[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6387268,"mediaKeyId","2116782-36b72b6ee29a77ed65f1dd80c8ec6ce6","parentId",2116782,"title","Parents, teachers and dozens of supporters press board to keep Virtual Academy as district reviews proposal to close school code","audioSeconds",4242,"startMs",1805000,"endMs",6047000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2116782-36b72b6ee29a77ed65f1dd80c8ec6ce6&start=1805&end=6047","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2116782-36b72b6ee29a77ed65f1dd80c8ec6ce6/thumbnail_1805000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6387268/North-Carolina/Parents-teachers-and-dozens-of-supporters-press-board-to-keep-Virtual-Academy-as-district-reviews-proposal-to-close-school-code","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6387268-722303993f69f1a156e5748e6fefdaf1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156035&Signature=dKQkIGAMy~ldZkcsNjVT-9EWS6KJFrDQCjJPNJ2BmCghMVYlTNbGXudysD4Bms2DcLTAUZ7ckFnGKUAzWnxjhj0fiBLnyrjC7iFrBL9V0vVgDnNKMksgcDl9oSdGJ3Zyg~cTA89PlnzAYIKYHpdlrBM96PPMIIQ4QnSTZKwQ2FfHW98LWzxedrfNKmYwHEbruePgR9fJr5cXhTbpxCkvWJTctNGvgwqVXli1klsUt6kG2d~zNIQh~swIaImyPsDVzzuIdd0-1rx9twuRMVAf9cctU5KbL3TkzlNPxG3hml6gDyaXNQKH9uocsBWBu9uLg-4E0NeuDBCoBsSqJY3iFA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools, NC","date","2025-01-15T14:57:09Z","article","Dozens of parents, students and staff urged the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education on Jan. 14 to keep the district's Virtual Academy open after central-office staff recommended consolidating virtual instruction into existing brick-and-mortar schools.

The recommendation, presented by Chris Weigert, chief human resources officer, would phase the district’s standalone K–8 Virtual Academy into a 6–12 virtual program embedded at Winston-Salem Prep and consolidate other virtual offerings over two years. Weigert told the board the proposal was prompted by falling enrollment at elementary grades and the need to make staffing more sustainable. He said the proposal could reduce an estimated $950,000 in annual local costs, and that an initial staffing estimate includes saving approximately one instructional support position, an assistant principal supplement and about 6.5 teacher positions (estimates subject to final allotments and enrollment).

Why it matters: Supporters said the Virtual Academy is the only option that meets medical, safety and social-emotional needs for many students — including students with disabilities and those who experience bullying — and warned that moving the program would dismantle relationships and services built over five years.

What speakers said
- LaJoy Wilson Moore, principal of the Virtual Academy, described the school as a “virtual, synchronous” program that serves students who need alternative placement for medical or social reasons and said staff had developed student government and in-person activities to build community. “We provide the best alternative for staff who are between medical leaves for physical and mental health and provide safe spaces for all students who are between hospital homebound and their residential schools,” she said.
- Chris Weigert, chief human resources officer, framed the recommendation as an enrollment- and sustainability-driven change. He said current K–8 enrollment is small in some elementary grades (for example, single-digit applicants for third grade) and that the district must weigh “developmentally appropriate” research for elementary virtual instruction. Weigert said the district projects a consolidated 6–12 virtual program could serve roughly 200–300 students and could reduce underutilized classroom sections.
- Parents, students and teachers offered testimony opposing the change. A seventh-grade student at the Virtual Academy said the program gave them safety and improved grades. Parent speakers and a petition with more than 400 signatures urged the board to preserve the school as a distinct program; one teacher said closing the program could end their ability to teach due to medical limitations.

District process and next steps
District staff said no final decision was made at the Jan. 14 meeting. Weigert said the district will present a formal action item on Feb. 11 that would close the Virtual Academy school code under state law; that Feb. 11 meeting will include a public hearing mandated by statute before the board votes. Staff said current students already enrolled would not lose access to virtual instruction during an implementation window, and the district would offer placement and preferential consideration to existing Virtual Academy staff for vacancies before opening transfers districtwide.

Clarifying details from the meeting
- Estimated recurring local savings mentioned in public comment and staff remarks: $950,000 (stated by commenters and discussed by staff as an estimate). Source: public commenter Allen Daniel and HR presentation.
- Staffing estimates discussed by staff: savings include at least 1 instructional-support position, the principal local supplement, about 3 office support positions and roughly 6.5 teacher positions; staff said exact counts depend on final allotments and enrollment.
- Enrollment snapshots (month 2 ADM cited by staff): small elementary cohorts (example given: approximately 32 students at 6th grade and single-digit option selections in some 3rd-grade cohorts), and the district projected a 6–12 consolidated program of roughly 200–300 students depending on choices.
- Wait-list and capacity: presenters said there were waiting-list numbers but that capacity is uneven by grade; district staff said limited staffing in certain grade bands constrained admitting all wait-listed applicants.

Discussion points raised by board members and public
Board members pressed staff on placement options, timelines, how medical and special-education needs would be served if the school code closed, and what steps the district would take to prioritize current staff for openings. Parents and teachers pressed for alternative cost savings and for external funding sources rather than closure. Several board members asked staff to provide comparative achievement and attendance data for Winston-Salem Prep and Cook to assess how embedding virtual programs could affect those schools’ metrics.

Meeting context and implementation risk
The proposal drew substantial public comment—more than a dozen speakers representing families, students and staff—and extended board discussion. Staff described the implementation as medium to high risk because it requires changing a school code (which requires a public hearing and a final board vote), numerous staffing reassignments, and transitions for students with individualized education programs.

What the board did on Jan. 14
No vote to close the school code occurred on Jan. 14. Board members set the next formal step: a public hearing and possible action on Feb. 11. Staff said they would notify families directly and host connection meetings for families, and they will prepare an implementation plan and staffing timeline if the board votes to close the school code.

Ending note
Speakers on both sides asked the board to weigh program sustainability against the specialized needs of students who rely on the Virtual Academy. The board scheduled the Feb. 11 public hearing to collect additional formal public comment before taking any final vote.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Education Meeting 1-14-2025","oneSentenceSummary","Dozens of parents, students and staff urged the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education on Jan. 14 to keep the district's Virtual Academy open after central-office staff recommended consolidating virtual instruction into brick-and-mortar schools.","taxTitle","Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools, School Districts, North Carolina","taxId",46520,"location","North Carolina","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6387254,"Board actions at a glance: Jan. 14 votes include officer elections, calendar and appropriations",545,9890000,10435000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2116782-36b72b6ee29a77ed65f1dd80c8ec6ce6&start=9890&end=10435","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2116782-36b72b6ee29a77ed65f1dd80c8ec6ce6/thumbnail_9890000.jpg","/articles/6387254/North-Carolina/Board-actions-at-a-glance-Jan-14-votes-include-officer-elections-calendar-and-appropriations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6387254-719be9a8fa77367b846f797ee3d0baeb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156035&Signature=FTvmUkaP6RxaOCkDgGiqLpkOULiUmXgN0slxgukPN50z1frajSnFBvS1kRVSQNf5C2AqUYCv36zlqW1XLgn6yE42MX5P82sb-md1JvoQOu0JSrfeqNcIuvq8-gKKf~w5cbdKkkKGQ6nH97C53MNR3mTyBjrsXO8qCI6TCDTZiPiIe8zwPg7eUTDU17DUhb2qQsSyzA9z6Yh6SJQaCgAGPC6n2yBuQwGQHSzFE4qmT5nRd4RpSemGTX5QiMYegnl5J~LCB2z6uq~KY58nlS~rZY7GGcs-Qv864sD4Cc1a8vfd1P59juKzUakcH45Ig6Sm~uoeRSrqWJjOLtIUTQOBAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education took several formal votes at its Jan. 14 meeting. Below is a summary of the outcomes provided at the meeting.

Officer elections
- Board Chair: Deanna Kaplan was elected board chair by a unanimous vote. Chair Kaplan will preside for the year.
- Vice Chair: Alex Bohannon was elected vice chair after a contested vote; the motion carried by a 5–4 tally.

Action items and appropriations
- Early/Middle College calendar reconciliation: Approved unanimously.
- Surplus property on Nicholson and Terry Road: Approved unanimously.
- Wiley/Reynolds Stadium project: The board approved using Wiley Middle School 2016 bond funds to support completion of the Wiley/Reynolds stadium project. The motion passed 8–1. Board member Miller moved the item; board member Crowley seconded.
- Memorandum of agreement with the Innovation Project and appropriation of grant funding: Approved unanimously.
- Appropriation of funds for the America 250 briefing (curriculum committee item): Approved unanimously.
- General personnel report (consent agenda): Approved unanimously.

Why it matters
Several of the approved items included appropriations or authorizations that directly affect capital projects, grant-funded programming and district staffing. The stadium funding was the lone non-unanimous vote; board members asked for an itemized accounting of final stadium expenditures and a clear delineation of district versus private/home-field-advantage contributions once the project concludes.

Procedure and next steps
Board minutes and accompanying agenda documents list motions and votes. Staff said they will provide an itemized final accounting for the Wiley/Reynolds stadium project when all invoices and contracts have closed.

Ending note
Board members scheduled regular follow-up reports on several items; no further immediate action was required beyond the normal administrative execution of approved appropriations.","The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education elected board officers and approved several action items on Jan. 14, including calendar reconciliation, property surplus, stadium funding and grant MOAs. Most votes passed unanimously; the vice-chair election and Wiley/Reynolds stadium funding drew split votes.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6387258,"District to migrate student records from PowerSchool to Infinite Campus with July 1 go-live; teachers to train on new platform",781,3349000,4130000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2116782-36b72b6ee29a77ed65f1dd80c8ec6ce6&start=3349&end=4130","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2116782-36b72b6ee29a77ed65f1dd80c8ec6ce6/thumbnail_3349000.jpg","/articles/6387258/North-Carolina/District-to-migrate-student-records-from-PowerSchool-to-Infinite-Campus-with-July-1-go-live-teachers-to-train-on-new-platform","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6387258-551106b906c4b5c4e5b88aa581e875a9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156035&Signature=D3cG8xJ75TKIvhkpwTDiv0MsNqtNdOdr1k42t3nsd0-zAspOCFkuLDoK6~5BC-q8DcAw1ZKL6i-MQa03RC9L6g0et9lZE3bnUGiW4Dje9EJQEgpz4iBbYs9SSxwb3KJa7DupJeoWuzVxgVARCxmrWocUSan1Dvj~CvAYI7YorOlJR4KhXwPuZTM33JnPB2yGwEXmJwlLKS177qUnG3X2O50xTsWwwYekRM2YGJhiAjfCQ5P4RNOtPnqRICBGkFsQbGIbAN~9Okgl-RbYgBNYXpfKwKAjGtmBslHJDLdi~b-LoRzvLNY58GSG8hMXZJSxeRyQz3jwl4J0eYxzS8JMEA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools officials told the board on Jan. 14 that the district will migrate its student information system from PowerSchool to Infinite Campus under a state-directed two‑phase conversion. The district’s target production go‑live date is July 1, 2025.

What staff said
Kevin Sherrill, chief technology officer, told the board the district chose Phase 2 of the state conversion timetable to learn from other districts’ first-phase experience. Kelly Moore, director for student information systems, said the district will receive a testing (staging) site in early February and that production will follow on the July 1 timeline.

Key impacts and timelines
- Go‑live: July 1, 2025 (Phase 2 production target).
- Trial/staging site: expected in early February 2025 for conversion testing.
- Scheduling: schools must finalize master schedules earlier than in prior years; district staff said scheduling needs to be complete by early May so data pulls after the last day of school can be converted on time.
- Modules and features: district will implement the Infinite Campus CS (student data, parent/student portal), campus online registration (enables online in‑district enrollment), campus messenger (built‑in communications), campus analytics and campus passport (training/knowledge base). The district is not implementing Infinite Campus’ learning‑management module in Year 1 and will retain Canvas for instruction; Moore said Infinite Campus integrates with Canvas.
- Training: the district will use a “flipped” model with campus passport training modules assigned to staff for prework followed by trainer-led sessions; principals and teachers will use a practice training site prior to production. District staff plan to use reserve days at the start of the school year for hands‑on training.

Questions from board members
Board members asked how master schedule edits over the summer will be handled; Moore said small edits and collapsing/adding sections remain possible but rebuilding a master schedule on a new system is not practical over the summer. She stressed the importance of earlier schedule finalization to avoid conversion errors. Board members also asked about Canvas integration and whether the district would later adopt Infinite Campus’ learning module; staff said Canvas will remain in Year 1 and there is no board decision yet on future consolidation.

Why it matters
The migration affects teachers, counselors, registrars and families: staff and parents will need new apps and logins, teachers will enter grades and attendance on a new platform, and the district expects the analytics suite to replace some existing external reporting tools.

Next steps and preparations
District conversion activities include monthly data‑manager cleanups, staged testing, train‑the‑trainer sessions, and district implementation team meetings. Moore said data managers who reviewed early extracts were “extremely pleased” with the initial conversion quality but emphasized continuing cleanup work and trainings.

Ending note
Officials emphasized the state-driven timeline and said the district elected Phase 2 to minimize first-wave conversion risk. The board and staff will return with further updates and training schedules ahead of the July go‑live.","Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools told the board the state-directed switch to Infinite Campus will go live July 1, 2025. Staff outlined conversion phases, an early February test site, a May scheduling deadline, and mandatory staff training through Infinite Campus' 'passport' system.","actionData","errors"]

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Parents, teachers and dozens of supporters press board to keep Virtual Academy as district reviews proposal to close school code

Board actions at a glance: Jan. 14 votes include officer elections, calendar and appropriations

District to migrate student records from PowerSchool to Infinite Campus with July 1 go-live; teachers to train on new platform