Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Alternative Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Thornton High spotlights Remote Independent Study; student credits program with recovery and college-career preparation
Summary
Thornton High School presented its Remote Independent Study (RIS) program to the district board, reporting it has served close to 500 students since post-distance learning with graduation rates above 80% and current RIS enrollment of 66; a senior, Erica, described how RIS supported her recovery and career plans.
Thornton High School principal Dr. Maranko presented a school spotlight to the Jefferson Union board on the school’s Remote Independent Study (RIS) program, social-emotional learning practices and student voice, and the board heard testimony from a senior who credited the program with restoring her engagement and academic progress.
Dr. Maranko told trustees the district has served "close to 500 students" in the RIS program since returning from distance learning and reported graduation rates for the program "in excess of 80 percent." He said the program pairs remote instruction with at least one day a week in person and frequent check-ins from counselors and teachers to maintain connections and reduce chronic absenteeism.
Student Erica, a senior, described her own experience: after struggling during the pandemic she moved into Thornton’s RIS program and said it "helped me grow, and they helped me advance to something more than I thought I could get to." She credited teachers, counselors and the program’s supports for helping her pursue early career goals in equine therapy and for planning a gap year after graduation.
Dr. Maranko outlined practices that support RIS students, including structured one-on-one or small-group meetings between teachers and students to review progress, a grading-reflection process intended to make students feel ownership of their grades, and cross-campus integration through Google Classroom so remote and in-person students can participate in shared activities such as ropes courses and community service.
Board members asked for more quantitative reporting, with one member specifically requesting post-pandemic chronic absenteeism percentages; Dr. Maranko agreed to provide these data in future updates. During Q&A a trustee asked how many RIS students are currently enrolled; the principal replied, "66." Trustees praised the program’s student-centered approach and expressed interest in seeing dashboard data over time.
What happens next: Staff indicated they will return to the board with additional data on attendance, outcomes and the model continuation application being prepared for Thornton.
