The online school at Air Academy High Schoolprovides a way for students who need an alternative learning environment. AAHS’s online school provides a more secluded, self-paced way to keep up with the curriculum.  

Although Air Academy offers an online alternative, AAHS is not an online school; the Air Academy program is set in place for special circumstance students.

Online school coordinator Catlin Valerie said, “It is self-paced and you don’t have to wait a full semester to complete it. One of the cons is that it is not going to be as rigorous as what we call ‘land classes.'”

Air Academy’s online school has almost 50 online options for classes that allow the student to work at their own pace. 

“I like that you can work at your own pace because if you don’t understand something you can stay on that topic, and if you feel confident about the topic you can move on without waiting for the rest of the class,” said Junior Ryan Thomson, who works from Air Academy’s online option.

For students looking to stay at home all day but still get their credits to graduate, Brigham Young University (BYU)’s Independent Study is another option.

BYU is an at-home online school where students pay for each individual class. There are no Advanced Placement (AP) or Honors classes offered, and the students need to have a strong sense of self-discipline because the pace of the curriculum is up to them. BYU is not offered by Air Academy’s academic system but it is advertised in the counselor’s office.

Students looking to get ahead in school can also take online physical education credits so they have more open periods for AP classes or other occupations.

Keep in mind when choosing between land classes and online class that Air Academy’s program is still in-school but students work by themselves. Students can take some classes online and some in-class and counselors are always willing to discuss the pros and cons of online school as it pertains to a specific student’s needs. 

Students who are contemplating taking an online course can speak with their counselor and Catlin Valerio in room 402 for more information.