

Enrollment will be limited to 50 slots. But it is not limited, however, only to currently enrolled students in the Northampton County school district. Any K-12 student who lives in the county is eligible to sign up.

Having a virtual schooling option can benefit many families in a number of different ways.

Families who may not be comfortable yet sending their children back to the classroom setting in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic will now have a safe alternative to continue learning at home. Students who are considered “medically fragile” will also have an alternative to standard classroom learning.

Additionally, the virtual academy offers families who may have been previously enrolled in private school, charter school, or home school a more flexible learning option within the local school district.

Virtual Academy students will officially be enrolled in their district-assigned school which will allow them to participate in any school extracurriculars including athletic teams, band, clubs, and other activities if they choose to do so. High schoolers can also take one or two courses offered by their school.

For more information, please email curriculum@northampton.k12.nc.us