Myrtle Beach Leader

Jackie Angus recalls a time before a successful online-schooling program when her daughter Violet fell so far behind academically and socially in school that she thought “nothing could let her catch up.”

Violet, a 17-year-old student in Conway, has autism and suffered bullying from her classmates, as well as poor performance in speech and reading, Angus told the Myrtle Beach Leader.

“As Violet was entering middle school, she was only reading at a second-grade level,” Angus said. “Violet was behind in everything by entire grade levels.”

Angus enrolled Violet in Acellus Academy, the accredited, online-schooling program known for its individualized learning. The program helps students recover missing knowledge by analyzing each student to identify gaps in learning, according to the Acellus Academy website.

“Acellus Academy was established in 2013 as a private K-12 school to accommodate a rapidly growing number of students needing access to a fully matriculated distance education,” the site states. 

Established in 2001, Acellus uses the Acellus Learning System as its matriculated core curriculum.

Acellus Academy’s visual instruction minimizes Violet’s distractions, Angus said, helping her increase the desire to continue lessons. She has since caught up to her grade level and improved her speech and reading.

“She even reads for fun now,” Angus said, adding that Violet expects to graduate on track, as her progress is “completely off the charts. Next year will be even better for her.” 

Based in Kansas City, Missouri, Acellus Academy is owned and operated by the nonprofit International Academy of Science, the academy’s website says. Master teachers from across the nation teach the curriculum.

Acellus Academy offers self-paced, online curriculum to elementary school students in Kindergarten through high school. Acellus is fully accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges.