How Our Virtual Campus Works
Students and instructors work together in a thriving online environment that goes beyond the capabilities of brick-and-mortar classrooms.
Real-Time Discussion Seminars
Our advanced videoconferencing technology transports students into online classrooms. Students can raise their hands to speak to instructors and peers, annotate on-screen class materials, use running text chat to seek clarification or to introduce new threads of thought, and write on shared whiteboards to inspire collaboration and solicit classmates’ input. Concurrent video feeds enable students to see their classmates and instructors during the seminar, maximizing class interaction.
The Flipped Classroom Model
Students prepare for discussion seminars by watching recorded lectures and/or completing various non-lecture assignments as they engage with course web pages. These preparatory activities enable students to use discussion seminars to deepen their understanding of course materials. Since every class is recorded and available for playback, students may revisit specific segments—a perk that comes in handy around exam time.
The Role of Our Instructors
Our instructors are distinguished by their expertise in their disciplines. Their pioneering pedagogy, developed to make optimal use of all available teaching tools and technologies, turns students’ disparate locations into a virtue and ensures that everyone is fully present and participating in each seminar. Students are both seen and heard when Stanford OHS instructors moderate these dynamic forums for learning.
Virtual Classroom
Live, Online Seminars
With an average class size of 13, our web-based seminars allow students to engage in every aspect of a course through real-time discussions in which instructors and students see, hear, and interact with one another.
Vibrant Community
Online and In-Person Events
Stanford OHS events are available for current students and their families. They occur online (via conferencing apps and one-on-one chat), in person, and sometimes, in a hybrid of the two.
In-Person
Local Meetups
Hosted by Stanford OHS families, local meetups bring the school community together and foster bonds between students living near one another.
Online
Homeroom & Assemblies
Online events include weekly homeroom meetings, all-school assemblies, guest-speaker series, research colloquia, service projects, and meetings for student-run clubs and student government.
In-Person
On-Campus Events
Students come to the beautiful Stanford University campus for the Summer @ Stanford residential program, Pixel Festival, and Pixel Gathering and Graduation.
College-Style Schedule
Many of our students are doing extraordinary things: writing books, stargazing, studying ballet, acting in films, training as athletes, traveling the world with their families, and serving their communities, to name a few. Our college-style schedule and various enrollment options allow students the flexibility to pursue their passions inside and outside of the classroom.
This is a typical day in the life of Skylar, a Stanford OHS 7th grader from Jackson, Mississippi. Skylar plays tennis, volunteers at his local animal shelter, and is involved in Stanford OHS activities. While Skylar lives in the Central Time Zone, his class schedule is in Pacific Time.
This is a typical day in the life of Skylar, a Stanford OHS 7th grader from Jackson, Mississippi. Skylar plays tennis, volunteers at his local animal shelter, and is involved in Stanford OHS activities. While Skylar lives in the Central Time Zone, his class schedule is in Pacific Time.
Skylar | Class of 2023 | Jackson, Mississippi
We devised a calendar and schedule based on the U.S. college model, which equips students with time-management skills early on in their academic careers, preparing them for a lifetime of learning:
Fall and Spring Semesters
We use a two-semester (fall and spring) system, although most of our classes are year-long. Students receive a separate grade for each semester.
Classes Meet Twice per Week
Most classes meet twice per week, either Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday, though language classes meet three times per week to encourage development of verbal skills. Students use the rest of the time however they need to, whether it's by studying course materials or by cultivating their other interests.
Extended School Day
Stanford OHS runs on an extended school day, from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm Pacific Time, although most courses fall between 7:15 am and 9:00 pm Pacific Time. That’s important to remember and easy to forget: scheduled class times reflect Stanford University’s location in the Pacific Time Zone.
New Master Schedule
To accommodate our active, global student body, we create a new master schedule each year based on the time constraints of returning students and first-round applicants. Our success rate in meeting these requests is over 90%. As a result, the section schedule changes dramatically each year, although courses are generally offered every year.
Time to Pursue Interests and Connect With Peers
Most classes at Stanford OHS don't meet on Fridays. This allows our more than 70 student-run clubs and organizations to meet virtually or in person on that day, giving students the opportunity to pursue other interests with their peers on their own. Friday is also a time for all-school assemblies and presentations by guest speakers.
Flexible Enrollment Options
Stanford OHS offers three enrollment options: full-time (four or five courses), part-time (two or three courses), and single course. This flexibility allows aspiring students to choose OHS as their only school or as a way to supplement their learning with niche courses not found at every brick-and-mortar school.
