Photo by Pixabay

When the world changed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Michelle Henry Reed’s two high school-aged children changed with it.

Classes went online for the students in March 2020, and the two students never went back to in-person schooling, opting instead to continue their education in the Butler Area School District Cyber Learning Program.

“One graduated this year. One is going to be a senior,” said Reed, of Oakland Township. “That's just what the kids decided they wanted to do. They had a lot of flexibility to do things at their own pace.”

The Reed children weren’t the only students at Butler school district to embrace online education following the pandemic — the program grew exponentially in the years since 2020.

According to Keenan McGaughey, principal of Center Avenue Community School and the Butler Cyber Program, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a “huge spike” in enrollments in the district’s cyber program. The program has since had a consistent level of interest that continues to now.

“Pre-COVID, we had about 110 enrolled in cyber … then over 500 kids enrolled in cyber classes in grades six to 12,” McGaughey said. “We ended last year with 310 total kids taking online classes.”

Students in all grades at the district can enroll in the cyber program, but McGaughey oversees the program for students in grades six through 12. In the years since 2020, the district adopted the Edgenuity Virtual Academy program, which allows students to work at their own pace.

“For some of our virtual classes, the teacher logs onto Google Meet. The kids might get a video there for some guided practice,” McGaughey said.

Reed said her children were “excellent students” during their time at in-person school, but they faced the challenges of online education in different ways. She said learning time management is the biggest test her children had to figure out when going through the cyber program.

“What it taught my kids about managing time — and not managing time — there's consequences to that,” Reed said. “All the kids are different, so watching how they work differently and pick what to do is interesting.”

Reed said one of the benefits to the cyber program her children liked was the ability to work at their own pace. They had flexibility in completing their classwork, and just had to make sure they had all their assignments for a nine-week quarter completed by the end of that period.

“When they found their groove they would work on one class at a time and get it done,” Reed said. “To me, it has been a positive experience for the most part, but there are some drawbacks.”

According to McGaughey, many students cite flexibility as their top reason for enrolling in the cyber program. However, others say they feel more comfortable outside the traditional school environment.

“Some, they want flexibility,” McGaughey said. “For others, their child might be having anxiety about having classes with a group of people so they enroll in the cyber program.”

Beginning classes in the cyber program can come with growing pains for some students, according to McGaughey, so he said he recommends students make learning time management one of their top priorities.

“Developing a consistent routine is key,” McGaughey said. “Eighty-five percent of kids do well in the program — the other 10 to 15% struggle with time management.”

While the cyber program doesn’t have its own dedicated support teachers, McGaughey said 35 teachers at the intermediate and high school level work in the cyber program in the district.

Some classes in the cyber program include interactions with teachers, who may create videos or meet with a student over a video conference.

“There is a human element to it,” McGaughey said. “Some teachers add their virtual class into their own schedule.”

Reed said her children have enjoyed the opportunity to develop their school and extracurricular schedules separately; and both of her kids have worked part-time jobs while enrolled in cyber school.

She also said parents of children interested in taking the cyber program should know they may have to be even more involved with their schoolwork than the typical parent, but it could be worth it for the children’s own development.

“I think it's a very good concept; I think that the children get out of it what you put in it,” Reed said. “You have to have time management skills, and that is the hinge of the cyber program.”