SCF Virtual Academy
Celebrating 5 Years Of Impact
Registration Is Closed Until Fall!
Virtual Academy is sponsored in part by the Helen G. Gifford Foundation, the Richard and Caroline T. Gwathmey Memorial Trust, and the Howard W. & Katherine L. Gwaltney Foundation.
The Sandler Center Foundation’s Virtual Academy is a digital hub for arts-educational videos. We invite educators to register for our FREE, virtual programming tailored for students, K-8. Choose from a different selection of videos which vary in length each month, all centered around keeping the A in STEAM with a variety of topics.
You may sign up for this month's Virtual Academy now. Expect to hear from us within three business days upon receiving your completed application. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Check back with us soon for new programming options.
Have a question? Email education@sandlercenterfoundation.org.
Registration is required.
Programs vary in length.
Confirmed Registrants will receive access links and study guides within 3 business days.
Here’s a sample of previous programming:
TURKEY TROUBLE
Grades: Pre-K through 5th Grade
Themes: Bully Prevention and Character Education
Everything has been so wonderful down on Friendly Acres Farm, that is, until a bullying turkey starts picking on the other farm animals and making life harder for everyone. Farmer Jim and his faithful dog must stop this bullying bird to save Friendly Acres. Colorful and imaginative costumes bring this empowering production to life while equipping young audiences with the tools they need to stop someone from bullying them.
Produced by Bright Star Touring Theatre
THE HI WAY: SUPPORT
Grades: K—4th
Themes: Social-Emotional Learning
Join Keoki and his friends as they learn to get down to Alex’s level with empathy and aloha, helping him feel seen and supported when trouble at home spills onto the soccer field.
This episode of the Emmy award winning show The HI Way combines songs, puppets, interviews, advice and practical strategies to guide our friends in need. Built from over ten years of Drama Education work in Hawaii classrooms the show was entirely created by Honolulu Theatre for Youth’s team of theatrical artists and educators and is designed to be a resource for students and teachers looking to explore social-emotional health with fun, age-appropriate material.
Produced by Honolulu Theatre for Youth
WINTER FABLES
Grades: Kindergarten through 6th Grade
Themes: Holiday, Literature, and Literacy
These ancient stories have so much to teach even the most modern of audiences. Winter Fables is an imaginative show that features some of winter’s most well-known tales and lessons. Join the Ant as he prepares for winter, the Grasshopper who doesn’t, the Country Mouse and City Mouse have an adventure, a fox learns the meaning of “sour grapes,” the Dog looks for his Bone, and the Old Man stashes his valuable Gold.
Produced by Bright Star Touring Theatre
Sandler Virtual Academy was developed when local educators and school administration expressed a need for performance-based, educational opportunities to address the widening gap in children’s literacy learning losses after the peak of the pandemic. The program provides digital access to curriculum-based arts performances aligned with Virginia standards of learning for K-8th grade levels.
Throughout the academic year, we offer digital performances by resident companies and other performing arts organizations across the nation. Topics range from literature and literacy, history and social studies, music and dance, bullying, character education, to STEM subjects and more. Each video is accompanied by a professionally crafted study guide to maximize learning opportunities in- and outside of the classroom. Teachers are asked to complete a brief application and follow-up survey to gain access to Virtual Academy; they provide information critical to the development of the program.
SCF’s Virtual Academy has grown to become the largest children’s literacy-focused digital arts education initiative in Virginia and has served more than 60,000 children, their teachers, and families since 2021.
WHAT REGISTERED SCHOOLS SAY
"The performances will enhance VBCPS's language arts and social studies curriculums content. It will also enhance listening skills. I am always looking for unique ways to engage with our curriculum, and I believe these performances will provide just that for my students. Many of my students have never attended a play or performance, so this program is the next best thing!"
Thalia Elementary School, Virginia Beach
“Students learn about plants and animals and the cycles of the seasons. They also learn to work in cooperative groups and make friends. These lessons support those skills."
Birdneck Elementary School, Virginia Beach
“The historic information will benefit our students. Learning about important people who represent part of our student population will give them a sense of pride and determination. Some of the important people discussed are part of the social studies curriculum.”
Lynnhaven Elementary, Virginia Beach
“We would love for our kindergarten students to experience a program that ties into our learning curriculum for Earth Day.”
Three Oaks Elementary, Virginia Beach
We would like to extend a special thanks to this year’s partners.
Innovation is born of necessity. When pandemic restrictions made gathering at the Sandler Center a risk, SCF developed new ways to accomplish our mission, including the development of our Virtual Academy for students.
Alleviating health, transportation and staffing concerns, our Virtual Academy takes the action directly to children in their schools, either in live performances or online.
Since 2021, the Sandler Center Foundation has reached more than 60,000 students and teachers.
Because academic test scores plummeted after the pandemic, your support for this critical programming is more important than ever. Can we count on you to give today to support the development of children’s hearts and minds in this post-pandemic world?
