At the start of the 2020-21 school year, when the pandemic and county regulations forced Lynden Schools to start the year in a distance learning scenario, the district quickly pivoted and created multi-tiered learning options for students. Families could select distance learning through Lynden teachers, dubbed Option 1, until a return to in-person learning was possible; an online program, dubbed Option 3; or a Lynden-supported at-home learning scenario, Option 2 Home Connect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the Option 2 situation, Ellie Meenk, Lynden Academy principal, says teachers worked with individual families to craft a personalized homeschool experience, providing them with needed curriculum specialized with a student\u2019s needs, grade level and academic interest. \u201cWe have a big library and we were able to get them a good homeschooling experience,\u201d Meenk says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lynden Schools staff backed the parents with certificated teachers checking in on them at least weekly to support both students and parents, giving families a resource at the ready. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe school district wanted to have lots of options for families and I think this was something unique to the Lynden Schools,\u201d Meenk says. \u201cOption 2 was a natural fit for Lynden Academy (to administer).\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the height of the Option 2 Home Connect usage during the first semester roughly 150 students were enrolled, mostly K-5 students. There are also more than 500 students a part of the Lynden Academy program, a sperate school within Lynden Schools that caters to families who want to homeschool part-time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are serving people where they are at,\u201d Meenk says. \u201cIt is something new and not for everyone. We get that, but this is a natural fit for some families.\u201d She says that as Lynden Schools starts to plan for next year, she\u2019d like to offer a similar option in the future. She also expects that families currently enrolled in Option 2 Home Connect will be drawn back to their neighborhood school or participate with Lynden Academy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With Lynden Academy a hybrid option of in-school learning K-12 and at-home learning, Meenk says they\u2019ve seen continued growth in the program. \u201cThis is a nice way to do (homeschooling),\u201d she says, \u201cand still have support.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"