Post Pandemic: Choosing Your Student’s Next Academic Adventure

Five Michigan high schools have come together to offer a virtual education conference for parents of current and rising high school students. The conference will take place online Saturday, April 24, 2021 from 10:00-11:30 a.m. Parents can choose between five unique breakout sessions that address different strategies and learning opportunities for the upcoming school year.

“Everyone knows about all of the challenges students have faced during the pandemic, but what about the possibilities?” said Phil Janis, principal of FlexTech High School in Shepherd, Michigan. Janis will run a breakout session titled “The New Normal in K-12 Education,” which will contrast school pre and post COVID-19, focusing on the lessons learned and the positive shifts that are underway at his school.

Other sessions like “Promoting Positivity and Resilience,” hosted by Oakland FlexTech High School will provide research-based examples for parents looking to build and maintain positive relationships with their high schoolers. “We will show you how to meet students where they are and create safe spaces for them to connect at school and home,” shared Oakland FlexTech principal, Kim Olson.

In “Recovery, Resilience, and Rebuilding,” Jody Jones, the superintendent and principal of Arts and Technology Academy of Pontiac, will discuss how they were successful at responding to student’s social, emotional and academic needs.

“Students have been telling us that they need us to be patient with them as they adjust to learning in a post-pandemic world,” said Jones. “We will showcase some of the effective strategies we have used to engage students as well as some of the new programs we are putting in place to support them moving forward.”

Dan McMinn, principal of NexTech High School in Grand Rapids urged parents to attend this virtual conference: “Join to learn more about the advantages of true blended learning and how to maximize both the face-to-face and virtual parts of education.” NexTech High School has offered blended learning for almost a decade and will share the benefits of this school model.

FlexTech High School leaders from the Brighton location will discuss the benefits of project-based learning and how it can inspire creativity, deeper learning and critical thinking in young people. “Students have told us that they need the opportunity to make choices about their learning,” said principal Nick Wasmer. “Our session will explore how project-based learning can empower students to make real choices about their education.”

The conference will kick off with student testimony on their pandemic schooling experiences. Students from each of the five schools will share what they want most from high school right now. All five participating schools are managed by CS Partners, an educational service provider for charter schools. Follow this link to register: https://bit.ly/2P55QTP.