Virtual Academy: 2026-2027

Greetings, Virtual Academy Wolves!

Each month, you will a newsletter like this with helpful information for your student's online success. This is a primary communication tool between school and your family, and we want to make sure you have all the information you need. Please read through each newsletter carefully and reach out with any questions.

We've had a wonderful start to the school year and are excited to be working with over 200 online learners in Grades K-12!

Holly Fiechtner

Principal, Virtual Academy

fiechth@fargo.k12.nd.us

As our school calendar shows, we have “connection days” on our schedule once each quarter. These are opportunities for students to come together to do something fun as well as get to meet other students and our VA staff.

This week, we expanded this connection to include families with our first family connection event. It was a great first night for those that were in attendance with food provided by our ND National Guard members as well as games and activities, including face painting, a book walk, and bingo to name a few. Here are a few pictures from the event. Thanks to all who attended!

Our next connection day will be during the school day for students and is scheduled for November 17.

• September 29, October 1. 6 and 8 - North Dakato State Testing for students in K-10. You have received an individual email with your assigned date and time.
• October 12 - No School
• October 20 - Updated immunizations due
• October 30 - End of Quarter 1/High school (9-12) classes should be finished.
• November 2 - Quarter 2 classes begin for high school.
• November 3 - ACT for juniors and seniors wanting to test (pre-registration required)
• November 11 - No School, Veteran's Day
• November 17 - Connection Day
• November 25-27 - No School, Fall Break
• December 1 - HTTC Career Expo, required for all sophomores
• December 3 - ASVAB testing, required for all juniors and seniors who have not already tested

Additional information about each event listed below.

Virtual Academy 2026-2027 School Calendar

The following documents are required by North Dakota Law and due by October 20, 2026. After this date classes will will be paused until received.

North Dakota law requires children to be properly immunized or in the process of being immunized before attending school. Review the North Dakota Immunization Schedule for additional information.

North Dakota’s school immunization requirements are enforced by the Fargo Board of Education.

Proof of residency must include the parent or guardian’s name and current address.

Families Who Own Their Home

Provide one of the following:

• Property tax statement identifying the property as a dwelling
• Purchase agreement identifying the property as a dwelling or house

Alternatively, provide two of the following documents showing the current address:

• Utility bill
• Insurance document
• Pay stub
• Vehicle registration
• 
  

Families Who Rent Their Home

Provide one of the following:

• Official lease or rental agreement that includes an expiration date
• Notarized Affidavit of Residence when renting without a lease

Lease or rental documentation must be updated annually. Families using an Affidavit of Residence may be required to complete registration in person. Secondary documents may be provided by the renter or landlord.

Alternatively, provide two of the following documents showing the current address:

• Utility bill
• Insurance document
• Pay stub
• Vehicle registration

Each Wednesday, students in Grades 6-12 have an opportunity for in-person support from our VA teacher core team. Students are welcome from 9:30-11:30AM or 12-2PM. Virtual Academy teachers rotate being onsite for these days, so if there's a specific teacher you need, be sure to reach out to them!

• Language Arts - Laura Qualey
• Math - Madelyn Moore
• Science - Matthew Dahmen
• Social Studies - Rachel Schroeder

Virtual Academy continues to grow. For those of you who aren’t aware, VA is a K-12 school. It’s only mid-September and our enrollment is over 200 students. This month we want to feature some of our youngest learners. We are proud to introduce our 1st and 2nd grade students.

The ACT is a standardized exam, often used by colleges and universities to measure students’ readiness for college level work. Since COVID, may schools have gone “test optional”, no longer requiring this test for admission, but recently several schools are returning to this test. In addition to college admissions, colleges can use the results to determine placement in math and English coursework at the college level. There are also some scholarships opportunities and awards programs that use ACT results.

Virtual Academy is fortunate that we are an approved test site for the ACT, allowing our students to test with us in a smaller setting and at a reduced cost. VA offers the multiple choice sections of the exam in a computerized format. There are four sections – English, math, reading, and science – that students will be tested on. The test scores range from 1 to 36. A score of a 24 or higher can be used as a qualifying score for the ND Scholarship.

We will be offering the ACT for our students on Tuesday, November 3 at 8:30 am. Pre-registration is required. If you would like to test, please contact Mrs. Boehm at (701) 446-8605 to register. The cost of the test for our students is now $75, however our students are able to test at a discounted rate of $54. This can be paid through SchoolPay. If you would like to test, but cannot afford the $54, please contact Mrs. Boehm to discuss other funding options.

Each fall, seniors meet with the school counselor to discuss remaining “to-do’s” for their senior year as well as discuss graduation and after graduation plans. Mrs. Boehm plans to start meeting with seniors in October for these meetings. Parents/guardians are also invited to participate in these meetings which typically take about 45 minutes. Meetings can be conducted in person or via Teams. To schedule a meeting time, please reach out to Mrs. Boehm.

Each year, the Bank of North Dakota generously covers the cost of one college application to a North Dakota college. Several colleges in North Dakota already have free applications, but others charge $35 to $100 for the application. To have the cost of a college application covered by the Bank of North Dakota, students must apply during the month of October. At the end of the application, there is a spot to enter a code. The code this year is 2026 CAM and can be used for one application only.

Currently, a glitch in Infinite Campus is not allowing Virtual Academy to enter absences into that program. We are still keeping attendance and will send letters of concern if students reach any of our attendance tier concern levels. Due to this issue in Infinite Campus, it will be even more important that parents/guardians are monitoring progress updates received through Edgenuity and the ND Center for Distance Education.

See the attached document (VA Attendance) regarding attendance for additional information.

For all families, please note that we do have a page on Josten’s. Any student can order VA clothing, class rings, or other items that you would like. Please visit https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/customer/3227653/Fargo-Public-Schools-Virtual-Academy/ to order and show your Wolf pride. For students that have earned letter F awards, lettermen’s jackets can be ordered through Be Seen in Fargo.

Every parent wants to know how to protect their child. The September edition of the parentguidance.org newsletter, focusing on Suicide Prevention Month, is about exactly that: recognizing the signs, knowing what to do, and understanding that a caring conversation can change everything. When someone feels heard and supported, they are far less alone in their struggles. You don't need to be a therapist to make a difference. You just need to know what to look for and how to show up.

In this month's newsletter, you'll find the warning signs to watch for, questions worth asking, and simple ways to let your child know they're loved, no matter what they're carrying.

We have teachers to help support you in grades 6-12. (Elementary students can contact their NDCDE teacher directly for support.)

Business

• Drew Bade - baded@fargo.k12.nd.us

Family and Consumer Science

• Erica Hewitt (Child Development, Early Childhood Education, Real World Parenting) - hewitte@fargo.k12.nd.us
• Katherine McCleary (Nutrition, Culinary Arts, Restaurant Skills, Fashion Design, Interior Design) - mccleak@fargo.k12.nd.us

Language Arts

• Heather Guy (English 4, AP Literature) - guyh@fargo.k12.nd.us
• Laura Qualey (all other English) - qualeyl@fargo.k12.nd.us or (701) 446-8609

Math

• Madelyn Moore - moorem@fargo.k12.nd.us or (701) 446-8607

PE/Health

• Casey Tidd - tiddc1@fargo.k12.nd.us

Science

• Matthew Dahmen - dahmenm@fargo.k12.nd.us or (701) 446-8606

Social Studies

• Rachel Schroeder (all other Social Studies) - schroer1@fargo.k12.nd.us or (701) 446-8632
• Ted Critchley (Government, Economics) - critcht1@fargo.k12.nd.us

Special Education

• Heather Knight (Special Education) knighth@fargo.k12.nd.us (701) 446-8669

Counselor Support:

Vanessa Boehm - boehmv@fargo.k12.nd.us

School Social Worker:

Katie King - kingk@fargo.k12.nd.us

Principal:

Holly Fiechtner -fiechth@fargo.k12.nd.us