The Duneland School Board voted unanimously Monday night to change the name of the district’s online school from Trojan Virtual Academy to Northwest Indiana Online School. The rebranding has several goals as the virtual school moves into its fourth school year this fall.
Director Christy Jarka explained the academy started as a response to the 2020 pandemic when 25% of Duneland School Corporation students enrolled in the option. This school year TVA has 120 students, 14 of whom are out-of-district.
Jarka explained TVA is one of just three virtual academies in northern Indiana, along with virtual academies in Gary and South Bend. There are, however, many sprinkled throughout the rest of the state. “Some of our students, and students in the surrounding areas, are attending virtual schools out-of-district,” Jarka said. “We’d like to find out who they are so we can bring them back home.”
In renaming the school the district hopes to increase awareness of its existence, boost enrollment, engage the community, and emphasize the flexibility that the online school offers students and their families.
“Why would the school district be looking to expand its scope?” asked Superintendent Chip Pettit. “We’re in an era where we’re competing for kids.”
He said if the corporation doesn’t offer the virtual option, Duneland families will go elsewhere. “That’s about a half-a-million dollars that walks out the door,” he said.
In other business, the board welcomed new girls basketball coach Candy Wilson. “This is the third basketball coach in CHS history,” said Athletic Director Jeff Hamstra. He said Wilson has won 403 games in 23 years.
Formerly a coach at Valparaiso High School and Hebron High School, Wilson intends to finish where she began. “This is kind of a surreal moment for me,” she told the board. “This is my 30th year of coaching. I started in Chesterton right out of college and this is where I intend to retire.”
Shelley Jones is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
