(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) Taylion Virtual Academy began a new year and a summer school session on Tuesday, July 5 with a significantly higher enrollment than it had during the 2010-11 academic year.

The free public charter school enrolled dozens of new students into its independent study program recently. Counting parents, younger siblings and other family members who came with the enrolling students, Taylion Virtual Academy staff met with more than 150 people on one day.

“It is wonderful to see so many families in San Bernardino supporting their children’s education,” said Taylion Virtual Academy Executive Director William Griffin. “Our independent study program allows Taylion Virtual Academy to tailor its program to meet the needs of each individual student.”

Independent study, which is for grades 9-12, provides one-on-one and small group meetings twice weekly between teachers and students. The teachers instruct their students in all subjects, assign work that is motivating yet challenging, and monitor students’ progress through a variety of assessments, but students are responsible for completing most of the work at home.

Students and their parents have a variety of reasons for choosing Taylion Virtual Academy to meet their educational needs. For many of them, Taylion’s structure is less stressful than in a comprehensive high school, where students attend a full day with several thousand other students.

“I do not have to worry about my sons getting into fights at school or not getting along with their teachers,” said Cheri Charles, who enrolled two of her sons in Taylion Virtual Academy last school year, and was on campus June 30 to enroll her younger son, Terrance Davis. “At my sons’ previous school, we had some bad experiences and they were terrified to go to school. Since they enrolled at Taylion, all of that stress and worry has gone away.”

“I am not into the social part of high school. I would rather stay home with my Mom,” said Gloria Fonseca, 17. “And, Taylion’s instructors told me I might be able to finish my credits faster. That way, I will be able to graduate early, and begin working to help take care of my family.”

Alan Cebraros, 15, also likes the possibility of finishing high school early.

“I want to get a quick start on life,” he said. “I would like to be able to graduate and go to college after only three years in high school.”

The Dubief family has no experience with other schools in San Bernardino, because they moved here in June after their teen-age children, Freddy and Nicole, finished the 2010-2011 school year in West Covina. When they learned of Taylion Virtual Academy through the media, they decided it would be of more benefit to them than traditional schools.

“It gives them more options,” said Freddy and Nicole’s mother, Deborah Dubief. “They will be able to work online and at home. It also seems like all of the staff here is very supportive.

“It will be easier for me to stay focused on my studies at Taylion Virtual Academy” Nicole Dubief said. “In a normal high school, the material is either presented too fast and I am lost, or too slow and I get bored.”

Some of Taylion Virtual Academy’s new students will be there only for the summer. In the regular school year, they will go back to campuses throughout the San Bernardino City Unified School District and other Inland Empire communities.

One of these is San Gorgonio High School student Juanita Reyes, age 15.

“I wanted to attend Taylion Virtual Academy for the summer, so I will have better grades when I go back to San Gorgonio in August,” Juanita said.

“We are pleased to be able to help students who are here just for the summer,” Griffin said. “They are welcome to come here and earn a few credits, to better ensure they graduate with classmates at the school of their choice.”

Although Taylion Virtual Academy’s independent study program received a strong boost in enrollment on June 30, the school also offers a home school program. Home school is for students in kindergarten through 12th grade, and is available to families anywhere in San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, Los Angeles, Kern and Inyo counties.

Teachers on Taylion’s staff work with home schooling parents, who are their children’s true teachers, to develop lessons to teach at home. Taylion’s teachers also monitor students’ progress and make sure all instruction meets the standards of the California Department of Education.

Students in either program also have the option of receiving instruction online. Through interactive computer applications, they receive instruction at home via computer. Outside of class time, students complete assessments developed and monitored by Taylion Virtual Academy.

For more information, or a free campus tour, call Taylion Virtual Academy at (909) 889-5152 or go to www.taylion.com.