Class is beginning for more than 4,000 students at Arizona Virtual Academy.

They learn all the same lessons and have the same teachers, but the children are often hundreds of miles apart.

“This offers flexibility for out students and our parents,” said Megan Henry, Head of School for Arizona Virtual Academy.

Students can “attend” class from anywhere an internet connection is accessible.

The academy is a charter school funded by tax dollars and no tuition is paid.

If a family cannot afford a computer with internet access, the school will provide one.

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Another K12 Inc. school, the 4,700-student Arizona Virtual Academy, had been nearly all-virtual for most if its eight years until this school year, when officials partnered with YMCAs statewide to create drop-in centers, says Megan B. Henry, the head of school. Visiting the centers isn’t mandatory, however, and students attend in three-hour blocks. If students come more than three days a week, they get a free Y membership, Henry says.

About 250 students are using the drop-in centers. So far, the school has few statistics to determine whether those students get an academic boost, but Henry says retention rates have already increased.

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The charter school has had a presence in the Gila Valley since 2000 — first as Pathways to College. Two years later the school’s name was changed to Gila Preparatory Academy.

Approximately 80 students in grades nine through 12 attended classes this year. Those who did not graduate this year will have to attend other area high schools. Those high schools are Safford, Mt. Graham, Thatcher, Pima and Fort Thomas.

“There has been an incredible amount of support from local school districts,” Wilson said.

He added that some students may want to consider accredited on-line high schools, such as Arizona Virtual Academy.

Wilson said his hope is Gila Prep students will use skills learned at the school to be successful at their new schools.

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Arizona Virtual Academy is honored to celebrate the graduation of 95 students as the Class of 2011, the schools largest graduating class to date.

The traditional graduation ceremony took place on May 20 at 6 p.m. at the East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT).

This year’s keynote speaker was Arizona House of Representatives member Steve Court, who has served on the Education and Appropriations committees for 3 years, and was Chairman of the Higher Education, Innovation and Reform committee during this past legislative session. Representative Court was recently elected by the Republicans in the House of Representatives to serve as the Majority Leader.

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