REVIEW OF Ontario Virtual School BY student, Fiona Lang

(5) Student Experience

I took Grade 11 Functions with OVS because I struggled to keep up with the pace of teaching in day school. I loved the independent style of OVS, allowing students to manage their own schedules based on individual preparedness. I was able to review difficult topics as many times and for as long as necessary! There was plenty of review material, including a guidebook, workbook, and practice tests. There was also opportunity to improve grades through optional assignments, and there was no pressure to keep pace with peers. Both teachers and guidance staff replied to all questions by email, etc., in a timely manner, and an assessment/report was never returned later than predicted. The online platform was user-friendly; it was easy to book guidance appointments, etc. In applying to universities, OVS facilitated the smooth transition of grades from their platform to that of my home school, as well as OUAC. I simply booked a guidance call and was able to request marks to be transferred. Final reports can be automatically transferred to home schools through a form. This exponentially reduces stress and confusion about credits being transferred/recognized across schools. Overall, I had an incredibly positive experience with OVS and would recommend anyone looking to earn credit outside of day school consider joining!

(5) School Leadership

As mentioned above, because Ontario Virtual School is an online school, there is no direct contact made between students and higher administrators. Students are given easy and clear access to portals, which make booking guidance appointments and seeking academic assistance incredibly easy. There is a page integrated into the main bar of the homepage, making navigation consistent and easy to understand. The guidance staff were kind and efficient when I spoke to them. I requested a transfer of a transcript, and the grade was received by my day school within the given period of about 2 (or 3) days.

(5) Teaching

As mentioned above in the student experience section, I had all positive experiences with staff at Ontario Virtual School. My teacher, Ms. Hansen, was kind and supportive. She marked assignments with haste and always provided feedback, guiding me in the right direction. Ms. Hansen was able to tell me where I might need to focus more time and energy, and in which areas I was doing well. She did not hold ridiculous expectations and was consistently responsive to any and all emails. I never received a mark late or received a mark I thought might not be correct. While the school is operated through an online platform and there is minimal interaction with teachers and staff, the experience I have had has been nothing but positive.

(5) Academics

I took Grade 11 Advanced Functions, and I believe that the level of difficulty rivalled that of the equivalent offered in my day school. This course proved to be “easier” as it allowed independence and let me move at a comfortable pace. The mode of delivery also makes it incredibly easy to go through lessons and review concepts thoroughly and in depth with a tutor if necessary. Much of the coursework—tests, homework problems, format of word problems, etc.—was extremely similar to what I’ve seen in day school. I wouldn’t say there is a discrepancy between the level of difficulty in Ontario Virtual School’s offering and that of the TDSB. I found the work challenging and stimulating, but of course, doable.

(5) School Life

(5) Admissions

There was no strenuous admissions process for Ontario Virtual School. I simply logged into their virtual platform, browsed their offered catalogue of for-credit courses, and selected Functions. The only condition is that you ensure you have earned the prerequisites prior to enrolling in the proceeding course. Afterwards, proceeding to checkout, it is a one-time payment, and students have a year from the date of enrolment to complete the course. There are no hidden or extra fees and no intense vetting process.