Florida Virtual School provides a safe way to graduate high school

Parents worry about their children every day. With the growing concerns of school threats and shootings that fear has only increased. But taking courses online provides an alternative way to earn a high school degree while mitigating those risks.

For Janine Karras, she said her daughter was smart about the way she approached the idea of enrolling in a virtual school program.

“She wanted a little bit more freedom with her own schedule to do other activities that she likes to do,” Janine said.

That freedom has attract many students across the state to enroll in the program. The flexibility in coursework lets students work anytime, anywhere. For some, it enables the teenage to avoid the dreadful sound of an early morning alarm clock.

The number of students who complete the Florida Virtual Schools flex program is steadily rising. Janine said it is helping her daughter well beyond the lessons.

“She has a much stronger relationship with all of her teachers now because she doesn’t see them face to face,” Janine said. “Everything is contingent upon phone conversations, Skyping, all that kinds of stuff.”

Janine acknowledged that her biggest concern when switching her daughter to virtual school was how it would affect her social life. To her surprise, the program has been helpful in hosting activities to allow students to meet their classmates.

But it is the growing number of school threats that have some parents looking at other alternatives for their children — virtual school being one of them.

For Janine, she said that should not be the only reason to enroll in a virtual school program.

“We have an obligation to be vigilant all the time, not just when we’re at school,” Janine said. “You have to teach your kids to be vigilant without being scared.”