Oxford International Program (OIP) administrators are looking to educate international students through virtual means through Oxford Virtual International Program (VIP)

According to Oxford Schools Director of Educational Solutions Jill Lemond, the Oxford VIP learning experience could better prepare international students who would like to attend Oxford High School in their senior year, as early as ninth-grade.

“We’ve started to build an entire program around the idea that (international students) could be best prepared, and maybe even have preferential admittance to the program if they can show us that they’ve been successful in an American online classroom and that you have the soft skills to be a virtual learner,” Lemond told this reporter in a recent interview.

The program would also be offered to international students who cannot physically attend Oxford High School due to immigration laws or financial constraints.

Students could also receive an Oxford High School (OHS) diploma virtually through Oxford VIP.

The courses would also help prepare international students for ACT and SAT testing and could improve their English proficiency.

According to Lemond, international students in ninth-grade would be recommended to enroll in two courses per semester from their home country through Oxford VIP. Recommended courses for this grade would include a year-long English class (1 credit), a semester-long economics class (half-credit) and a semester-long personalized elective (half-credit). Students would earn two credits per year through the program.

Oxford VIP students in 10th-grade would be recommended to take a year-long online English class along with a year-long U.S. History class.

In grade 11, international students would begin the interview and application process for admission into Oxford High School as a grade 12 student and would be required to take an online college readiness course.

OIP now has international partnerships in India, China, Mexico and is beginning to branch out to Brazil, according to Lemond.

Lemond added the online program would be especially beneficial to students in Brazil, as Brazilian VISA laws make it particularly difficult for students there to travel to the United States.

An initial market check was launched for Oxford VIP last month, which could help assess interest in the program and secure future students according to Lemond.

OIP administrators are hoping to have the first set of students enroll into Oxford VIP for the fall 2018 semester.

Lemond said the district does not anticipate a need to hire any new staff to accommodate the launching of VIP at this time.

Instead, the program would be supported by Oxford Virtual Academy teachers, who would receive additional stipends, and by International Student Counselor Terri Castron.

Revenue would be collected through Oxford VIP’s per-course tuition fees.

Should international students decide to travel to the United States and enter Oxford High as an OIP international student in 12th-grade, they would then be required to pay the district’s flat rate OIP program tuition of $11,000.