AUBURN – This fall, some juniors and seniors at St. Dominic Regional High School will be taking classes taught by teachers in Massachusetts, China, Malaysia and other parts of the world.

In an effort to boost elective offerings to students, St. Dom’s will begin offering accredited, online courses.

“We’re going to be a virtual high school next year, instantly expanded 200 courses,” admissions director Ryan Gleason said Wednesday. The online classes will include specialized advanced placement classes and elective classes that a small school like St. Dom’s would not typically be able to offer. Examples of online options next year include animal behavior and zoology, criminology, Irish literature, and kindergarten apprentice teacher.

The courses will be offered at St. Dom’s through Virtual High School, a nonprofit organization in Maynard, Mass. Virtual High School has been offering online classes for about 10 years, Gleason said. After researching the organization, “the feedback we’ve heard is very enthusiastic,” he said. The trend of students taking classes online has grown and will expand further in the future, Gleason said.

This fall, no more than 25 upperclassmen will be able to take the online classes, Gleason said. The intent is to expand the program each year.

Students will take online classes at school, not from home. They’ll report to the library where the program will be overseen by librarian Peter Servidio, Gleason said. “But the beautiful thing about this is the class doesn’t have to be a set time. This can fit in with students’ free periods. It gives them a lot of flexibility.”

Juniors and seniors who are able to handle working independently with less structure than typical classes, will be allowed to take the classes, he said.

The online courses will not replace existing curriculum and teachers, Gleason said. “It’s all about choice.”

The school is also increasing regular-class options next year. Instead of only French, students will be able to take Spanish. Instead of meeting physical education requirements through team sports, students will be able to take typical physical education classes. Music classes will also be added, Gleason said.

Before signing up with Virtual High School, St. Dom’s researched how colleges regard the program, St. Dom’s guidance director Don Bonneau said. Colleges were enthusiastic about the online courses, Bonneau said. College officials told Bonneau online courses help students get better at managing their time and studying independently, two skills that are more important when high school students become college students, he said.

Students enrolled in classes will be able to go online to talk to teachers, check up on homework and their grades, Bonneau said. Students will also be able to talk to their teachers on the phone.

A few southern Maine high schools have signed up with Virtual High School, Gleason said. “As far as we know we’re the first in this area.”

For more information

To learn more, go to Virtual High School at: www.goVHS.org