FAIRMONT — Students at Fairmont High School have experienced all three learning models this year, including distance, hybrid and in-person. In order to ensure no students fall behind, administrators have put together a Student Choice Board.

Students started out with full in-person learning for the first two and a half weeks of the school year, then they switched to hybrid and were in full-distance by mid-November.

They switched back to hybrid learning, attending class in-person several days a week, on Jan. 18. They have been back in-person full-time since Feb. 1.

High School co-principal, Kim Niss, shared why the Student Choice Board was created.

“Even in a year without COVID, we function as a system driven by the data of our students,” said Niss.

Niss said that a lot of the options have been available in the past, but explained that the big driving points of the Student Choice Board were how to be more intentional and get communication out.

“It’s a way to communicate options to students and parents, but also to staff members. This is a tool teachers can use to give options to parents,” said co-principal Alex Schmidt.

“We have a team every Friday that reviews the data of our students to see how they’re doing and if we have students who need extra time and extra support,” Niss said.

Niss said the extra support can come from a student support member, teacher or study hall teacher.

Options on the Student Choice Board include after-school help from teachers, structured study hall, credit recovery, targeted services, after-school help from paraprofessionals, working lunch and peer tutoring.

“A lot of these options are after-school hours, but there are two that are during the day,” Niss said.

If after-school options don’t work for families, Niss said they can arrange a structured study hall during the school day for students. Niss said a working lunch also can be developed if there is a need for it.

Peer tutoring is offered every Wednesday after school, and the idea to offer that was actually suggested by students back in the fall.

The Student Choice Board will be shared with families today through the parent update. It also has been posted to the district’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

Each option on the Student Choice Board has a link, which will lead to more information.

One of the district’s main focus points through the World’s Best Workforce is ensuring all students graduate. With this focus in mind, administrators are giving special attention to seniors.

“We draw attention to all students who need it, but we start with our seniors, so that they get all the support they need to get the credits required to graduate,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt also added that the options are for all students and not just those who are failing.

“There are students that are typically very high achievers who are struggling academically, but struggle for them might be a mid-range grade, so the learning that’s happening isn’t at the normal level,” Schmidt said.

Niss encouraged any students who are struggling to reach out. She also urged parents who are worried about their student to get in touch with the school for additional help and resources.