SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Sierra Vista Unified School District (SVUSD) is adapting to the needs of students and families in Cochise County by providing a new learning option. They’re partnering with ASU Prep Global to offer an online school experience.
“Times have changed,” said SVUSD Superintendent, Eric Holmes.
Which is why they've partnered with ASU Prep Global to provide an online program for seventh through twelfth graders.
“We have close to 1,000 students being home schooled in the area, and we wanted to provide some opportunities for them, as well,” Holmes said.
The partnership allows students to take classes through ASU Prep Global and participate in athletics and clubs at the middle and high school. The classes are taught by teachers who know how to teach online classes and designed for students to move at their own pace.
"We want our parents and we want our students to have flexibility and to have options, and so as long as this program allows that to occur, then we've done our job,” Holmes said.
Students have to log on for six hours a day and attend four hours of in-person classroom time a week. Their schedules will be classes required by state standards and electives that they can take in person at the local high school or from ASU Prep Global's catalog. High school juniors and seniors can take college courses from ASU for career pathways; journalism, technology, early education, and sustainability.
"That's the benefit of what this program offers that's different than any other program that we've seen, even in the state of Arizona,” said Principal Nicole Young. "You think about an iPhone, The 'I' stands for Individual. That's this is individualized education. So this is going to work for students' schedules.
"It'll work for family schedules, and it allows students to kind of pick and choose the things that they need to do. So we really can continue that tradition here at Sierra Vista, that we really do offer something for everyone.”
The in-person time was mandated, to keep students engaged and socialized. Young says they learned from COVID that students still need to be checked in on in-person, to have a more successful learning experience.
"This isn't the answer for every student, but we want us to offer it for those who it will help maybe get back into a public high school to help them reach the goals that they have,” Young said.
There’s room for 20 students in both programs, but Young says they can add more seats if the demand is there.
“We'd like to see this program grow and really be an asset to the community,” she said.
Anyone in Cochise County can enroll, but will have to be able to make the in-person sessions. Once enrolled in the program, students will then be part of SVUSD.
“We need to provide different options and different models for our students based on their needs and based on what they would like to do," Holmes said. "That is how public education, stays fresh and current.”
