Green Mountain Union High School (GMUHS) has been providing students with increased opportunities to personalize their education. Shannon Parker (Flexible Pathways Coordinator), Pam O’Neil (Guidance Department Director) and Ally Oswald (Guidance Counselor) work diligently to offer all of our students new possibilities for pursuing their individual goals. Here are some of the specific opportunities available to Green Mountain students:

Blended Learning Opportunities:

During the 2018-2019 school year, students were able to take a Dual Enrollment U.S. History course affiliated with The Community College of Vermont, on the GMUHS campus. Students who completed the course received college level credit. This past year, 13 students took advantage of this opportunity. The class will be offered again during the 2019-2020 school year, and at this time we have 20 students enrolled in the course.

Career Technical Education:

The Guidance Office has been comparing the proficiencies that students are earning at River Valley Technical Center with the proficiencies required to graduate from GMUHS so that students will know where any gaps exist. Shannon worked with the RVTC Carpentry Program instructor, the GMUHS math department, and the VTVLC to create a PASS (Personalized Assessment of Student Standards) — a proposal so that a student could gain content knowledge of Algebra through ‘real life experiences’ in the Carpentry course offered at RVTC.

Early College:

Shannon assists in connecting interested students in the Junior class with early college placement through participating Vermont Colleges/Universities. In this program, students are concurrently involved in high school and a post-secondary institution. During the 2018-2019 school year, we had a student studying at Castleton University. For the 2019-2020 school year, we will have a student studying at Norwich College.

Community Based Learning:

Students are connected to opportunities within our community and beyond.

• This includes internships, volunteering & work study/shadow opportunities.
• Shannon works with John Donorum (GM’s School-to-Work Coordinator), assisting with job placements.
• A Bulletin Board is available in the Flexible Pathways room with the most recent job, internship & work study opportunities.

Learning Virtual Opportunities:

Shannon assists students with the enrollment process for online courses through Vermont Virtual Learning Cooperative & Brigham Young University (both offering high school courses).

• After enrollment, students receive assistance in obtaining the required materials for the course.
• Students work in the Flexible Pathways classroom during the week. Shannon monitors and assists them with any technical difficulties or helps connect them to their online teacher.
• Each student is required to have a weekly check-in with Shannon to help them stay on track. If they fall behind, they create a pace chart with their online teacher or with Shannon.
• Students receive any necessary assistance with the technology required to complete discussion based assessments, conferences, or meetings with their online teacher.
• For students taking BYU courses, Shannon proctors their final exam.
• In 2018-2019, 29 students were enrolled in over 50 online courses. For 2019-202, 30 students have enrolled in 59 online courses.
• For Summer 2019, Shannon assisted the Math department in enrolling 14 students to online recovery courses through Vermont Virtual Learning Cooperative. This opportunity was offered to students who did not gain proficiency within a math course that they were enrolled in during the 2018-2019 school year.

Dual Enrollment:

Shannon assists students with setting up Dual Enrollment courses through participating Vermont State Colleges/Universities for Fall, Spring & Summer courses.

• Once they have enrolled, Shannon helps students apply for their dual enrollment vouchers. All Vermont students have two dual enrollment vouchers to use during their Junior & Senior years in high school. Shannon assists in keeping track of the number of vouchers that each student has utilized.
•  Students receive assistance in ordering any required textbooks or course materials.
• If students are taking a dual enrollment class on a college campus, Shannon helps them with the logistics of commuting as well as scheduling; making sure that the course on campus will work around or in conjunction with their GMUHS schedule. Students must sign a waiver if they will be traveling to a college campus from GMUHS.
• For students taking dual enrollment courses online, they are scheduled to work in the Flexible Pathways classroom during a scheduled class block each week. Shannon monitors and helps students who encounter any technical difficulties or need assistance in contacting their professor.
• Each student is required to have a weekly check-in with Shannon to help them stay on track. If they fall behind, they work with Shannon to develop strategies to get them back on track and stay on task.
• Once students complete their coursework, the flexible pathways classroom provides a quiet space to take the final exam.
• 18 students enrolled in 24 dual enrollment courses during the 2018-2019 school year. For 2019-2020, 12 students are enrolled 21 different dual enrollment opportunities.

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In the fall of 2018-2019, 52 students were scheduled into the flexible pathways classroom. These students included those working on independent projects or coursework as well as those enrolled in college or online courses.

The number of  students receiving support and using the Flexible Classroom space will increase in 2019-2020 as we continue to match opportunities to students’ individual education needs.

Lauren Fierman
Green Mountain Union High School Principal