About Us
Meet our full-time staff from left to right: Mr. Kang, Science; Ms. Prosser, Math; Ms. Patrizio, 4th and 5th Grades; Ms. Handley, 5th Grade and Middle School Math; Ms. Crawford 2nd and 3rd Grades, Ms. Nesmith, Principal; Ms. Stehman, K and 1st Grade; Ms. Burk, Coordinator of Online Learning; Ms. Sanford, 3rd Grade and Lit Specialist; Ms. Curcio, 6th Grade and ELA; Ms. Boreman, Social Studies and English.
Downingtown Cyber Academy's online curriculum includes self-paced, robust classes using the latest instructional tools in a vibrant virtual classroom.
DCA Open House Recording
Would you like to learn more about our program? Please watch the recording of our open house from February 9, 2023.
All of our courses are written by our Downingtown Area School District teachers and delivered through Schoology, our learning management system.
PA-certified DASD teachers skilled in online instruction help students master the skills they need to succeed—in today’s classroom and tomorrow’s workplace. Prior to starting the program, the student, parents/guardians, and school counselor will meet to schedule a student for the mixture of face-to-face, blended and online courses that meet the student's individual needs.
DCA also offers children the chance to participate in our wide variety of award-winning activities, clubs, and after-school programs. Downingtown Cyber Academy students are still considered students in their local school and will receive a Downingtown High School Diploma.
The Downingtown Cyber Academy (DCA) offers full-time and part-time options during the school year and in the summer. DCA is open to students in kindergarten through 12th grade who reside within the Downingtown Area School District. Please direct any questions to: Cyberacademy@dasd.org
Registration for DCA
Registration for Families must register for The Downingtown Cyber Academy each year. Students are automatically enrolled in their home schools each year and must reapply for the DCA.
Parents of students who will be in Kindergarten-8th grade must register using the DCA Registration Form link (below) in January and will be guaranteed a spot. Students registered after January will be enrolled based on available class seats.
Find out who to contact when you need help
K-12 Instructional Delivery Model
Instructional Delivery Model for Grade K - 5
The Downingtown Cyber Academy offers an online elementary school program that helps young students learn the basics, acquire study skills, and develop a love of learning that will last a lifetime.
Downingtown Cyber Academy's elementary courses from kindergarten through fifth grade engage students with materials in Schoology and programs such as IXL. Teachers will provide synchronous sessions and asynchronous work every day for direct instruction, group work, extra help, and community building. Daily Zooms will occur for math, English language arts, reading, science/social studies, and encores (music, health, PE, art, and library). There will also be some small-group Zooms for reading and/or math interventions. Zoom times vary according to grade level, up to 3 hrs per day.
Elementary cyber students are full-time cyber students. In addition, these students are members of the Downingtown Area School District and can participate in all clubs, sports and activities, take music lessons or join the after-school enrichment programs.
In grades K–5, students require a lot of support from caring adults at home and in the online classroom. Parents or guardians of elementary students in the Downingtown Cyber Academy provide the structure a student needs by establishing and managing the daily routine. Schoology's weekly overview makes it easy for students to keep track of their daily lessons. Parents stay in touch with the student’s teachers by phone, email, Schoology messages, and online meetings.
Parents of elementary cyber students can expect to:
- serve as a learning coach.
- prioritize education in the home.
- help students find an appropriate setting to learn.
- create a schedule that works for the family.
- help students create a weekly or daily to-do list.
- monitor students during live Zooms for appropriate behavior.
- assist students with lessons when needed (not teaching).
- communicate with the teacher on a regular basis.
Instructional Delivery Model for Grade 6 - 12
The Downingtown Cyber Academy provides course offerings for students in grades 6-12 that allow more flexibility through the week.
Downingtown Cyber Academy's secondary program engages students with materials in Schoology. Teachers provide synchronous and asynchronous lessons each week. Zoom times and frequency vary according to the class, but meet at least once a week in every course.
Secondary cyber students can choose to be full-time or part-time cyber students. DCA students are members of the Downingtown Area School District and can participate in all clubs, sports and activities, take music lessons or join the after-school enrichment programs.
The Downingtown Cyber Academy’s courses include honors and Advanced Placement. Also, most of the courses are NCAA-approved. Student-athletes should see their NCAA-liaison for more details.
Students in the secondary program can work during days and times that are convenient for them. All coursework is assigned on Monday and is due by the end of the day on Sunday. There is no coursework due dates during the week.
In 6th - 8th grades, Zooms will occur 2x per 6-day cycle for a core class and 1x per cycle for an encore class.
In 9th - 12th grades, Zooms will occur 2x per 6-day cycle for a 1-credit class and 1x per cycle for a .33 or .5 credit class.
If courses are taught by a DASD adjunct teacher, Zooms will be held one time per week for 60 minutes for a 1-credit or core class and one time per week for 30 minutes for a .5 credit, .33 credit, or encore class.
As students become more independent and responsible in grades 6–12, parents “step back” a bit, and subject-specific teachers “step in” to provide expert online instruction and support in math, language arts, science, social studies, and an array of electives. As they get older, online students start to really take charge of their education—setting goals, working independently, and exploring their future options.
Parents can encourage their students’ growing independence as they:
- encourage students to create a weekly to-do list.
- verify that lessons and assignments are completed in Schoology.
- communicate with teachers if students are struggling.
- monitor grades and attendance through Infinite Campus and Schoology.
Bullying & Cyberbullying
The Board is committed to providing a safe, positive learning environment for district students. The Board recognizes that bullying creates an atmosphere of fear and intimidation, detracts from the safe environment necessary for student learning, and may lead to more serious violence. Therefore, the Board prohibits bullying by district students.
Board Policy 249 Bullying/CyberbullyingReport For for Complaints of Bullying & Cyberbullying (249-AG-1)