How It Works
How Online Junior High School Works
Who can attend?
The Heron Virtual Academy of South Carolina (HVASC) junior high school program serves students in grade 8 who reside in South Carolina.
HVASC is ideal for students who have had challenges reaching academic success and could benefit from a supportive, team-oriented approach to stay on track for a high school diploma. We offer options to adjust school schedules to the lifestyle needs of our students, accelerated pathways to support credit recovery, and postsecondary preparation.
What are the costs?
Because HVASC is part of the public school system, it’s tuition-free. We provide South Carolina-certified teachers and instructional materials.* Our enrollment consultants can help address your technology and computer questions and needs.
What is my role as a parent?
In junior high school, students become more independent and take on more responsibility and ownership of their work. Parents continue to serve as their child’s Learning Coach to support their success. As a Learning Coach, you will
- Help your child stay on track
- Monitor completion of lessons and assessments
- Communicate challenges with your child’s teacher as needed

Working with Your Teacher
Students work with their teachers and other classmates during “Class Connect” sessions. In Class Connect sessions, students:
- Receive live instruction from teachers
- Interact with classmates
- Ask questions and receive real-time support
Students can interact with their teachers and classmates by:
- Typing in the chat
- Speaking over their microphone
- Typing and drawing with online whiteboard features
- Joining small group breakouts to work on projects or receive targeted instruction
In addition to regular classroom instruction, teachers offer support or small group sessions to assist student learning.
Time Commitment
Junior high school students are expected to spend between 4 to 7 hours on schoolwork per school day. Most of the school day is spent online, with some opportunities for offline work.
Junior High School
- 4–7 hours daily
- Mostly online work
Email is the primary form of communication between the school and families. Learning Coaches and students are required to check and respond to emails daily.
State Testing
Families enrolling at HVASC must be willing to participate in all required areas of the program.
*Course materials vary by course. Please check with school staff to see what offline course materials are provided.