Students of SC Virtual Charter School come together at Segra Park

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — Students with the South Carolina Virtual Charter School came together for a back-to-school bash at Segra Park.

“Virtual school is not just getting packets and being on your own on an island. There are different virtual schools that offer different things. We offer live instructional classes every single day, and I think that is one of the big misconceptions is that it’s just students at home without support,” says Michelle Patterson, the Director of Curriculum and Instruction.

With classes being 100% online, the back-to-school bash allows many students and families the opportunity to meet their teachers and administrators in person, some for the first time.

Students Des’Quan and Jeremiah Rutledge say they love the virtual experience.

“You just get to do your schoolwork from home peacefully, you don’t have to worry about bullying or you know things like that, you can just do your work peacefully, make good grades, see your teachers in person, and it’s nice,” says Des’Quan.

But that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of structure, says their mom Victoria Rutledge.

“It’s not all laid back and in pajamas anything like that, they have a set schedule routine that they know, we get up and get ready for school. We get clothes for school so we’re not just throwing on anything. It’s getting ready and prepared, but we love the teachers, and we love the setup that’s in place, and I say it’s brilliant,” says Victoria.

The event provides kids with a new tee shirt, books, and other resources that they’ll need for the new year.

Kindergartner Hope Harmon says she loves reading her favorite book, the cat in the hat and wants to be a pilot someday.

Her reasons are simple.

“Because my brother is, I really love my brother!” says Hope.

“We like to do a lot of things and keep schedules open, my wife’s actually a teacher at the virtual school as well, so whenever it came time for her to go to school, we’re just like we’re gonna do that and give it a shot. And it really opens up the flexibility, and we get to go to the library, we get to go to movies, we get to go to performances, and all of that stuff, all the while she would still be getting at a brick and mortar. Plus we don’t have to wait an hour for her to get to school with a bus and an hour on the way home,” says Hope’s dad, Jonathan Harmon.

The SC Virtual Charter School is a tuition free public school and is accredited by the SC Department of Education.