Anoka-Hennepin’s secondary schools will implement this flexible learning model designed to provide opportunities for interactive learning experiences and support. The FlexEd model:

• Empowers families to make a choice about whether their student will attend class in-person or access all teaching and learning online.
• Combines in-person and at-home learning experiences, with teachers providing both face-to-face classroom instruction along with online activities accessible to all students, regardless of whether the student is in the classroom or at home.
• Supports students unable to attend in-person due to health concerns, family preference, short-term quarantine, or confirmed COVID-19 case, and allows them to remain in their regular classes and experience instruction from home in a distance learning format without having to enroll at StepAhead Online High School or some other online program.

Anoka-Hennepin also has a full online program for high school students called StepAhead Online High School.

• Serves as a true online program and requires students to be highly motivated and self-directed.
• Enrolls students completely online, full-time and part-time, with the option to earn a diploma with area high schools. 
• Find more information about StepAhead Online High School on their website.

The FlexEd model of instruction allows a choice of hybrid or distance learning for middle school and high school students. Alternatively, the StepAhead Online High School provides a 100% independent online learning experience.

In the FlexEd model, in both hybrid learning and distance learning, students receive instruction from their teachers four days per week Tuesday through Friday. Students in FlexEd will have online only learning activities to complete on Mondays. High school students may instead opt in to StepAhead Online High School, which allows for logging in anytime throughout the day.

On Mondays, students in both the hybrid model and distance learning model complete online-only assignments. In hybrid learning, students are assigned to either Cohort A (Tuesday/Wednesday) or Cohort B (Thursday/Friday). For example, a student in Cohort A would attend classes in-person on Tuesday and Wednesday. Then on Thursday and Friday the student would attend online classes in real-time. Distance learning students will attend online classes in real-time Tuesday through Friday. Cohort assignments are based on a district-determined algorithm to ensure that all children living in the same household in elementary, middle or high school attend school on the same day. Students in StepAhead Online High School are able to access online learning from midnight to midnight each day.

FlexEd allows families to have a voice in deciding the best place for their child’s learning. Family preference determines when and if their student will attend school in-person while still giving the student direct access to their teachers and peers in a synchronous (at the same time) online setting. Students attend the same classes they were assigned/registered for in the spring and have daily contact with their teacher.

Students that wish to attend school in person may select the hybrid (FlexEd) learning option. Mondays will kick off the five day learning week with time to dig into online assignments only. Tuesday through Friday are designated synchronous learning days. Two of these four learning days will be spent at school complying with all social distancing and safety requirements, including wearing a mask. Students will follow their regular class schedule on both in-person and online days. 

During in-person learning days, teachers will begin each lesson addressing both the students in the classroom and those at home. All students must log in to be marked present for daily attendance. The teacher will provide simultaneous instruction for a portion of the class period using Google Classroom and Google Meets. At some point in the lesson, students will be assigned specific learning activities. Students who are present in the classroom will be able to receive additional support and enrichment, as well as complete hands-on experiential learning (e.g. labs, building a product, creating a piece of art) and group learning activities on their assigned cohort day.

During distance learning days, students will remain at home and engage in online learning experiences and activities at the same time as their peers attending in-person classes. Students are expected to log in at the beginning of the scheduled class period to listen to their teacher facilitating in class instruction and answering questions. They will then be required to complete assigned at-home activities as directed.

Face-to-face interaction is an important component of the school experience. In-person experiences in the classroom will foster relationships between students and employees and students and their peers. The FlexEd model provides students these important interactions, while at the same time, allowing for a seamless transition to full distance or in-person instruction with little notice should it become necessary.

Students that wish to attend school virtually may select the distance learning option under the FlexEd model. All four learning days will be spent at home following their regular class schedule. Additionally, high school students have the option to enroll in the StepAhead Online High School. Students will follow the same daily schedule as they would if they were in school in-person.

Each distance learning day, teachers will begin the lesson via live stream addressing both the students in the classroom and those at home. All students must log in to be marked present for daily attendance. The teacher will provide simultaneous instruction for a portion of the class period using Google Classroom and Google Meets. At some point in the lesson, students will be assigned specific learning activities.