PITTSFIELD â The School Committee has voted in favor of opening a stand-alone virtual school with capacity for over 300 students next school year, but, because of budgetary considerations, it offered only a one-year commitment to the program.
The idea of offering an all-online school program in Pittsfield dates to last summer, when districts across the state developed virtual school options for students during the coronavirus pandemic.
Pittsfield Public Schools launched the all-online Pittsfield Public Virtual Academy, which accepted students in kindergarten through 12th grade, with a focus on medically vulnerable children, led by Principal Carl Tillona.
The offering was popular, according to feedback from a group of parents whose children were enrolled in the program, School Committee member William Cameron said at a recent public meeting, and they asked school leaders to retain such a pandemic-era offering.