NSSD Options Academy Update
Locust St. Academy and Stayton Virtual Academy Outlines
Locust Street Academy: In-Person High School Option
LSA has a goal of supporting the whole student, and ensuring the best opportunities towards school completion. The program will launch fall of 2021, and the new building (East of SHS on Locust) is scheduled to be completed by July of 2022 (the program will begin in 2021-2022, an alternate location).
How is Locust Street Academy Different?
Smaller classes: Students will access core content classes in groups of about 15. Our two core-content teachers will know our students well, and work to ensure their success.
Whole child: LSA will focus on the whole child, including social and emotional learning/skill building. We will also be implementing restorative practices within the school, to help students learn problem solving and communication skills.
Schedule: Core classes will be blocked into 2 hour, 4 week sessions. Students will have 2 core classes at a time, in addition to lab/study time during the day (see below)
Credits: Students have the ability to earn up to 8 core-class credits per year during in-person instruction, and even more with electives.
Electives: Students may have access to electives at SHS (schedule/class size permitting) as well as to online elective options.
Start time: In person, core classes will start at 9:00, with teacher supports/access beginning at 8:00.
Space: NSSD will be building a brand-new, two-classroom building to house Options Academy, just to the East of SHS. This building is slated to be complete by July of 2022. Next fall, LSA will be in a temporary space across the street from SHS until the building is complete.A: If students are meeting OSAA guidelines for credit completion and grades, as well as LSA requirements for attendance and behavior, yes.
Q: Can LSA students take SHS electives?
A: This will depend on the availability of the elective and the needs of the student. These decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis. 1st period, before LSA in-person classes begin, as well as 4th and 5th periods may allow for accommodation to some SHS electives. Students will also be able to take online electives, as well as some in-person electives offered by LSA teachers.
Q: How do students apply to attend Locust St. Academy?
A: The pre-application link is available online (LINK HERE) . The application can also be mailed upon request. If the student is already attending Stayton HS, administrators from SHS and LSA will confer to determine if it is an appropriate fit. If the student is not already attending SHS, the Eagle Academy staff will make the decision. Once an application is approved, there will be a mandatory in-person intake meeting for both families and students. Once all available seats are filled, subsequent approvals will be placed on a waiting list in the order they were received. Credit deficient seniors will have the first priority towards LSA placement.
Stayton Virtual Academy (K-12)
The North Santiam School District has founded an on-line K-12 option to serve our families who wish to have their children learn from home rather than attending school in-person. Students who enroll in this program will be engaged in distance learning for the entire school year. This program provides the flexibility to allow students to work in a setting that can best meet their needs. It is important that each student has a designated parent or family member as their “Learning Coach” to support them. This is especially critical for grades K-5. It is also important to note that delivery of instruction depends largely on a student’s ability to read (or listen to) text passages and respond accordingly. If reading comprehension is not a strong skill for your student, SVA may not be the best choice for them.
A District-owned Chromebook will be provided during the school year to those who request one. Students who enroll in SVA can participate in NSSD athletics in grades 6-12 at no cost. They may also be able to participate in activities like band, choir or drama if class size restrictions are not exceeded. Once classes have begun, students may be able to switch from "in-person" classroom attendance to Stayton Virtual Academy one time per school year, depending on space availability at their grade level. Transfers from Stayton Virtual Academy to in-person schooling will only be allowed at the semester break (end of each January).
Beginning with the 2021-22 school year, parents will be able to select from two different curriculum choices as indicated below:
Fuel Education ~ available for grades K-6
SchoolsPLP ~ available for grades K-12
BYU Online ~ available for grades 7-12
Families can begin the pre-registration process by using the link HERE.
Options Academy Staff 2021-22
Mr. Kirby has been in the NSSD since 2005, as a social studies teacher, Asst. Principal, SHS Principal from 2014-19, and College/Career Coordinator. Mr. Kirby will be continuing in his CTE/pathway coordinator role in addition to LSA and SVA responsibilities.
Dana Fowler: Stayton Virtual Academy Teacher (K-5)
Ms. Fowler has been teaching elementary school with the NSSD since 2016, and began teaching online this year. She will be continuing next year to support our younger students.
Stefanie Breitling: Locust St. Academy, Language Arts and Social Studies (9-12)
Ms. Breitling has been the Alternative Ed teacher at Stayton High since 2012. She has been helping students with credit recovery and ELA credits effectively for many years.
Mr. John: Locust St. Academy, Math and Science (9-12)
Mr. John has been a science teacher at Stayton High since 2015, and has taught a variety of classes including biology, physics, and more.
Renee Martinez: Registrar/Office. Ms. Martinez also comes to us from SHS, with experience as a registrar and many years of school office experience.