Vermilion Country School open house on Aug. 29

TOWER- Vermilion Country School, a grades 7–12 public charter school in Tower, will host a back-to-school open house on Thursday, Aug. 29 from 5:30 – 7 p.m.
Families of current and prospective students, as well as community members, are invited to stop by to see the school facility, remodeled last year, as well as meet the teachers and school support staff.
In addition to the well-established in-school project-based learning program available to most students at VCS, the school will be offering a new blended-learning program with a flexible schedule for students who would benefit from a non-traditional approach. Under the new optional program, teachers will meet students at local sites like libraries and community centers to provide tutoring and small group teaching for students on alternate schedules. The “personalized program” will offer tutoring and access to learning for students outside of the regular school building. Students have the option to complete schoolwork from home part time or full time, but also meet regularly with a teacher either one-on-one or in small groups, as well as having weekly group activities and field trips. This allows students who may have part-time or full-time employment, or family care responsibilities, to continue to earn their credits toward graduation.
 “We will be working with students and families to build an individual path towards graduation and adult life skills,” said Sam O’Brien, school director. The personalized school program is designed to provide the academic support a student needs to complete their high school education, along with career readiness, and opportunities to connect with friends. The program will also allow students to earn school credit for out-of-school learning that aligns with their interests and draws on their strengths. Students will work with their teacher to set individual goals, and they will have a flexible schedule that allows students to work while a full-time high school student.
 “We can design a schedule that fits a student’s job, family, and other life needs,” said teacher Amy Hendrickson. “This program is perfect for students who want a flexible schedule, who have difficulty concentrating when in a typical school setting around peers, or who might want to work ahead in their credits.”
While this program will have students working online on lessons developed by school teachers, or on teacher-directed academic work, it is designed for students who reside within a 40-mile radius of the school, plus the Nett Lake community. This is not a traditional “virtual school” program, O’Brien said. Teacher support, in-person, is key. 
Teachers will visit students in public meeting places closer to the student’s home, like public libraries or community buildings, near where they live. School transportation can also bring students to the school in Tower for optional classroom in-person support. The goals of this program are to build academic progress, create life skills, prepare students for post-secondary enrollment options or introduce them to a career path in the trades.
Teachers at VCS have been working with educational consultants at the Modern Classroom Project this summer to develop curriculum that will work for both in-school and blended-school students. Both in-person classroom students and blended-learning students will access short lessons recorded for viewing by Vermilion Country teachers. This personalized approach to having access to the teacher lessons allows the teacher to tutor and coach students as they understand each lesson, and allows the student to watch a lesson more than once if needed to understand. 
 All students who are part of the VCS community will also continue to focus on the environmental education and projects that are a key element of the learning program. Traditional students will have an increased focus on project-based, hands-on learning, along with numerous field trips, cultural experiences, and community service.
The school will be providing additional support for students who qualify for special education services, with three full-time special education teachers on staff this year, along with a school social worker and other support staff. The school will also be continuing a program started last year, that provides real-world work experience and training, with pay, for students, both during the school year and in the summer.
 The school is also working with the community to use the personalized approach to build an academic program with a focus on Anishinaabe language and culture, which will include beginning Anishinaabe language instruction for high school credit, cultural projects and field trips, collaboration with other agencies such as the 1854 Treaty Authority, and participation in activities with the Bois Forte Cultural Healing program. This program will allow students to have the time and flexibility to work with their community, their elders, and to study topics that align with their culture. All of the programs will provide the academic credits students need to progress toward graduation, while focusing on Anishinaabe language and culture as the foundation of study for the student. 
For more information on these new programs, call the school at 218-248-2485, or email info@vermilioncountry.org. For specific information on enrolling in the Anishinaabe program, contact Adrienne Whiteman at 218-248-2939 or adrienne@vermilioncountry.org.
School starts on Tuesday, Sept. 3.