Teacher Spotlight: Claire West

The teachers at North Carolina Virtual Academy (NCVA) aren’t just educators – they’re innovators, motivators, and champions for student success. We are excited to introduce Claire West, a 2nd-grade teacher with a decade of classroom experience.

The Journey to Virtual Education

Ms. West began teaching in a brick-and-mortar classroom, spending five years with kindergartners and five more in first grade. Four years ago, she transitioned to NCVA to better accommodate health challenges after a car accident. What she found in the virtual space was not just flexibility, but a structure that allowed her to do what she does best: provide personalized and individual lessons that meet students where they are.

“I just love how NCVA is structured, and I feel like students can get more out of education than they would in different classroom environments. It’s more targeted instruction, focusing on what students need,” says Ms. West.

Connection is Key

Currently teaching 2nd grade, Ms. West loves finding new ways to connect with her students. From surprise dress-up days – she’s shown up in everything from Grinch makeup to a bunny costume – to incorporating American Sign Language into her daily lessons, her tactics get her students engaged and excited to learn. Ms. West has found that teaching ASL to the younger grades is a great way to help her students reinforce their alphabet skills and sight words. She’s even known to strum her ukulele during class, bringing music and joy to learning.

Making Reading Magical 

Ms. West has a passion for teaching her students how to read and making them confident readers. She focuses on the science of reading – phonics, spelling patterns, and language rules instead of memorization. By breaking down concepts like vowel teams, silent E, and “bossy R” her students grow more confident and capable while learning to read.  

“I love seeing how excited the students get when they can look at a word that they can’t sound out, and they’re able to say, “I know these two letters together make this sound”. Just seeing how excited they get about things like that and watching them apply that in their reading is so rewarding.” 

Ms. West brings creativity and heart to everything she does. These young students are so lucky to have her and we’re so grateful to have her as part of the NCVA family.  

Fun Facts about Ms. West 

• She is getting married in June! Congratulations! 
• She is a sign language interpreter at her church. 
• She enjoys being creative – whether it’s painting old furniture, singing or decorating. 

Is Online Learning Right for Your Family? 

North Carolina Virtual Academy is a full-time, tuition-free online public charter school that serves K-12^th grade students statewide. NCVA provides a high-quality, flexible education with personalized learning solutions designed to help students thrive. To learn more about NCVA, please visit our website.