The pandemic delivered the clear message that virtual education is not for everyone.

But, sometimes, it is desirable, or even necessary, and it will remain an option through Warren County School District.

On Monday, the board removed a high-school reconfiguration option that suggested, among other things, closing the district’s Virtual Academy to free up teachers for brick-and-mortar classrooms.

The Virtual Academy is a cyber program that serves current district students on a part-time basis, students who live in the district’s attendance area but choose to school virtually full-time, and students in other districts throughout the state that have contracted with WCSD to provide those services.

When students opt for public cyber school courses, dollars from their home district go with them.

Warren County School District has to pay for students in its attendance area to take classes from other public cyber charters. And, districts with students attending the Virtual Academy send money to WCSD.

Keeping the program operational is not all about dollars.

The Virtual Academy provides district classes to students who can’t schedule those classes during their school day or otherwise have need of virtual delivery. Among the academy’s programming are ‘recovery courses’ for students who did not pass a course or who otherwise want or need to take a course outside of their regular classroom schedule.

The academy offers more than 100 courses, including 53 core subject classes. There are 16 math courses – including four credit recovery courses, 12 English courses – one each of honors, college prep, and credit recovery for grades 9 through 12, 15 science courses including four credit recovery, and 10 social studies courses including five credit recovery.

Among the more than 50 electives are basics like health and physical education to Forestry and Natural Resources, Space Exploration, History of the Holocaust, Introduction to Women’s Studies, and Introduction to Military Careers.

The complete list of Virtual Academy course offerings can be found on at wcsdpa.org under the master facilities plan tab and the most recent FAQ.