There are a handful of things that differentiate online education options from traditional brick and mortar schools. Aside from the obvious, that you can do one from home (or anywhere), and for the other you have to go to school every single day, you may be surprised by some of the benefits of online education.

One on one interaction

When you go to a successful online school, you’re able to benefit from having more one on one time with your teachers. This is due to a handful of different factors. The content can be accessed independent of the teacher so they are able to focus on helping students. Teacher time is spent working with students individually or in small groups rather than teaching the same class several times per day. Technology facilitates a variety of communication methods, such as video-conferencing, instant messaging, email, and chat. In addition to this, the data-driven atmosphere allows teachers to pinpoint areas of strength and improvement to provide targeted interventions to each student.

Cooperative learning

In online courses, students have the opportunity to work on projects by themselves, and they also have the opportunity to learn collaborative skills from group projects and assignments. Most work situations involve written digital communication so learning how to communicate using present-day technology, in addition to mastering face to face communication, are important skills.

Rigorous curriculum

At successful, accredited online schools, the rigorous course offerings include a variety of required and elective classes that will fulfill all graduation requirements. We offer concurrent enrollment classes, honors courses, and curriculum tailored to the needs of each student type. As students learn to control their schedules they develop excellent time management and prioritization skills. The assignments are designed to cater to different types of learning and will challenge students to learn new things and be empowered to succeed.

All students welcome

Public charter schools welcome all students!  We enjoy working with students with different levels of ability and motivation and designing individual strategies for success. Some students already know how to be self-motivated and sail through their coursework. Others benefit from individualized instruction and strategic interventions to help them achieve academic success in this setting.

With the start of school, comes a lot of excitement, as well as a big shift in your daily schedule. After the newness of the start of the school year has worn off, you’re left with the need to remain motivated to finish all of your work and to stay organized. It can be really difficult to keep yourself motivated, especially as you get closer to the end of the quarter. With just a few tricks, you can boost your motivation to have an amazing year.

Take a break

This may seem like a counterproductive tip, but it’s actually one of the best things you can do for yourself and your motivation. When you’re burned out, continuing to work isn’t very productive. It’s hard to focus, the work you do isn’t as good as you know it can be, and it’s easy to get frustrated. A break doesn’t have to be long or time consuming, but you deserve a break in order to refocus. Go on a walk, take a bath, call a friend, or make yourself a snack. Avoid looking at a screen on your break to give your eyes the rest they need before refocusing on your school work.

Organize your space

Having a good study space is really important to being productive. Make sure your desk is uncluttered, with all distractions removed. Have everything that you need on hand, so you won’t have to disrupt your flow to find your calculator or get a drink of water.

Put your phone away

Seriously. Having your phone readily available is just too much of a temptation and distraction. It doesn’t have to mean you can’t look at your phone at all, but put it away in another room and finish schoolwork for at least one subject before going back to it. Nothing will explode without you having access to your phone for an hour or two.

Set small goals

Accomplishing a task or goal makes you feel good, and helps you stay motivated. Organize your tasks into smaller goals, and write them out. Checking off your smaller tasks will make you feel accomplished, and will motivate you to keep going and to continue being productive.

Mountain Heights is a fully-accredited charter school recognized for stellar testing and graduation rates. However, many parents researching alternative school options are confused: what is a charter school, and how does it relate to a conventional brick-and-mortar public school?

What Are Charter Schools?

Charter schools often seem like completely separate entities from other public schools, but in actuality, charter schools meet all the same requirements as a regular public school. They are free for students and their families because they are state-funded. They must meet the same admission requirements as a public school, and are held to the same fiscal and academic standards. Here are some other ways in which charter schools are just like your neighborhood public school:

• Accountable to the state through annual and monthly budget reports
• Must participate in statewide testing programs
• Open to any student, regardless of socioeconomic status, race, religion, disability level, or academic ability
• Must adhere to laws pertaining to special education and disability access
• Follows same laws of compulsory school attendance as any other public school
• Must be accredited by the same organization that accredits all public schools AdvancED.

How Do They Differ from neighborhood district high schools?

Charter schools were created to give students and families more options for public education. Here at Mountain Heights Academy, we know that the local high school structure doesn’t work for every student. Some students have special needs, mobile lifestyles, and demanding side projects that require a more flexible schedule and accessibility.

The main difference between a charter school and a district school is the governance structure. A district school is governed by an elected district school board, while a charter school is governed by an individual school governing board. This board applies for a charter, an agreement between the school and the authorizer, that outlines how the school will provide educational services to the students it serves. The charter details specific criteria by which the school will be governed and run, including community outreach, parental involvement, educational goals, budgetary considerations, and much more. Charter schools may occasionally apply for waivers that exempt them from certain obligations. In Utah, charter schools can be authorized by the State Charter School Board, a university, a district, or a technology college, among others.

Learn More about Mountain Heights’ Educational Opportunities

Charter schools allow students and citizens to have more flexibility in their education options while still upholding the standards required of all public education in the state of Utah. Here at Mountain Heights, we provide students with flexible educational opportunities that aren’t readily accessible for students in brick and mortar schools. Learn more by contacting us today.

We’re knee deep in back-to-school season! While the end of summer can be a bittersweet time of year, it is also nice to get on a schedule with the start of the school year. If you’re struggling to get back into your school routine this fall, here are a few tips!

Tip 1: Set a structured sleep routine

School mornings can be really stressful if you aren’t getting enough sleep. Fix this by setting a regular bedtime on school nights, and sticking to it. It’s also really helpful to have a set morning routine in place, so you have more effective and enjoyable mornings.

Tip 2: Get excited about new school supplies

This may seem like an obvious tip, but getting a new backpack or binder (or headphones for digital students) for your assignments can do wonders for your motivation! Something new and exciting for your classes will really help you feel motivated about your school work.

Tip 3: Have a designated homework station

When you’re moving your school supplies all over your home, it can be hard to have everything you need to complete a difficult math problem. It can also be really distracting to go searching through your home for the proper supplies and it will delay you in finishing your work.Instead, set up a designated homework station where you have everything you need in order to study effectively and efficiently.

Tip 4: Make an after-school schedule

The hours immediately after school can rush by, and before you know it, you’re sitting at the dinner table and realizing you haven’t done any of your homework. By setting up a schedule for completing all of your tasks and homework, you’ll avoid staying up late (and disrupting your sleep schedule!) to get your school work finished before the next day of classes.

Tip 5: Familiarize yourself with your curriculum and school material

Another important aspect of making sure that you’re organized and ready for success, is making sure you plan around deadlines and school breaks. As soon as you get all of your courses of study, enter due dates and breaks into your planner or calendar! That way, you don’t ever miss an assignment, and you know when you have school breaks to look forward to!

Online education is an incredible opportunity for so many students, today. For students who are looking to add specific classes to their education, to have more flexibility in their day, or who need a different type of educational model, online education opens up many possibilities. While online classes aren’t for everyone, there are many benefits. Here are some tips to help students get the most out of their online education…

Create a schedule

Learning to create a schedule that you can stick to is one of the most important skills that will help you, later on in life. In particular, learning how to make a realistic schedule is essential to have success in online schooling. Building a strict schedule for yourself will help you be accountable for your time in an educational setting that offers more freedom for how time is spent.

Teacher student communication

One giant misconception about taking online high school classes is that it hampers the relationship that a teacher can build with their students. Teachers of online classes, in high-performing online settings are available to help their students develop a stronger understanding of the subject matter. Additionally, teachers reach out to struggling students to provide just in time instruction and help. Continued communication is important in an online class setting.

Make the most of online student interactions

Many online courses involve group projects and opportunities to collaborate with other students. Take advantage of these opportunities! Students can share ideas and make a collective learning experience. Discussion forums can provide excellent opportunities for students to debate topics in real time and also asynchronously. Students have time to form opinions before posting.

Online schooling is not a new concept. In fact, the first online secondary school in the country opened in Utah in 1994, following in the tradition of online university courses. Today, not only are there online classes offered at many universities and colleges, there are many universities that are strictly online schools. Branching out of that, there are many online high schools, both private and public, available to high school students. There are benefits to both online and bricks and mortar education, but lately, more and more secondary students are drawn to online schooling options.

Post-secondary online schooling isn’t just for working adults

Specifically when talking about college attendees, many students who are enrolling in online schooling are young, 18-21. Historically, online college courses attracted adults over the age of 30 who hadn’t had a chance to finish school, or never attended college, but those are no longer the majority population. Many recent high school graduates are opting for online university courses as well. The flexibility of online courses allow students to get a jump start on their career, being able to work full or part time and during daytime work hours, while having a flexible and full time academic work load.

Starting in high school

Some high school graduates like the idea of completing their higher education courses online because they are already familiar with the format of taking classes and courses online. A lot of bricks and mortar high schools offer online courses. Currently, many students take at least one online course during their time in high school, while some students attend fully online high schools.

Benefits of online schooling

There are a lot of benefits to online schooling, such as the flexibility, the potential of more individualized instruction, and teacher interaction. Ultimately, the most important thing to consider is what is best for you individually. 

Often, alternative schooling programs are turned to when children are having a hard time keeping up in school, for one reason or another. However, many parents forget that it can also be useful when a child keeps up too well in school. In other words, gifted students who aren’t challenged in regular school can greatly benefit from online learning.

Public Schools’ Challenge

The dilemma presented to public schools is that they have to do their best to accommodate a wide range of students. Some students are dealing with issues that make it difficult for them to keep up with normal coursework. Other students are setting the curve every test. Ideally, though, the majority of students sit at the peak of the bell curve, which is where most of the public schooling system’s curriculum is aimed for.

However, some children are exceptionally bright, and able to grasp new concepts faster than their classmates.

Signs that Your Child Needs More Challenge

While at first, a child being smarter than the rest of his or her age group seems like a good thing, the truth is that it can backfire. Children who aren’t challenged by their schoolwork can quickly become disengaged. They might start to get lazy at school and actually have worse grades because they zone out. Here are some signals that your child isn’t being challenged at school:

• They frequently claim that classes are “boring.” This one might be obvious, and after all, complaining about being bored in class is a natural part of any child’s school experience. However, children are naturally inclined to learn, and to love learning. So if your child isn’t getting any stimulation in class, it could be a problem.
• They test well at the early grades. Many gifted children will show evidence of it early on in their school careers. The learning curve during K-3rd grade is huge; children are learning arithmetic, reading, and writing, which are all major building blocks that they’ll continue to use the rest of their lives. If your child was especially fast to grasp these skills early on in their school days, it could be challenging to keep them engaged for the rest of the school experience.
• They’re acting out in school. This can be hard to pinpoint, because there could be many reasons that children act out. However, a common reason that’s often overlooked is simply that your child is frustrated and bored, and not receiving the stimulation that they need. So, they find other ways to entertain themselves.

Where to Turn

If you’re confronting this issue of your child needing more of a challenge in school, there are many things that you can do.

As a child approaches High School, there are often many options available like AP or Honors courses. Sometimes, High School students can take classes at a local college and get a head start on their degree. However, options are more limited when a child is in elementary school and middle school, or junior high. That’s where online learning can come in.

Online learning is specially catered to the needs of the individual student. Using online courses, your child with a 9th-grade reading level will never be stuck with 6th-grade reading material. Online learning can be perfect for gifted children because they’re given reign to explore topics that interest them, while being guided by authoritative sources and focused teachers.

Browse our catalog, or give us a call to see if online learning is right for your child.

Many parents have decided to turn to online education for their children who struggle in traditional school, or are in need of more academically challenging classes. One group of students that we see often enrolling into online school, is students with ADHD. Just like for any student, online education is a wonderful option for students with ADHD. If you’re on the fence, here are a few pros and cons to consider that may be more specifically related to your child.

Pros

• Less Distractions. Many children with ADHD find that doing school from home has less distractions than there are in a physical public school. A solo school environment may be helpful and help them focus on what’s most important.
• Work at your own pace. One of the biggest advantages to online schooling, is the added ability to work at your own pace. If your child likes to work faster, or needs a little more time and explanation while working, online education may be a great fit.
• A new learning environment. Even just a simple change of environment can do wonderful things for a child who is easily distracted or overstimulated.
• More one on one time. This is a huge advantage to many online schools. Many classes have smaller class sizes, meaning your child can have more homework help and one on one time with teachers.

Cons

• Less social time. A standard school experience provides a lot of social time. This is a problem that is easily remedied, though. School doesn’t have to be the only time your child is able to be social. Having scheduled social times throughout the week will help with this.
• Multi-role parent. Some parents struggle with learning to take on the additional role of being not only a parent, but also supervising the education of their children. It’s important to consider whether this new role will improve or hurt the relationship you have with your child.
• Less structure. Some children find that by not being in a physical classroom every single day, they have a hard time with the lack of structure to their days. They can feel like they have free reign of their days, even when what they really need is to be still doing their schoolwork during the days. If this is something your child struggles with, setting up structured school times during the week may help them succeed.

Here at Mountain Heights, our goal isn’t just to help our students endure High School and get an adequate enough education to pass state-mandated standardized tests. It’s not even just about getting students into the university of their choice. Rather, Mountain Heights Academy strives to empower students to succeed: in school, in the workforce, and in life. This means equipping them with skills and giving them opportunities to practice tools that will allow them to adapt to the modern workplace.

The format of the classic American office is changing drastically. With the ease of communication and idea-sharing through technology, we’re able to collaborate and cooperate in ways that we couldn’t before. Our course catalog helps students to adapt better to the quickly-changing modern workforce. Here are a few ways that our unique model is specially suited to set students up for success:

Familiarity with Telecommuting

A recent study by Global Workplace Analytics found that the telecommuting workforce doubled between 2013 and 2014. Today, 25% of the workforce teleworks, 50% hold a job that could accommodate teleworking (at least occasionally,) and 80% of people say they would like to be able to work remotely part-time. Modern workers need to be able to work effectively with a remote team, and even need to know how to present themselves through remote video interviews.

Well, here at Mountain Heights, our students practice communicating with teachers via messaging or video chat daily. They become comfortable collaborating and conveying information effectively utilizing technology. So when the inevitable Skype interview comes along as they’re job-searching, they’ll be ready to give their best presentation.

Schedule Management

Mountain Heights Academy’s educational module operates on a weekly schedule. Within that week’s curriculum, students can schedule their own time, managing themselves in order to effectively achieve internal and external goals. This teaches students to become more self-reliant, responsible, and prepared to manage themselves and others. One-on-one work with online instructors also encourages students to be more engaged in their own learning. Self-motivated students who know how to manage their own time and workload make prized employees and go-getters who are able to succeed in personal and professional projects.

Adaptability to Technology

In the workplace, we’re constantly asked to adapt to new workflows, technologies, and markets. In order to thrive, people have to learn to be flexible, constantly acquiring and utilizing new techniques and approaches. Our curriculum revolves around utilizing technology to best effect, both in order to fulfill assignments and expand education base… not to mention to actually conduct the personal administrative and management tasks needed for online learning. Students don’t just learn new programs… they learn how to learn new programs. So when a new workplace requires adapting to specialized, custom software, former Mountain Heights students jump in with a minimal learning curve.

To learn more about Mountain Height’s unique educational approach, give us a call today.

While researching online schools, parents need to be vigilant and ensure that their child is enrolled in a program that will allow them to graduate with a legitimate diploma from an accredited institution.

Accreditation

Accreditation is not a one-time requirement. Rather, it is an ongoing commitment to excellence and accountability and a standard of evaluation that ensures that students are receiving the optimal opportunities to learn and develop.

Mountain Heights Academy Is an Accredited, Tuition-Free Public School

Mountain Heights is fully accredited through AdvancED, just like all public high schools in the state. As a public charter school, the school is authorized to operate as a school in Utah by virtue of a contract with the state through the State Charter School Board. Mountain Heights credits will transfer to any other accredited school in Utah, and vice versa.

However, we invite you to do the research yourself. You can find more information on Mountain Heights Academy on the following sites:

• Utah State Charter School Board
• Utah State Board of Education

About Charter Schools

In order to understand how Mountain Heights Academy compares with other public schools, we invite you to learn more about charter school requirements. As a fully accredited public charter school, Mountain Heights complies with all the same state-mandated requirements as your neighborhood schools, including annual reports, monthly budget reports, and statewide testing programs. Like all public schools, charter schools are tuition-free, and available to any student who meets state residency requirements. As the Utah State Charter School Board states, charter schools are “open to the public, funded by the public, and accountable to the public” just like all public schools in the state of Utah. 

Mountain Heights Goes Above and Beyond

Not only is Mountain Heights a fully accredited online school, but it’s also the highest-performing online school in Utah based on completion rates of 86%, test scores at or above the state average, and graduation rates. We believe in offering a world-class education and going beyond the baseline requirements to better meet our students’ specific needs and equip them with all the tools they need in order to succeed.