Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School to Graduate Over 1,100 Students

June 3, 2025

It’s a time of excitement and celebration for more than 1,100 students at the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School (PA Cyber) as they prepare for the next phase of their lives following commencement. Many PA Cyber seniors plan to pursue in-demand professional fields, including STEM, nursing, and teaching. 86 students received scholarships to postsecondary schools.

The public cyber charter school will host two in-person commencement ceremonies, which will be held geographically. Students in the western portion of Pennsylvania will attend a ceremony on June 6 at 12 p.m. at Robert Morris University, while those in the eastern portion of the state will attend a ceremony on June 11 at 2 p.m. at Kutztown University. As of mid-May, 355 graduates signed up to attend the western ceremony in person, and 329 plan to attend the eastern ceremony. Approximately 5,000 visitors will gather between the two ceremonies; however, viewers can livestream each one at www.pacyber.org/graduation.

“Graduation is truly my favorite time of year. It is an incredible feeling to watch all of the students celebrate their hard work and success at PA Cyber,” said Danielle Schlessinger, the school’s High School Principal for grades 9-10. “Our hope is that students feel confident about tackling the world post-graduation, no matter where their future endeavors lie. We want them to be self-reliant, self-assured, and willing to face challenges head-on!”

Emma Perman will speak at the western ceremony and D’Anna James will speak at the eastern ceremony as class representatives. Both will go on to college: Perman plans to study journalism and theater, and James plans to study biology and psychology.

“PA Cyber has helped us create our own paths and express our own individuality,” Perman said in an essay. “That’s the beauty of our school; it has allowed us to build an education around our lives, balancing working jobs, performing in shows, helping on our families’ farms, or working through personal challenges.”

Brian Hayden, the school’s CEO, said, “Seeing our graduates walk across the stage is the best day of the year for all of us at PA Cyber. We are so proud of all that they have accomplished, in the classroom and beyond. I know that their time at PA Cyber will help them achieve their future goals.”

Following the 2025 commencement, more than 23,000 students will have graduated from the school since its inception in 2000. PA Cyber alumni have attended some of the top universities and trade schools in the country and have made their mark in a wide range of professions and fields.

About PA Cyber

Serving students in kindergarten through 12th grade, the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School is the most experienced online public school in Pennsylvania. PA Cyber’s online learning environments, personalized instructional methods, and curricula choices connect Pennsylvania students and families with state-certified and highly qualified teachers and rich academic content aligned to state standards. Founded in 2000, PA Cyber is headquartered in Midland (Beaver County) and maintains a network of support offices throughout the state. As a public school, PA Cyber is open for enrollment to any school-age child residing in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

media contact

Jennie Harris / jennie.harris@pacyber.org