REVIEW OF Ontario Virtual School BY Alum, Rachel Downard

(4.5) Overall Experience

Ontario Virtual School was an excellent step in my educational pathway. It gave me the opportunity to study at my own pace while challenging me to take steps to critically think. Completing Grade 12-U Bio through OVS prepared me for a Biology course I took in my first year of University. I felt prepared and could also use my old notes to help me as I progressed in University. Throughout the course, I really enjoyed the balance between the theoretical lectures along with the visual and graphic appearances of the course. This allowed me to understand the material in multiple methods to gain the most from my experience in the course. A prospective student should expect to feel welcomed and in control of their education at OVS. Creating a timeline that is manageable and works best for me, was huge to my experience.

(4) School Leadership

All of my interactions with administration were very helpful. All administration were easy to reach and responded to questions and clarifications in a timely manner. I felt like my experience with the staff allowed me to feel welcome and comfortable to reach out whenever I required assistance. The teachers were passionate and demonstrated in many ways to show their love for teaching and ensuring my education was their main priority. The level of communication with teachers and administration were fair and were always presented in a constructive manner.

(4) Teaching

The quality of instruction I received surpassed my expectations. The lectures, notes, diagrams and material associated with the course was clear and easy to follow. The layout of the page was professional and made me feel confident in my education. My teacher was passionate and was always willing to go the extra mile to ensure I understood what I was learning. The steps the teacher took to facilitate my learning was the most crucial part of my learning and growth as a student. The material was challenging but with support, I was able to navigate through the course work and felt confident to turn to my teacher when I needed something clarified or explained. The passion the teacher possessed furthered my learning and encouraged me to continue my learning in Biology outside of the classroom.

(4) Academics

OVS is an online education platform, thus I mainly interacted with my teacher. This allowed me to study independently and work through the material on my own time and at my own pace. I felt like I was always supported academically as it was very easy to get in touch with the teachers/administrators. The online learning style prepared me for online courses that I have taken since being in University. University is a lot of independent learning and working through concepts/theories. Therefore, I felt very prepared after taking a course through OVS online as it transferred into my university career. Since online courses are very common at the University level, I was better prepared when I enrolled in online courses in my undergraduate degree. I am thankful for the opportunity to take an online course in high school as it paved a way for me to learn in a different way. Overall, this helped to challenge me as a student and made me a better student overall.

(4) School Life

Ontario Virtual School provided me with a unique student experience. Although it was strictly online and required no in-person interactions, the online learning environment allowed me to reflect on my strengths and weaknesses as a student. It attracts like minded students who want to challenge themselves to learn in a different way. I found that I was engaging in a deeper level of learning as I would have to go through and ensure I was genuinely understanding the material. I noticed that along with myself and other students who I knew that were enrolled in Ontario Virtual School, they often felt less stressed than our peers as we could complete the course at our own pace. It made it easier to balance extracurriculars and school and allowed me to feel in control of my education and progression as a student.

(5) Admissions

Anyone planning to apply has nothing to worry about. The administration made the process very smooth and not stressful whatsoever. They care about their students and want students to succeed and prosper. I knew Ontario Virtual School was the right fit for me just based off of the first few interactions I had with administration. They were extremely helpful and clear. They worked efficiently to outline the process to ensure I was comfortable and understood everything going on. It also brought me comfort when my friend recommended this program. Knowing someone else completed the program successfully, brought me a sense of comfort knowing that I would benefit from the online course. I also found this course helped my progress and transition into university very well.

(4) University placement and counselling

OVS is an online school platform therefore there was not a direct counselling service. However, I felt extremely comfortable to reach out to any administration along with my teacher. If something came up, I knew I was in a safe space to reach out to the teacher and ask for guidance. I also found the teachers were really helpful in giving university and career advice. I was very lost in high school and felt like they helped to shape my career choice and showed me many options of potential pathways that I was interested in. I was inspired by my teachers throughout this experience and have gained a passion for education, which is what I plan to progress into. Their guidance really went a long way.