In the 2012-2013 school year, the Altoona Cyber Academy formed with a focus on credit recovery. This year, 587 students are enrolled in the program and complete their school days on their own time.

Each student has a unique reason for enrolling through ACA. Senior Shannon Hicks joined the program during her sophomore year after complications with heart problems. 

“Before I went cyber, I had trouble staying in school for even a whole day,” Hicks said. “I had many days off for doctor’s appointments but eventually I started to get demerits.” 

The traditional method of learning no longer worked for Hicks and the cyber program gave her the opportunity to learn in a setting that accommodated her health. 

“I think most people see cyber as an opportunity to skip school, but for me, it has been the exact opposite,” Hicks said. “I never would have chosen to leave my classes and my friends if I had been healthy, but once I went cyber, I learned that the flexible schedule helped me do better in my classes and see my friends more.” 

Senior Makenna Elder had different reasons for switching to ACA. She transitioned to the cyber program her junior year to try to circumvent her motivational issues. 

“Getting up every day and going to school was exhausting for me and giving me really bad anxiety,” Elder said. “Once I went cyber, things got a lot better because I could do my work when I felt like it and had more free time to do the things I enjoy.”

Students in ACA get their weekly assignments on Monday and have until the following Monday to complete all of the work for every class. This allows them to choose when they complete schoolwork and focus their time on other responsibilities. 

Jason McGinnis is the principal of programs at the Steven’s Building, which include the Altoona Cyber Academy. He worked as a teacher in the program in its first years and helped oversee the program when he became a principal in 2015. He believes that despite the program’s stellar growth and success, there are still challenges unique to the program when compared to a normal high school environment. 

“Communication is by far the biggest challenge with this program,” McGinnis said. “We don’t have the luxury of always being in the same building as the students so it can be difficult when that communication breaks down.” 

However, the staff who teach courses through this program do what they can to keep students on task. Science teacher Deidra Dumm teaches over 90 students virtually in Honors Physics and Careers in Science. 

“Participation in terms of assignment completion and communication is typically higher for in-building students,” Dumm said. “However, I have to assume that is because they face me daily. It is easier to just get the work done than have to discuss an issue face-to-face. With that being said, I do have some cyber students who are actively engaged and participating each week.”

Dumm maintains constant email communication with virtual students and also schedules video calls via Google Meet upon student request. If students begin to ignore her attempts at communication, she is able to get in contact with the student’s family, their counselor, their principal and teachers who work with students in the Steven’s Building in order to resolve the issue and get the student back on track. 

McGinnis believes it is teachers like Dumm who have made the program as successful as it is. 

“Without these teachers who have invested in his program, it would not be what it is today,” McGinnis said. “I will always make sure that the staff is commended for what they do. They’re on the front lines everyday. We have a staff that is second-to-none, and they do a remarkable job with this program.”

The program is not just a success from the point of view of those who help run it, however. 

“Missing school for medical reasons led to my grades dropping,” Hicks said. “It really bothered me because I actually  like school, and I like learning. The traditional set up of school didn’t work with my health issues. When I went to school, all my energy was used up by the end of the day. Today, I can rest when I need to and have the energy to do what everyone else is doing. I now have perfect attendance and all A’s which is something I never thought would be possible for me again, and it’s all because of cyber.”