Why Summer School Is the Perfect Time to Launch an EdTech Solution Like VirtuOwl

As the end of the school year draws near, educators and administrators are turning their attention to summer school — a critical window for student support, credit recovery, and academic advancement. At VirtuOwl, we believe summer isn't just a time to catch up — it's a time to get ahead. That's why our platform is uniquely positioned to help schools maximize their summer programs and drive meaningful outcomes for students, educators, and administrators alike. 

Summer Learning, Supercharged 

Summer school often operates with limited time, staff, and resources. That makes it the perfect environment for VirtuOwl’s strengths to shine. Our platform provides a centralized hub for communication, scheduling, and on-demand academic and counseling support — all essential to running an efficient, effective program when every minute counts.  

With VirtuOwl, students can easily schedule tutoring or counseling sessions, receive immediate on-demand support, and collaborate with interactive whiteboards from one accessible dashboard. Educators can streamline their availability, refer students to colleagues for specialized help, and reduce administrative tasks so they can focus on what matters most: teaching and mentoring students. 

A Proven Solution with ACCESS 

Our partnership with the ACCESS Virtual Learning Program — an Alabama Department of Education initiative — illustrates how impactful VirtuOwl can be for summer school.  

When we first implemented VirtuOwl with ACCESS in October 2023, we onboarded 413 students in the first 30 days. By January 2024, that number had grown to 13,509. Before the start of summer school, we helped an additional 752 educators onboard. Today, more than 31,000 students have used VirtuOwl through ACCESS.  

ACCESS, which provides online courses to middle and high school students across Alabama, used VirtuOwl to add robust support services like tutoring, counseling, and centralized communication to its summer offerings. Thanks to real-time scheduling, secure messaging, and rich collaboration tools, students remained engaged and received the help they needed—right when they needed it.  

Data from ACCESS shows that 35% of sessions were on-demand, giving students immediate access to support, while 48% were scheduled, ensuring structured, reliable help throughout the summer. 

More Than a Platform — A Partnership 

What sets VirtuOwl apart is our commitment to collaboration and continuous improvement. In Spring 2024, we met with the ACCESS team to review the deployment and gather feedback. That meeting led to developing several new features — from enhanced session chats and whiteboard functionality to AV testing and advanced reporting tools — all aimed at improving user experience and meeting real-world needs.  

In an active partnership, VirtuOwl supports students and teachers alike to make summer learning more effective and valuable for all parties. 

Now Is the Time to Prepare for Summer Success 

Summer school may be shorter, but its impact can be long-lasting, especially when students have access to the right tools. Whether you're looking to improve student support, ease administrative burden, or better engage families, VirtuOwl is ready to help you deliver.  

Let's make this summer count. If your school or district seeks a flexible, effective, and proven solution to support students and educate this summer, we'd love to talk.  

Contact us today to learn how VirtuOwl can power your summer school program — and beyond.