Mateo Found An Alternative to Area Schools with 4-Day Weeks

I've heard so many parents and teens talking about 4-day school weeks, and I know many parents are worried about school schedules that are out of sync with the parents' work week. Others are worried that students might fall behind academically. Still others are worried that changing the schedule won't help recruit quality teachers as much as administrators hope it will.

Change can be hard, and parents typically want to figure out what's best for their families. Enter Idaho Technical Career Academy (ITCA). This is a public virtual high school with various instruction methods, schedule flexibility, and teachers with experience in online learning. The school offers a variety of college and career pathways, including:

• Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources Pathways (animal science, plant science)
• Business Management Pathway
• Digital Communication Pathway
• Health & Human Services Pathways (medical assistant, pharmacy technician)

I could see this also being a great option for students who are facing bullying. Growing up and going to school isn't what it was 10 or even 5 years ago. When I graduated high school, all the way back in 2012, I along with most of my friends had cell phones but very few of us used them for anything more than texting and calling. Was Instagram even around then!?

Now there's an ever-evolving laundry list of ways and "reasons" for students to bully and ostracize each other, so a flexible, online environment might be a great alternative.

The best part is: ITCA accepts enrollment for this school year through Nov. 1, so if you're ready to pivot away from your current situation, there's time! Visit ITCA.K12.com to learn more, sample lessons, and read feedback from parents and students. It could be the start of a whole new educational experience for your family!