My Virtual Success Stories, Parent Resources, Teacher Highlights, Virtual School |
The MVA Difference: Teachers Who Never Give Up on Their Students
At My Virtual Academy, we’re proud to have some of the most supportive virtual teachers in Michigan. We know that student success often starts with one simple thing: a teacher who believes in them.
“MVA teachers are the best! They won’t let you give up.”
As one graduate shared:
“Thank you for always being there and never saying I couldn’t do it. You believed in me and helped me graduate. I wanted to give up, but you motivated me.”
The MVA Teacher Promise
Our teachers are more than instructors—they are motivators, mentors, and champions of every student’s potential. At MVA, our team is guided by the following promise:
- 🌟 We believe in every student, especially when they don’t believe in themselves
- 💬 We provide consistent motivation and support
- 📈 We maintain high expectations while offering unlimited encouragement
- 🎉 We celebrate every victory, no matter how small
Another MVA graduate put it perfectly:
“It’s never too late! My teacher was the only person who pushed me to get things done! She wouldn’t let me become a failure.”
Why It Matters: The Power of Connection in Online Education
Many people still ask, “Can you really build meaningful relationships in a virtual program?”
Our answer is always yes—and our students are proof. Studies show that teacher-student relationships are one of the most important predictors of academic success. (Source: https://www.edutopia.org/article/power-positive-relationships)
At MVA, our supportive virtual teachers go the extra mile to check in, follow up, encourage, and guide students across Michigan—no matter their starting point. Whether a student is re-engaging with school after time away, overcoming challenges at home, or simply needing a fresh start, they are never alone.
Supportive Virtual High School Teachers – The MVA Difference
We believe that education is about more than curriculum—it’s about connection, inspiration, and never giving up. At My Virtual Academy, we give students the tools, support, and belief they need to achieve their goals—whether that’s a diploma, college, or a career.
Ready to Experience the MVA Difference?
Are you or your student looking for a program that will believe in them—no matter what?
👉 Apply today at My Virtual Academy
Our teachers are ready to support your journey from day one.
Helpful Resources:
Education, My Virtual Success Stories, Teenagers, Virtual School |
How an Online Program in Michigan Helped One Student Reach Nursing School
At My Virtual Academy, a leading online program in Michigan, we do more than just teach courses—we change lives. This powerful testimonial from one of our Michigan graduates shows exactly what makes our virtual learning program so unique.
“My MVA teacher helped me learn to believe in myself. Now, I am starting nursing school. Dreams can come true!” — MVA Graduate
Many students come to MVA after struggling in traditional school settings. Whether they’ve faced bullying, learning challenges, or simply didn’t feel seen, our students arrive looking for a new path. And our teachers? They’re here to light the way.
Why Families Choose MVA: Personalized Online Program in Michigan
We specialize in personalized virtual education that meets students where they are—academically and emotionally. Whether your teen is college-bound or simply needs a fresh start, My Virtual Academy offers:
- 👩🏫 Caring teachers who believe in every student’s potential
- 📚 Flexible, personalized learning plans tailored to individual needs
- 💬 Ongoing encouragement to help students rebuild confidence
- 🧭 Real-world preparation for careers and college
That graduate heading to nursing school? She didn’t just pass her classes—she discovered her self-worth and her future. And it started with one teacher who believed in her. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for registered nurses continues to grow, making her next step not just inspiring—but smart. (Source: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm)
Is Your Student Ready for a Different Kind of Learning?
We know Michigan families are searching for alternative education options that actually work. At My Virtual Academy, we’ve helped thousands of students graduate with confidence and purpose—from high school to healthcare careers and beyond.
Imagine your student going from:
- “I don’t think I can do this” ➡ “I got into college!”
- “School isn’t for me” ➡ “I’m excited about my future.”
- “I’m behind” ➡ “I’m on the path to graduation.”
Student Success, Michigan Proud
This student’s story is one of many. Every year, MVA graduates across Michigan pursue college, skilled trades, entrepreneurship, and more. And their journeys start right here—with personalized online learning and teachers who care.
Ready to Start Your Dream?
If you’re a parent in Michigan looking for a better way to support your student—or a teen ready to try something new—we’re here to help.
👉 Enroll today at My Virtual Academy
Your student’s success story starts now.
Michigan families seeking alternative learning paths can also explore resources from the Michigan Department of Education, which supports a variety of virtual learning options across the state.
All Educations, Education, High School, Virtual School |
When a teen starts to fall behind in school, the stress the student and family feels is palpable. Often times when a student fails a class, they start to struggle in their other classes too. They begin to doubt 
themselves and the grades in their other classes reflect that mindset. In order to make up the classes/credits, in the past, they have needed to enroll in summer school. However, that isn’t the case these days! We want you to know that there are other options out there to help your student avoid the dreaded summer school.
We offers a unique program that allows students from any high school across the country to take a high school class within an eight week time period. That’s right…just eight weeks! The classes are delivered online utilizing Edmentum so they can earn their missing credits from the comfort of your home!
Once enrolled, each student is assigned an academic coach who will contact them twice weekly to discuss progress and provide advice. They will also call the parents twice weekly to keep them informed of their progress.
Upon completion of the eight-week course, the final exam is given. This exam can be taken online via zoom, or at the student’s current school with an approved counselor from the school district.
Classes are very affordable, depending on the district you attend school.
It’s not always realistic to think that a student will learn the material taught to them the very first time it is presented in class. That’s why we offer credit recovery programs. Programs such as ours give struggling students another chance at successfully completing a course. It’s a shame some students end up in summer school or worse, drop out because they are shy a credit or two to graduate. We aim to prevent that and get teens graduated!
Credit recovery programs can enhance a student’s schooling experience and ensure that they stay on the path to graduation. When they earn a credit with our virtual school partners, they can learn from the comfort of their own home, which is a very successful way to learn for most students.
Another positive aspect of credit recovery is that we focus on each individual student and their learning needs. What works for one student may not work for the next and we understand that. We offer a wide range of courses and are certain we can meet the need of each student that comes to us for help. This is a huge benefit compared to placing your teen in summer school where they essentially are “pushed through” and are expected to have the same learning styles as everyone else in the classroom.
We keep a tight level of control over the material taught in our courses. Students have the ability to focus on areas that they struggled in, which allows them to master the subject. As we mentioned, academic coaches will follow up with your student a couple times per week to ensure that they are staying on the right track and understand the material.
Just like traditional schools have to meet certain standards, we have been awarded accreditation by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), the Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI), the regional accrediting agencies that span the AdvancED global network. Your student is guaranteed a quality education to make up those missing credits that are needed for graduation.
We want every student to succeed. One of the biggest stepping stones in a person’s life is their high school diploma. It is needed for them to go on to college, enter a trade school, or pursue various careers. Often times, students still struggle with summer school because the material is being taught in the same manner as it was the first time around. A fresh, new approach may be just the thing your student needs!
Credit recovery schools are a great alternative for your teen and will keep them out of summer school and on the road to graduation. Don’t feel that your student is too far behind to graduate or that their only option is dropping out because there are other alternatives available!
We would love to discuss all the ways we can help your student, so please reach out to us today! Feel free to give us a call at 800-297-2119 or click here to visit our website for more information.
Advice, Teenagers, Virtual School |
The struggle is real folks. Teens love their sleep and motivating in the mornings can prove to be quite the challenge. Even though your student is a virtual learner, they still shouldn’t sleep the day away. If you are like many parents and have a hard time getting your teen up and motivated for the day, try some of these tips and hopefully your mornings will start to improve and become less stressful!
Encourage your teen to prep the night before.
Are there things that your teen typically puts off until the morning and then they are stressed and rushed? Something as simple as having your teen complete their coursework before bed can reduce stress and anxiety in the morning. Do you leave the home to work while your teen stays home to do their schooling? Ask them to make their lunch the night before and make sure everything is in order for the following day. You can relate this task to going to bed with a clean house versus a dirty one. When you have taken the time to do the dishes, clean up after dinner, and have everything in order, when you wake up the next day, you are fresh and ready to go. You aren’t playing catch up from the day before. Same goes for your student. If their “house” is in order, their morning will run smoother and they’ll be ready for whatever the new day brings.
Keep your teen’s morning straight to the point.
Avoid adding extra tasks to your teen’s plate early in the morning. When they prep the night before, the morning should be fairly routine and easy going. Unless something is urgent, try adding extra chores or things to their to-do list for the evening or weekends. Your teen could be grumpy in the morning and just like all of us, we don’t like it when we’re thrown a curve ball or have another expectation thrown on us when we are still waking up and getting ready for our day.
Encourage a reasonable bedtime.
It’s hard to get your teens to stick to a bedtime like they could when they were younger. Often times you may think they are sleeping but they are in bed on their phone or watching TV. When they are up late, it makes getting up in the morning that much more of a struggle. Your teen should aim to get an average of 8 hours of sleep per night so encourage them to go to sleep and wake up at roughly the same time each day. This may not always be reasonable, depending on what’s going on in your lives, particularly on the weekends, but when you sleep and wake at the same time your body regulates and is working at its prime.
Let your teen make their schedule.
Being responsible about time management is a skill that is crucial for teens, especially teens that learn virtually. Distractions are abundant at home so it’s important to be aware of the time that is required to complete their coursework. The need to be able to tune out their surroundings and carve out the time needed to complete their schooling daily. Time management is an important skill that will be used for the remainder of their life so it’s best they learn about it now, while under your roof. Have your teen use an alarm clock so that they are responsible for waking themselves up. If they feel groggy in the morning and are not up to making themselves breakfast, give them some recipes for things that are easy and can be prepped ahead of time. Things such as overnight oats, breakfast burritos, or omelettes in a mug are things that require very little time in the morning yet will give them energy throughout the morning.
Make a checklist.
Try creating a morning responsibilities checklist for your teen. It will reroute their morning and set them on the right path for the day. If they struggle with time management, you could have their checklist accompanied by times of when those tasks should be completed. Have some extra time built in so if something takes longer than anticipated or something unexpectedly gets added to their morning routine, they don’t stress.
Ask them to make their bed and get dressed.
These two simple tasks have a BIG impact on a person’s day. When you make your bed, you are programming your brain to know it’s time for the day to start and you aren’t tempted to hit the sheets and crawl back into bed. It sets the stage for your day. The same thing goes for getting dressed. Although your teen could stay in their pajamas for virtual school, ask them to get dressed for the day. It changes their mindset and they will be more productive throughout the day.
Virtual learning is wonderful and students enjoy learning at home, in a comforting, relaxed environment. Just make sure that your teen isn’t sleeping the day away and then cramming everything into the evening. Cramming like that adds to stress and could put them behind. Following a routine as if they were attending a traditional school will help them with developing crucial time management skills and prep them with the life skills they’ll need once they graduate high school.
Have you checked out our Facebook page lately? Our staff is always posting updates about the school and other tidbits that help your student stay on track. Check it out by clicking here.
Advice, Education, High School, Test Preperation, Virtual School |
When your kids exit elementary school and enter their middle and high school years, it’s really important that they have the skills to study efficiently and effectively. This will allow them to gain more independence when it comes to studying and stops them from spinning their wheels and getting nowhere when studying for a big test.
Go over some of these study tips with your 5-12th grader and give them the power to use their time efficiently. Everyone will be happier and more productive once they get these pointers under their belts.
Carve out study time.
Block out a certain time slot each day that is dedicated to study time. Whether they need to finish homework, review daily lessons, or study for a test, that time is waiting for them. It helps to know how much time is needed each day by projecting the week ahead. On Sunday, sit down and take a look at what they plan to accomplish throughout the week. Do they plan to take a big test in history on Thursday? Time will need to be allowed to study for that test. Are they finishing up a science project? Make sure time is allocated to work on it. You get the idea. Knowing your teen has time allowed for each task will take some of the stress out of the week because they won’t be cramming or falling behind.
Use study time sensibly.
It’s hard to avoid distractions, especially when you are home and perhaps the TV is on, people are cooking in the kitchen, or someone is talking on the phone. Make sure your teen has somewhere that is relatively distraction-free to go and study. When there are no distractions, their mind can be focused on the task at hand (studying) and make the most out of their time. If your teen is doing their work on a device, such as a laptop computer, tell them to avoid having any unnecessary windows open. Keeping social media accounts unopened, gaming sites off, etc. will all help to keep them focused on their studies and not distracted by messages and posts.
The evenings go quick – we know! It’s hard to schedule study time that doesn’t conflict with other activities, but try your best. If your teen is too tired, they won’t be able to concentrate and really lock in what they are reviewing. When they are dosing off, encourage them to try a change of scenery. If they won’t be too distracted, have them sit outside on your patio in the fresh air. They need to make good use of their study block so they stay on track and sometimes a change of scenery or a quick 5-minute break will let them clear their head, refocus, and then get back at it.
Develop good note-taking skills.
When you have good notes, studying goes quicker because you don’t have to scour page-by-page for information. They will summarize what you need to know for your upcoming test. When you write notes, it increases the ability to recall that information. Teens can create their own note taking system because it should be one that works best for them. If they are taking notes, and have questions or need to revisit something, have them put an asterisk next to it or some other icon so they can come back to that area later.
Don’t multitask.
When your brain has too much going on at once, it tends not to remember everything and it can also jumble up the information. These factors will reduce your recall ability because you will either be unable to recall the facts or could have them mixed up. Have them focus on one subject at a time and work on it until the daily tasks are completed. Then they can move on to the next subject.
Make flashcards.
Flashcards are a great way to prep for a test. They can even use their notes as a quick guide to making flashcards. All of the important information should have been pulled out onto their notes. By going through those and making flashcards, they are avoiding skimming every page in the textbook for important information. Flashcards are also an easy way to quiz them and see what areas they still need help on.
Get rest!
Teens tend to lack on the amount of sleep they need during the week. Less than 20% of teens say that they get the recommended 8+ hours of sleep each night. That means over 80% are functioning at a subpar level. Make sure your teen goes to bed at a reasonable time so they are refreshed and ready the next day. This, and a good breakfast, will set them up for a successful day.
What helps your teen the most when it comes to studying for an exam or finishing a big assignment? Leave a comment below and let us know. Others would love to hear what you have to say too!
If you haven’t already, go follow our Facebook page and check out our website to see how My Virtual Academy helps students become better studiers and prepare them for life after high school.
Advice, Education, High School, Study Tips, Teenagers, Virtual School |
As a virtual student, you probably have already discovered that it can be challenging to stay on track when you are studying and going to school from home. The everyday distractions can seem like simple 5-minute breaks here and there to take out the trash, fix a quick snack, check your text messages or social media (you get the idea) but before you know it, hours have flown by and time got away from you and the task at hand. Whether you are in high school for a few more years or are graduating and getting ready to enter the real world, time management is key to success.
Often times our students are faced with challenging home lives including financial hardships. Whether it’s to help support your family or put gas in your tank for running around with friends, our students find themselves juggling both work and school. Juggling work and school can really stress students out and some students start falling behind if they don’t have the tools needed to stay on track. We don’t want that to happen to you, so let’s go over some ways that you can be a successful student while earning a paycheck.
Set up a work station
First of all, in regard to school, are you setup for success? By that we mean do you have an area designated for your schooling that is relatively free from distractions? Do you have the supplies needed to get your work done (pencils, notebooks, computer, etc.)? When you are running around looking for a sharpened pencil so you can take notes or you can’t focus because your work station is in front of the family TV, you’re not really setting yourself up to be successful. Prepare your school space and you’ll save yourself some valuable time and energy.
Consider the time of day you are most focused
Second, take a second to think about your day. Do you tend to be someone who wakes up and gets their day going with a bang or do you pull the sheets over your head and let the snooze go off 5 more times before you wake up? Think about when you feel like you are at your peak performance and make a mental note of those times. Try to do your school work when you’re most alert and motivated. If possible, schedule work hours around your school schedule.
Schedule ahead
Third, let us introduce you to your new best friend: your planner. Whether you have a schedule that changes each week or one that is set in stone, creating a schedule that you can live with and stick to is going to be key in staying sane while tackling both work and school. Hey, when you’re running here and there and trying to get your lessons in, the stress will get high. With a thought-out schedule, things will get easier because you would have made time for everything. The trick is to stick with it.
Listen, no one said this would be easy but by taking some time to carve out your days in the beginning, you will avoid mass chaos at the middle and end. If you feel that your school work is suffering because of your work commitment, see if there are areas that you can reduce your spending so perhaps you don’t 
have to work as often. If you made a schedule thinking that you were really productive in the afternoon, but it turns out that is when you hit a lull in your day, make some tweaks and move your obligations to the earlier hours of the day. We are confident in you and know that after a short time, you will have found the perfect balance and things will fall into place.
Have you checked out all of the entertaining and informative posts on our blog? What are you waiting for? It’s a great resource for those within our MVA family and for those families that are contemplating making the leap to virtual learning. We post on all kinds of topics that will help keep you on the right path and also gives parents some guidance on things they may be dealing with. Click here to check it out! If you or someone you know could benefit from a virtual learning environment please give one of our enrollment specialists a call today at 800-297-2119.
