By Tom Tolen / news@whmi.com


Questions by parents and students interested in signing up for the new Brighton Virtual Academy - to be started this fall in response to the coronavirus pandemic — were answered Thursday evening at a virtual, online session via Zoom.

The limit of 300 participants was quickly reached, and many more would have joined the presentation, had that been possible. The presentation was chaired by Brighton Interim Superintendent Laura Surrey. Former Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Maria Gistinger was present to gather and help answer the myriad questions posed by the virtual audience. Kim Hubert, the district-wide math coach was the session moderator. Some parents complained later that the district should have expanded its account with Zoom (which involves a higher fee) to accommodate more people. Gistinger replied that parents were also allowed to submit questions via “chat”. Some parents also feel that the time limit of one hour should have been much longer, since many parents’ questions were left unanswered.

Absent any changes made when the Board of Education meets Monday night to formally approve the Back to School plan, the district will open for the fall term with what might be termed a “hybrid” plan — one in which students who don’t sign up for the Brighton Virtual Academy and opt for an in-classroom setting will go to school on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, with Wednesdays reserved for online instruction at home — something which gives the district time for deep-cleaning buildings, among other advantages. The Brighton Virtual Academy is described as a place where “highly qualified teachers and teacher mentors deliver dynamic instruction and support based on the curriculum taught in real time and virtually.” The district’s website says with the BVA, “daily communication supports students in meeting their goals.”

According to Gistinger, the BVA will offer both synchronous and asynchronous settings. In synchronous learning, she says, “Everyone is learning at the same time together, and asynchronous is the exact opposite, (where) everyone is learning at different times alone. The BVA offers content both ways. The teacher will teach ‘live’ virtually, and students will also view taped lectures and work on lessons alone.” Surrey says a committee reviewed many virtual learning programs and determined that Florida Virtual was the best one. As a consequence, the district will use the Florida Virtual content, with the local teacher teaching the content. She says the district may have to hire more teachers if the BVA results in a large enrollment because most current Brighton teachers will be teaching in the classroom. The deadline for signing up for the BVA is next Wednesday, Aug. 12. There is no tuition and all classes are free. So far, about 80 100 students have signed up for the virtual academy, according to Gistinger.

The session was recorded for those who were unable to participate and has been posted on the district’s website via this link.