REVIEW OF Ontario Virtual School BY student, Judiya Shalaby

(5) Student Experience

Ontario Virtual School is a solid option if you're looking for flexibility and independence. I wouldn’t say I “love” it the way you’d love a traditional school experience, but I definitely appreciate it for what it offers. The ability to work on my own time, move at my own pace, and manage my schedule is a huge plus, especially if you’re juggling other responsibilities or want to upgrade a course. One thing I wish I’d known before starting is that you really need to be self-disciplined. There’s not much hand-holding, so if you procrastinate, it can be tough to catch up. I also wish the course layout were more organized; sometimes it's a bit clunky to find what you need. If I could change one thing, it would be to add more structure or suggested timelines built into the course platform to help keep students on track. Maybe even optional check-ins or reminders from the teacher to break the isolation a bit. Overall, OVS works well if you're independent and motivated. It's not a traditional school experience, but it’s a great tool if you use it right.

(5) School Leadership

Yes, I do respect the school leaders at Ontario Virtual School. The teachers and guidance staff are professional, responsive, and helpful whenever I’ve needed support. They do a great job of providing clear instructions, marking quickly, and answering questions in a timely way, which is really important in an online setting. What they do well is create a self-paced environment that still feels supported. The flexibility is there, but you're not completely on your own if you reach out for help. What I wish they’d do more of is offer proactive check-ins or reminders, maybe even monthly emails or progress trackers, just to help students stay on schedule. A little more guidance or interaction would help the experience feel more connected and less isolating. Overall, I think the staff and leadership at OVS are doing a solid job, especially considering the challenge of running an entirely virtual school.

(5) Teaching

I think the teachers at Ontario Virtual School strike a fair balance—they don’t ask too much, but they also don’t let you coast through without putting in real effort. The workload is manageable as long as you stay consistent, and they usually make it clear what they’re expecting through rubrics and assignment guidelines. Most of the time, I do feel like I know what they want from me. The lessons are straightforward, and the instructions are clear enough if you read everything carefully. But sometimes I do wish there were more examples of high-level work or model answers to fully understand what “success” looks like. When teachers talk about success, I think they imagine it as being independent, managing your time well, and mastering the course material. It’s less about getting a perfect grade and more about showing that you understand the content and can apply it properly. To them, success means taking responsibility for your own learning and being prepared for university-level expectations.

(5) Academics

For me, the work at Ontario Virtual School feels just right. It’s not too easy, but it’s not overwhelming either, as long as you stay organized and put in effort. The pace is flexible, which helps, but you still have to understand the material and think critically to do well. Which is always a good thing. As for whether it’s useful later in life, I’d say yes, especially in terms of learning how to manage time, work independently, and communicate clearly in writing. Those are real skills that will help in university and even in jobs. Some of the course content might not feel directly relevant right now, but the way you’re expected to learn and show understanding definitely builds habits that are useful long-term during the year.

(5) School Life

If I were asked to give a tour of Ontario Virtual School to a group of visitors, I would start by showing them the student dashboard. This is the main hub where everything begins, and it gives a clear picture of how the school functions. From the dashboard, students can access their current courses, see due dates, submit assignments, track their grades, and contact their teachers. Starting the tour here would help visitors understand the structure and flow of the online learning experience. Next, I’d walk them through the layout of an actual course. I’d show them how the lessons are organized into units, how each lesson includes readings or videos, followed by assignments, quizzes, or tests. This part of the tour would highlight how independent and self-paced the learning is. Unlike traditional schools, OVS allows students to move through content on their own schedule, which is a big advantage for students with busy lives or unique learning needs. I’d also point out how support is built into the system, like how students can message teachers directly and get fairly quick responses. Overall, starting with the dashboard and course layout gives a full view of how OVS operates and helps visitors appreciate the balance of structure and flexibility that makes the school unique.

(5) Admissions

The admissions process at Ontario Virtual School was simple and straightforward. You just choose your course, fill out a quick form, upload your report card or transcript, and make the payment. Within a short time, you get access to your course and can start right away. There was no long waiting period or complicated paperwork. From my experience, it wasn’t stressful at all—more like a smooth online sign-up. The only part that required attention was making sure I uploaded the right documents and understood how the course would fit into my school or university plans. If you’re planning to apply, my advice would be to double-check that the course fits your graduation or university requirements, and keep your documents ready so the process goes faster. One thing I didn’t know back then is how fast things move—you can start your course almost immediately, which is great, but you also need to be ready to take charge of your own schedule from day one.