Virtual High School Policies

A group of staff sitting around a table in a conference room.

Refund Policy

Virtual High School does not issue refunds. Within hours of enrolment, our administration undertakes many tasks including activating the student account, completing the enrolment, contracting the teacher, establishing electronic/physical files, tracking the enrolment for Ministry purposes, etc. Even if the student does not begin the course, the preliminary work in our office will be completed.

Course Transfer Policy

A student has the option to transfer from one course to another at any time within the 18-month completion deadline.* If a student transfers into a new course, the 18-month deadline will not refresh. The student will be required to complete the new course within the original 18-month deadline based on the enrolment date of the original course. If a student requests a transfer, an administrative fee will apply.

*Transfers will not be available to a student who has completed more than three assessments or to a student who has extended the course past the initial 18-month deadline.

Student Enrolment Policy

There is no set schedule for a student to follow, nor are there due dates for completing assignments. The student may start their course within 24 hours of registration and move through it at their own pace (Note: registrations that occur on holidays will be enrolled on the next day). The only restriction is that the course must be completed within 18 months of enrolment. A student will be removed from a course if it is not completed within 18 months.

Course Prerequisite Policy

Certain courses require the student to have completed a prerequisite course. It is the student’s responsibility to provide a copy of an Ontario Student Transcript, Report Card, or Credit Counselling Summary showing successful completion of the prerequisite course. This document should be sent to prerequisite@virtualhighschool.com upon registration. A student may register at any time and, upon registration, will have access to the first unit of a course. However, the rest of the content will remain locked until prerequisite evidence has been provided.

If the student has not completed the prerequisite course but has completed an equivalent course outside of Ontario, is a mature student, or has higher-level education, they may be eligible for a prerequisite waiver. The student may request that a prerequisite be waived by submitting a Prerequisite Waiver Application to the VHS Guidance Team prior to registration.

Confidentiality Policy

Please note that VHS may communicate with parents or legal guardians of students under the age of 18. In addition, VHS will communicate with any student’s home school and applicable post-secondary institutions or organizations. Students over the age of 18 will receive an email upon registration requesting permission to allow VHS to communicate with third-party individuals.

Through the VHS website and learning management system, students will have access to third-party organizations, such as chat providers, Integrity Advocate, and Bongo. Only basic information, such as the student’s name and VHS email address, is shared with these organizations for the purpose of accessing and using their services. By accessing the websites or platforms of any third-party organization through the VHS website or learning management system, the student is agreeing to the policies and procedures of that organization.

Reach Ahead Policy

The Reach Ahead program is for elementary students who wish to take high school courses. The principal of the student’s elementary school, together with the principal of VHS and the student’s parent, will decide if it is appropriate for the student to enrol in high school courses. VHS adheres to all standard school practices in accommodating a Reach Ahead student by recording and granting achievement as necessary. Students are typically eligible for Reach Ahead during the Grade 8 school year or the summer before Grade 9, as outlined in the Ontario Schools: Policy and Program Requirements section 2.5.2.1. Students and parents are asked to submit a Reach Ahead Enrolment Request prior to registration.

Summary of Virtual High School’s Policies

All policies may be modified at any time on the Virtual High School website. The use of Virtual High School courses indicates that the student and/or parent/guardian accepts these aforementioned policies.