Virtual Academy: 2026-2027

Greetings, Virtual Academy Wolves!

There are so many amazing things happening in Virtual Academy BY students and FOR students! Make sure you read through the details of this newsletter so you don't miss anything!

Holly Fiechtner

Principal, Virtual Academy

fiechth@fargo.k12.nd.us

Virtual Academy parent-teacher-student conferences are upon us! You have two options - in person on Monday, October 26 from 4-8PM or online Tuesday, October 27 from 4-8PM. See below for details!

Monday, October 26 - This will be an open house format in the Wolf Den (1305 9th Ave S). Teachers who will be available include:

Mrs. Boehm (Counselor) - 4-/PM

Mr. Critchley (Social Studies) - 4-5PM

Mr. Dahmen (Science) - 4-8PM

Mrs. Fiechtner (Principal) - 4-8PM

Ms. Guy (English) - 4-5PM

Ms. Hewitt (FACS) - 4-5PM

Mrs. Moore (Math) - 4-8PM

Ms. Qualey (English) - 4-8PM

Ms. Schroeder (Social Studies) - 4-8PM

Mr. Tidd (PE/Health) - 4:15-5:45PM

Tuesday, October 27 - These conference times will be online via Microsoft Teams. Use THIS LINK to sign up. (You must select a different time for each teacher you'd like to meet as Teams links will be different for each teacher.)

Available teachers include:

Mr. Bade (Business) - 4-7PM

Mrs. Boehm (Counselor) - 4-8PM

Mr. Dahmen (Science) - 4-8PM

Mrs. Fiechtner (Principal) - 4-8PM

Ms. McCleary (FACS) - 4-5:30PM

Mrs. Moore (Math) - 4-8PM

Ms. Qualey (English) - 4-8PM

Ms. Schroeder (Social Studies) - 4-8PM

The end of Quarter One (10/30) is quickly approaching, and that means courses on both the Edgenuity and NDCDE platforms are ending for high school students. New classes will begin with a start date of November 2, but you may see them on your Edgenuity platform before that time.

If you feel you will not complete your class by October 30 and may need additional time, you must reach out to your teacher(s) regarding the possibility of an extension by completing the VA EXTENSION REQUEST FORM. Before requesting an extension, please be aware of the following:

1. No course extensions will be granted for any course that is not at least 75% complete.

2. Any student who requests an extension will be required to attend at least one Proficiency Day (October 28, 29, or 30 from 9AM-12PM or 12:30-3:30PM).

3. The length of any course extension will not go beyond two weeks. Final grades will be issued at that point.

4. Extensions are granted at the discretion of the VA teachers and team. If you have not utilized the supports in place (e.g., Teams meetings with teachers, Wednesday support days) throughout the quarter, you may not be granted an extension.

5. Quarter two classes will begin on time and students granted extensions are expected to stay current on that coursework.

6. Students must complete the VA EXTENSION REQUEST FORM by Monday, October 26, to request an extension. Extensions will not be considered after that point.

Please reach out to your Virtual Academy teacher(s) with any questions.

Students who are not on track to finish their classes are required to attend Proficiency Day. This quarter, we have three options, and students may attend one or all three days with the goal of completing their coursework by end of the grading term (10/30).

Oct. 28 - 9:00AM-12:00PM or 12:30-3:30PM

• Ms. Qualey (English), Ms. Schroeder (social studies)

Oct. 29 - 9:00AM-12:00PM or 12:30-3:30PM

• Ms. Qualey (English), Mr. Dahmen (science)

Oct. 30 - 9:00AM-12:00PM or 12:30-3:30PM

• Mr. Dahmen (science), Mrs. Moore (math)

Where to Find Information on the November 3 Mill Levy Vote

Fargo Public Schools will have a question on the November 3, 2026, general election ballot regarding the District’s general fund mill levy. This vote will impact the local property tax portion of the District’s general fund.

Voters may have questions about the ballot language, how the mill levy works, and what the vote means for Fargo Public Schools. We encourage community members to take time to review the information available and learn more about the election. Visit www.fargo.k12.nd.us/vote2026 to access frequently asked questions, definitions of key terms, voting information, and additional resources.

Early voting is available Tuesday, October 27 to Saturday, October 30 at the Ramada Inn, FARGODOME, Hartl Ag Building at the Red River Valley Fairgrounds, and the Fargo Parks Sports Center. Voting hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday at all locations except the FARGODOME.

The next Connection Day for Virtual Academy will be held Tuesday, November 17. Meet others from Virtual Academy downtown at the Fargo Theatre. We will hear a bit about the Fargo Theatre and have a private showing of a movie.

More details to come! (This Connection Day will also require an RSVP, so keep watching for specifics!)

• October 26 and 27 - VA Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences
• October 28, 29, 30 - Proficiency Days for Q1 (9-12 or 12:30-3:30PM each day)
• 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, Fargo Theatre
• November 25-27 - No School, 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

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

Nov. 4 - Mrs. Moore (math)

Nov. 11 - No School

Nov. 18 - Ms. Schroeder (social studies)

Nov. 25 - No School

Dec. 2 - Mr. Dahmen (science)

Dec. 9 - Ms. Qualey (English)

Dec. 16 - Maddi

Jan. 6 - Mr. Dahmen (science)

Fargo Public Schools attends the Health, Technology & Trades Expo at the FargoDome each year. All sophomores are required to attend this event. We will be taking a bus from the Agassiz building and will be at the FargoDome for approximately 90 minutes. The date is December 1 and we are still waiting for our assigned time to attend. More information to come, but please mark this date on your calendar. In addition, all sophomores will be sent instructions regarding a career and interest inventory that needs to be completed prior to attending.

The ASVAB is a required test for Fargo Public Schools students as a requirement of ND Choice Ready. This test is not just for those interested in the military but is used by our school for career and college planning as well as for ND Choice Ready. This test is being held in our classroom at Agassiz on Thursday, December 3 at 9:00 am. All juniors and any senior who has not yet tested should plan to be present that day with your computer to take this test.

A reminder to all seniors that if you are walking in graduation ceremonies, we want to assure that you have ordered your cap and gown to wear. Josten’s would like to have all orders submitted by December 1st (especially for those students walking semester 1) to assure they are received in time. The cost of the cap and gown is $42.50. If you cannot afford the cap and gown, please reach out to Mrs. Boehm for financial assistance.

Website to order is: https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/customer/3227653/Fargo-Public-Schools-Virtual-Academy/ - go to graduation, then click on shop all graduation products to find the cap and gown unit with basic tassel. This is all that is needed for graduation.

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.

Many of you have reached out with questions regarding attendance after receiving letters or noticing absences marked in Infinite Campus. A reminder that attendance is based on progress in classes. Any student that is behind pace in their classes on Monday mornings when attendance is taken for the previous week will accumulate absences.

We strive to have all students stay on track in their classes to assure that they learn the full course material, and for high school students, stay on track with credits needed for graduation. As a district, we are focusing on attendance and strive to improve the attendance of our students.

Research shows that students with that attend class regularly have higher GPAs and are more likely to go on to have higher general achievement and income later on. Families are able to view absenteeism percentage in Infinite Campus. Although we recognize that occasional absences occur, we don’t want to see anyone be listed as “chronically absent”. Our goal is to assure that all students have a 95% or higher rate of attendance.

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.

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