Online education continues to grow in Mesa County post-pandemic | Western Colorado

While most students have returned to in-school instruction, the pandemic did ultimately prove to be a turning point for Grand River. Four years after 2020, the school is consistently enrolling roughly twice of its pre-pandemic levels.

“The number of students that were participating in that shrunk from 3,000 to around 250-300 students, but as a school, we had about 300 students enrolled in our blended program, as well, so Grand River Academy went from a school of about 300 students to a school of over 600 students,” Principal Steve States said.

D51 Site Director Ari Goldberg said that, over the past couple of years, Grand River has ended the year with around 500-600 students. The current enrollment is 484 students, but in recent years, the school has tended to add to its enrollment as the year goes on.

When the pandemic led to more awareness of alternate education options provided by the district, some students simply never went back to the old way they learned. Word of the option spread to students coming out of middle school and their families, leading to a steady rate of online learners each year.

“We still see that need here in the community for that alternative. We have really maintained two options, which is how we’ve maintained what Grand River originally was, as well as offered this other option for students. Grand River has maintained the blended option, which is when students come one day a week for in-person instruction, and they have the option of coming more than that for additional services and support, and they can make appointments with teachers,” States said.

“We’ve also added the online option, and in the online option, students don’t have to come into a building. However, they do have virtual meetings with their teachers and their class at least one day a week. Students have the opportunity to participate in those classes online with their peers. We really have two options existing under one school umbrella, and that really seems to meet the needs of a lot of different families in a lot of different situations.”

States said that in the online model, teachers are still easily able to see how students are progressing, when they need additional help or when they’re falling behind, and communicate with students.

The more families that discover Grand River’s options, States said, the more families realize that it’s a good option for them.

“I think one of the biggest reasons is the flexibility of the schedule. Families have different needs. For example, families who are traveling for sports or that may have a home business that requires some traveling periodically, some flexibility is ideal for them,” he said.

“When they only have to attend one day in person, that works for a lot of those families. For the families that can’t attend in person, the online option is good because e they can school from wherever they’re located. Even though they’re still District 51 students and they live in our district, it allows them to travel to sporting events or other events or family functions.”

He also noted that some students with medical needs can’t attend school regularly, so Grand River is able to give those families more freedom in the structure of their child’s education.

Grand River also offers some extracurricular activities. There are clubs like cooking, sewing and robotics. Earlier this semester, the school held a family swimming night at the Lincoln Park-Moyer Pool. At the end of the school year, the school invites students and their families on a field trip to Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park.

Goldberg said that schools throughout the district know to share the Grand River option with some families. The district is looking into other ways to increase awareness of the program.

“All of our traditional schools know of that option, so if a family comes to them and says, ‘You know, we’re looking at different options,’ our schools know to refer them to Grand River Academy,” Goldberg said. “Most of our schools know to point them to the opportunity for that. We’ve been talking about and working on advertising more, making sure the larger part of our community knows of the options we have available, because I do wonder if people not connected with our school district understand that we have this option.”

GOAL HIGH SCHOOL

Outside of the school district, another consistently growing online school option is GOAL High School, a statewide charter school authorized through Falcon District 49 in El Paso County.

GOAL has three locations in the Grand Valley, including a spot on Main Street in Grand Junction as well as locations in Fruita and Clifton. GOAL can also be found in Montrose, Rifle and Craig in the northern Western Slope.

The school began operating in the region in 2010 and has seen steady growth over time. Similar to Grand River, GOAL estimates a Mesa County enrollment of around 500-600 students by the end of the year.

“Students can come in for various types of supports and also different activities. We are a fully accredited online high school. It’s not supplemental. Students can come here for a traditional diploma. They can also come in for a senior recovery diploma,” said GOAL Northwest Region Principal Wendy Haut.

“We are an alternative education campus (AEC), which defines us as specialized to serve a unique student population. The performance framework for an AEC takes into account the unique purpose of the campus and the circumstances and challenges posed to students who are enrolled here.”

All courses are delivered online through asynchronous learning, but courses are taught by fully licensed teachers within the community.

“Even though the learning is asynchronous and students have the ability to work ahead and kind of at their own pace, there are due dates for things, but they can work ahead and choose when they want to work,” Haut said. “Our teachers also provide high-quality instruction within their courses. They provide opportunities for one-on-one tutoring, group tutoring or drop-in sessions. Our drop-in locations are where students can come in for more individualized help, as well.”

Haut said that some students who enroll at GOAL face various risk factors, so the school’s model can work for them in various circumstances.

In that vein, she noted that GOAL partners with local organizations such as United Way of Mesa County, the Red Cross of Western Colorado, local city chambers of commerce and the Western Colorado Latino Chamber of Commerce. The school also works with national organizations such as the Autism Foundation.

“I think there are a lot of factors that go into play with something like that. Some of it is what best suits a family and their educational needs and the flexibility they need. Some of it could be attributed to the offerings we have since students can earn technical trade certificates, they can do concurrent enrollment classes, and one thing that GOAL focuses heavily on is building individual relationships with students and families,” Haut said.

“Our students are supported by a paraprofessional or a teacher throughout their entire high school career, so they always have that one consistent person who’s there helping them navigate their education. Relationship-building is big for us at GOAL High School because we know we have to have that piece in order to support students in their academics and wrap around the students socially and emotionally, as well.”