Online charter schools have been receiving an increasing amount of criticism. We are the first to say that at times this criticism is warranted. We’ve heard the schooling horror stories; parents who describe their child’s online schooling experience as a “year wasted”, or a child losing out by not receiving the correct level of teacher and peer engagement. It’s upsetting to even imagine your child has lost a great deal of learning in the subject of math, did an underwhelming amount of reading, or realizing that they haven’t retained a single bit of learning in a semester of school.

Of course, a lack of learning is a great concern for any parent, student, as well as the staff at Mountain Heights Academy. That’s why we’ve reinvented the online charter schooling experience, taking the positives of such an adventure and amplifying them, as well as reimagining what doesn’t work.

What is an Online Charter School?

For those unfamiliar with online schooling, the idea of attending elementary, middle, and high-school outside of a traditional school setting can seem extreme. It’s difficult to imagine our children learning outside of a traditional classroom environment five days a week. It may even be impossible to imagine how a student could succeed while learning online versus in the physical presence of teachers and peers. Of course, an accredited online school meets the same graduation requirements of any other accredited public or charter school, although our learning styles and flexibility are vitally different.

Many parents are curious but rightfully skeptical of the structure, benefits, and reasoning behind choosing an online school. And of course, they have the right to be. There’s nothing quite as distressing as hearing the stories of online charter schooling gone wrong. But we hate to see an opportunity for unique learning squandered due to other schools (online and brick-and-mortar) who lack quality teachers, have unstimulating coursework, require less than ideal student support, and give zero socialization opportunities. However, our online charter school is built differently. We have hope for the continued success of online learning, and our decade of success speaks for itself.

The Issues with Online Schooling & How We’re Fixing Them

• Student & Teacher Interaction. Online charter schools are a tricky thing. There are many online schools in existence that don’t put the appropriate emphasis on student/teacher engagement. Our dedicated staff is not only there to help every student succeed but are dedicated to giving their time during teacher office hours, and providing quick response times. We don’t want students to feel as though they’re learning from a tired powerpoint presentation. They’re learning from educators who have been hired due to their ability to make learning exciting, challenging, and engaging.
• Socializing. A lack of social interaction is a notable reason why many parents are apprehensive about the idea of online education. As they should be! These developmental years are the opportune time for a student to learn and grow mentally and emotionally amongst others their age. That’s why we make it a point to have endless opportunities to help students engage with one another. From group projects to clubs and in-person meetings, there’s always a chance for social engagement.
• The Daily Structure. Flexibility in the online charter school schedule is key. Students should be allowed to learn at their own pace without consequences for learning too quickly or not quick enough. However, for some students and parents, flexibility means losing out on the structure of a daily school routine in a classroom. Just as a student might not stick to or work within the daily structure of a traditional school, we have to assume “structure” can mean something different for every learner.

We work with students of various levels of self-motivation and those who’s schedule changes drastically. As content is available online, teachers spend their time working with students in small groups or individually instead of repeating lessons to various groups of students. Additionally, parents are kept well-informed of each student’s progress via weekly emails that give parents access to grades, time spent in class, pacing and student progress. Yes, structuring may be different here, but it works in favor of a student’s learning and not against it.

Online Schooling Isn’t for Everyone

Charter schools, specifically ones based online, aren’t for every student. In a traditional sense, many students do just fine in a public or private school setting. However, evidence suggests that students who aren’t relatively atypical learners—whether in the way engage and absorb their studies or due to a unique schedule—learn at a higher capacity when flexibility is introduced to schooling. Allowing a student to create schedules that work for them rather than against them often boosts the student’s confidence and allows them to connect at a level they couldn’t fathom in a traditional school environment.

Who Succeeds at Mountain Heights Academy?

So who succeeds at Mountain Heights Academy? Any child who understands that our program, although unique, is still built to meet a rigorous standard of education. Yes, students are able to take the time they need to understand concepts in-depth and get their learning done around their preferred schedule, but there are still deadlines, “virtual classroom” hours, and academic standards that need to be met. We encourage parents and students to seek us out when they’re certain that other forms of schooling aren’t working. We also encourage students and parents to be realistic about what “flexibility” means to them. One of the most important factors for success is student accountability. Does online learning sound beneficial for your child? If you’d like to learn more about our program and how we’re reinventing the online charter school, give us a call today!