Read the letter in the link below from Haddonfield resident and eminent educator Dr. Deanna Burney. She writes about the future of education, and the importance of forward-looking BOE members.
I anticipated the expanding role of online learning and external education in public schools when I advocated for an Option 2 Policy that allowed our students to satisfy district course requirements with non-district work. Thanks to Marsha Marshall's leadership on policy on the BOE, the district adopted such a policy.
Option 2 gives credits for experiences as diverse as lessons in the arts, music, or athletics; coursework with online providers; private instruction in world languages; classes taken at colleges and other high schools; and summer workshops.
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Option 2 opened learning opportunities in subject areas that are not taught in our schools. Students can flexibly pursue this work on their own schedule to get around scheduling conflicts in the high school. They can explore their unique interests for credit, while adding to their resumes a broader experience in education.
Option 2 represents a great advance in policy. I believe the district can make Option 2 approval an easier experience for families by selecting and publishing a list of pre-approved external courses and providers. District technology should allow students to pursue online coursework during their school hours. The district could also explore extending the policy to lower grade levels when the standard curriculum is not a good fit for a particular student's interests or ability. Option 2 is another example of my record of "keeping value in education."
