It’s second period at Notus Junior/Senior High School, and students in Trish Shelden’s room are learning everything from psychology to digital photography.
Eighteen students sit at computers, and one bounces nearby on a small platform, taking PE via Wii.
Similar scenes take place all day every day, as most of Notus’ 113 high school students spend one of their daily class periods taking an online course under Shelden’s watchful eye.
With a slate of around 130 such courses available from the Idaho Digital Learning Academy, students can take electives little Notus can’t offer, make up for a class they failed or get a coveted course at a time that works for them.
“This gives my kids the same opportunities as students at Eagle High School or Boise High School,” said Notus School District Superintendent Benjamin Merrill, who also serves as principal and football coach for Notus Junior/Senior High. “We’ve been able to leverage our resources and level the playing field.
“The cost of living in a rural part of Idaho can be that you don’t always have the opportunity to show your strengths,” Merrill said. “This changes that.”
Read the complete story at idahostatesman.com
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