Kingman Unified highlights block schedule, cross‑campus courses and early‑college Summit Academy

The Kingman Unified School District Governing Board heard a presentation on the district’s expanded high‑school pathways, including the block schedule, cross‑campus career and technical education courses, an expanded online option (Flex Academy), the High School Opportunity Pathway (HOP) and the new Summit Academy early‑college program.

District administrators told the board the block schedule doubles typical class period length and allows students to focus on about three classes a day rather than six, adds longer passing periods and more lunch time, and enables sharing of specialized teachers between campuses. The district said teachers are using new instructional strategies and that professional development and in‑class coaching are ongoing to support the transition.

Officials framed the pathways as options to help students customize high‑school experiences and earn college credit while remaining enrolled locally. The presentation included these enrollment figures as reported by district staff: 54 Kingman High School students enrolled in online coursework representing 59 online course enrollments; 46 Lee Williams students were noted as participating in online options; the district reported 1,400 students served in special education when discussing other agenda items. For HOP, staff said 8 Kingman High School students were enrolled in a total of 11 college classes and 13 Lee Williams students were enrolled in 22 college classes. For the Summit Academy, staff reported 10 officially registered students and said the program had spoken with about 32 prospective students during outreach.

Students in the programs spoke to the board. Haley Gudgeon, a Summit Academy student pursuing nursing, said the program “has already provided me with amazing opportunities and has been an incredible place to learn and grow.” Gracie Schroeder, a student in cross‑campus courses and Summit Academy participant, said staff adjusted her schedule so she could continue extracurriculars and that “the staff at KHS helped me find my new class and feel welcome.” Another student said HOP lets her earn college prerequisites in time to apply for Mohave College’s nursing program and remain part of her class’s senior activities.

Staff detailed operational hurdles and early limits: cross‑campus participation requires students to provide their own transportation; some career programs (for example, culinary at Kingman High School) are at capacity so out‑of‑boundary students must wait for openings; scheduling conflicts remain for students taking concurrent college courses at Mohave College. District staff said they are tracking capacity and attendance and will notify students if slots open.

The presentation credited partnerships with Mohave College and said Summit Academy students will begin Mohave College classes on Aug. 18; staff said college resources such as tutoring and student success centers will be available to these high‑school students. The board did not take an action to change program rules during the presentation.

The presentation team thanked teachers, counselors, Mohave College staff and board members for work on the pathways and said professional development, mentor support for online learners, and continued outreach are planned to expand participation.

Board members praised the program updates and student speakers, noting the pathways provide college and career opportunities while allowing students to remain engaged in high‑school activities.

Prospective and current students seeking these options should consult the district or Mohave College for enrollment steps, capacity and schedules; college courses discussed in the presentation were scheduled to begin Aug. 18, per the district’s remarks.