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\u201cWe interview every student before they\u2019re accepted,\u201d Peckinpaugh said. \u201cIt\u2019s not an application, it\u2019s a screening. We want to make sure it\u2019s a good fit. Some kids think it\u2019s going to be easy, but it\u2019s a rigorous, fast-paced program. We look for self-discipline, and we ask for teacher referrals to understand their work ethic.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The reasons students choose this path vary from social anxiety, medical issues, grief, or a desire to dual-enroll in college.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe had a student last year who graduated a semester early and also graduated with her associate\u2019s degree from Motlow. It was incredible,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Peckinpaugh and Smith wear many hats: educators, coordinators, counselors, and motivators. They go above and beyond to ensure students don\u2019t fall through the cracks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEvery Friday, I go in and progress monitor every single student. If they\u2019re behind, I contact them, and if I don\u2019t hear back, I will hunt them down. Betsy and I have knocked on doors. We\u2019ve gone to their jobs. The kids know we\u2019re serious,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That level of commitment has created a surprisingly close-knit environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEven though it\u2019s virtual, we get to know these kids really well. We\u2019ve had students shock us, in a good way. They came in and we didn\u2019t think they\u2019d make it, but they thrived.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The academy doesn\u2019t just support academics. It also provides emotional and social resources, including counselors and certified teachers throughout the county who serve as on-call advisors. There are also in-person writing workshops, ACT prep, and orientation seminars to prepare students for success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Principal Jeff Johnson and counselor Emily Haston lead the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Peckinpaugh said Smith, who has spent 24 years in education, is a wonderful administrator who has taught her a lot in addition to Johnson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A mother of two daughters, she is also passionate about theater arts. Her work includes leading writing workshops for kids, conducting live sessions in ACT prep, algebra, English, French, and history, and teaching courses at Motlow State Community College.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI call her our \u2018English language arts guru,\u2019\u201d Peckinpaugh said. \u201cShe even helps edit papers for publishing. She\u2019s truly one of the biggest assets to the CCVA program and to where I am professionally.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Peckinpaugh said some things simply cannot be taught through a screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo we bring them in for certain projects or labs, and we do a two-week orientation before students begin. We teach them how to use the platform, write professional emails, do case studies \u2014 everything they\u2019ll need.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Outside of academics, Peckinpaugh said she is very involved with her community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe love Coffee County and are involved in a lot of charity events,\u201d she said. \u201cWe just did a barbecue competition at Common John Brewing Company that raised money for veterans and first responders. We\u2019re also raising money for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking ahead, the academy plans to expand Career and Technical Education course offerings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRight now, our only program of study is humanities, which includes psychology, sociology, and fine arts. We want to add cosmetology, engineering, criminal justice, and more,\u201d Peckinpaugh said. \u201cThis year, our focus is on having a live teacher for every tested subject.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite its success, the program is not about chasing perfection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re not trying to be perfect,\u201d she explained. \u201cWe\u2019re just trying to get better every year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the most important lessons she\u2019s learned is how technology, when used correctly, can enhance \u2014 rather than replace \u2014 real learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTechnology doesn\u2019t have to be scary,\u201d Peckinpaugh noted. \u201cWe use AI in the classroom. I have students compare writing samples and guess which one was written by a robot. It\u2019s preparing them for the world they\u2019ll enter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As for the graduates, her hope is simple: success, no matter the path they choose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCollege isn\u2019t for everyone, and that\u2019s OK. Some of our students go on to amazing universities. Others go to trade school and do incredibly well. One of our grads is already making more than I do and just bought his first house. That\u2019s the dream.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes, she admitted, a model like this is not an easy pill to swallow for some.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s different. But the world is changing whether we like it or not,\u201d Peckinpaugh added. \u201cI\u2019d rather be prepared and proactive than reactive. That\u2019s what we\u2019re trying to do here.\u201d GN<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" WHEN ELIZABETH Peckinpaugh signed on to help launch the Coffee County Virtual Academy (CCVA) five years ago, she had no idea she was stepping into a role that would reshape her view of education and the lives of dozens of students. \u201cI was actually out in Nashville in an in-person school when COVID hit,\u201d she […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":24167,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24152","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/manchester\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/09\/ANP-1-712-1024x780.jpg\")