Real Results: Cherry Creek Elevation
Creating an Elevated Blended Learning Program
with Cherry Creek Elevation
Developing a Blended Learning Model that Meets All Student Needs
Cherry Creek Elevation, a public-school serving students in grades 9-12 in Colorado’s Cherry Creek district, was created in 2019 with one goal in mind: to offer personalized learning through a unique blended learning program that meets the needs of its students. Although blended learning was not new to the district, the previous model wasn’t working for students at the time. School leaders were challenged with creating an enriched blended model that would offer:
- A variety of courses that met or exceeded the state requirements
- Schedule flexibility that allowed students to attend full-time or to take individual courses while still attending their zoned school
- Synchronous and asynchronous sessions that provided hands-on learning opportunities
- An environment where all students felt welcomed and safe
Zero Teacher Turnover
500+ 6th–12th Grade Students Each Year
The Right Online Curriculum Partner with Community-Like Feel
Cherry Creek Elevation needed to find the right curriculum provider that would offer a solid foundation for a unique blended learning model. Enter FlexPoint.
“Working with FlexPoint gave teachers the opportunity to support kids differently, because they weren’t spending so much time creating content,” said Kristy Hart, Cherry Creek Elevation Principal.
She found that FlexPoint offered a variety of comprehensive digital courses, compatible with their selected learning management system (LMS), and that provided the flexibility that teachers needed to modify lessons. In addition to the high-quality courses, Ms. Hart found that FlexPoint offers a supportive community. “It has given me a network of people who do what I do. It brings people together who have the expertise, and it gives us the opportunity to bounce ideas off one another.”
Student Success
A Unique Blended Learning Model that Meets Students’ Needs, While Supporting Teachers Today, Cherry Creek Elevation serves more than 500 students in grades 6-12. Students can select to take all of their courses with Cherry Creek Elevation, or combine their course load from their zoned school. The school’s unique model includes a combination of “click” and “brick” days to ensure students get the support they need throughout the week, while focusing on offering a flexible and personalized program.
Mondays are asynchronous days. This gives teachers the opportunity to meet and plan as needed with each other or individual students, work on their professional development, and more. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are “click days,” where students participate in live synchronous classes. During these days, teachers divide the time into 75-minute blocks for instruction, with collaborative and breakouts sessions scheduled throughout the day.
Thursdays and Fridays are “brick days.” After students identify the lessons they need the most help with, they can schedule dedicated, in-person time with their instructor. Clubs and activities are also scheduled during “brick days.” Plus, instructional support is offered throughout the week during pre-determined office hours, both in-person and virtual.
This model gives students and parents the chance to take control of their learning, and Ms. Hart found that it is “life changing” for some students. “For example, one of our students went from almost all D’s and multiple suspensions to A’s, B’s and C’s, and took an AP class with us last year. He is a student leader; he just needed to find a place where he could be whole, and where he could ask for help when needed.”
The program has also proven to be successful from the teacher and staffing standpoint, with zero teacher turnover in the past year. Teachers only have to be in a physical classroom one day a week (teachers schedules are split amongst each other so that they are in one of the two days their students are in-person), which allows them to better balance their personal life with their profession.
Flexible Learning Pathways Implemented:
Brick
andclick
days to blend student learning- Flipped Classroom Model where students learn at home and use classroom time to practice what they've learned
- Virtual and in-person office hours for additional support
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