Douglas Virtual Academy Leader Earns Two Awards

DOUGLASVILLE, GA — The unique work being done at Douglas County Virtual Academy is paying off in accolades for its coordinator, Hope Sloan.

At Monday's meeting of the Douglas County Board of Education, Sloan was honored for recently winning two prestigious awards.

In October, Sloan was named the 2016-17 Teacher of the Year by the Georgia Association for Alternative Education. The organization recognizes one teacher in the state each year for dedication to nontraditional education.

And in November, Sloan won the Odyssey "Destiny" award for 2015-16 Educator of the Year at the annual Atlanta Metro Area Community Awards banquet.

The award is sponsored by Odyssey Productions Inc., a nonprofit organization based in Marietta.

"We are proud that Dr. Sloan was twice recognized as the 'best of the best' in Georgia for her commitment to educating students in a non-traditional setting," said schools Superintendent Gordon Pritz.

Sloan worked with Donita Cullen to open the Douglas County Virtual Academy in November 2012.

Students at the academy, which serves 40-45 students at a time, are provided with a flexible schedule, an accelerated pace, college and career guidance and limited distractions.

They are often teen parents, employed full time, seeking early graduation, homeless or working on credit recovery.

The academy's mission is to help young people stay in school, learn successfully and graduate prepared for life.

Students apply for the academy through their base high school and are accepted based on a list of criteria established by Sloan and school counselors. The students typically need 10 or fewer credits in order to graduate.

They come on campus for assessments and college or career readiness sessions, but otherwise complete their coursework off campus.

"After 10 years in a traditional classroom, I became a member of the alternative education family and I have been in love ever since," Sloan said. "I believe teaching in the alternative education setting takes patience, structure, flexibility, and determination. Teachers in this environment should have a true passion for the students."

Sloan received her undergraduate degree from Winston Salem State University. She holds a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction and Administrative Supervision from the University of Phoenix, and an education specialist’s degree and a doctoral degree from Capella University.

She taught math in grades 7-12 in a traditional classroom setting and was an instructional coach prior to moving to the Douglas County Virtual Academy.

Image courtesy Douglas County School System