Ohio Connections Academy: 20 years of providing individualized student support

When Ohio Connections Academy first opened, full-time online learning for grades K-12 was not as prevalent as it is today, and students were seen as trailblazers for this type of learning. Today, with 20 years of online learning expertise and a program built specifically for the virtual environment, the school serves more than 5,000 students in grades K-12 from every county in the state of Ohio.  Ohio Connections Academy Superintendent Marie Hanna, and Dawnelle Criss, Ohio Connections Academy math teacher and 2012 graduate, share their insights on how the online classroom has evolved over the years and how attitudes have changed about the virtual learning. Ohio Connections Academy provides a personalized education that is supported by teachers who are specially trained in online learning. The curriculum is designed to have real-world value by focusing on preparing each student for wherever life takes them. As a public school, the school requires students to meet the same state standards as their traditional school counterparts.