For families interested in homeschool education but intimidated by all that is involved in the process, hybrid education may be the answer.
Many families in Collier County and surrounding areas choose some form of homeschool education for a variety of reasons: athletic or performing arts schedule demands, religious or political convictions, or the desire to provide educational options tailor-made for their children’s interests, passions, and abilities. For those parents looking for some guidance and structure, there are several hybrid programs available locally.
What is hybrid education?
Hybrid education exists in a variety of forms. From formal, traditional classroom time to homeschool learning, hybrid education provides parents with a greater level of structure to guide their homeschooling. Typically, students spend a portion of the week in a classroom setting, which often provides content and activities to direct the homeschool portion of learning. Each program available in Collier County offers a different ratio of classroom to homeschool time, which provides parents the opportunity to find a pro-gram that works best for their family.
Why hybrid?
“Hybrid education benefits students whose talents and pas-sions hold equal weight to an education,” said Pamalea Baker, director of Progressive Pathways Academy in Naples. “It works well for competitive athletes as well as those students pursuing artistic talents. Students can travel down a parallel journey with a flexible schedule and flexible workload.”
Increased parental involvement also draws families to hybrid education, according to Darlene Thiele, director of SPARK Hybrid Education Center in Naples. “Students are surrounded by other motivated students, which inspires them to put more effort into their work. And parents feel more connected to their child because of the closeness of a smaller educational environment where they can get to know the teacher, other students, and families.”
At SPARK, students do not have phones or iPads in the classroom, and they have breaks outside every hour for physical exercise. “Parents feel their children are in a safe, positive, and engaging environment, and kids get to be kids. When you reduce the fear of bullying, violence, drugs, negative social media, and peer pressure, students’ minds are freed up to learn,” Thiele explained.
Danielle Black’s daughter, Lyla, currently attends SPARK Hybrid Education Center in Naples. Lyla drove the decision, in spite of her mother’s apprehensions. “She began her campaign for home education in the fall of 2017,” Black said. “I thought, ‘No way. Not me. I cannot teach – especially my own child.’ To say she was relentless would be an understatement. Her reasons were valid enough. If she was finished with an assignment, she asked me, why couldn’t she simply move on? If she wasn’t finished, why did she have to put it away for later?”
During the holiday break in 2018, Danielle decided to pull Lyla from school and begin their home education journey. “The good news is, if someone is looking to embark on a home educa-tion program, there are a ton of options,” Black said. “I wanted Lyla to go to a classroom for her core subjects and then be able to fill in the blanks at home, complete homework, and participate in extracurriculars. I wanted material based on her abilities, not necessarily her grade level.”
Ultimately, the Black family decided to partner with the SPARK Hybrid Education center. “The material is interesting, the kids brainstorm together, and they are free to express themselves through presentation, poetry, art, and writing, all while in a safe, respectful, and encouraging environment,” Black noted.
Local resources
Many options exist for families in Southwest Florida searching for hybrid educational programs, which vary in terms of classroom-to-homeschool time ratio, along with age and grade levels.
The Village School
The Village School of Naples is an independent school for prekindergarten through grade 12, and offers a homeschool ex-tension program for middle and high school students in grades 6-12. Students may take core or elective classes, participate in The Village School’s athletics and performing arts programs, and en-gage in student life opportunities. Interested families may contact Cameron Steese, director of enrollment management. Visit www. villageschoolnaples.org.
SPARK Hybrid Education Center
At SPARK (Students Pursuing Advanced Reasoning and Knowledge), students attend classes three days a week. The school was launched in 2015 in Naples when Darlene Thiele was ap-proached by a group of homeschooling parents to provided classes for children she had tutored individually. “They found as their chil-dren got closer to middle school grades, subjects were getting harder to teach, and their children needed more group discussion,” she explained. SPARK offers the core subjects of language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies, and welcomes all students. “There were several homeschool groups providing Christian education, but these parent were not looking for religion to be incorporated into the classes,” Thiele said. “Therefore, SPARK is open to all families, whether they practice a particular faith or not, because it is not a requirement for registration or part of our curriculum.” Visit www. sparkofswfl.com.
Progressive Pathways Academy
Progressive Pathways Academy in Naples provides an environment where the students help shape their educational journey. “Students choose their path in education; they have a choice in what topics they study, how they want to study the information, and how they want to present what they learned,” explained Pamalea Baker, Progressive Pathways’ director. “Our students take learning seriously, and they are responsible for their path and progress. Because of this, they become intrinsic learners: students who love learning and want to know more because they have a choice. Learning outcomes are assessed by both student and teacher.”
The responsibility is on the student. “Teachers are the ‘guide on the side,’ facilitating the learning process when needed,” Baker said. “Teachers work closely with the students to make sure students are transferring skills and strategies across subject areas. We practice goal setting, progress monitoring, and self-reflection.” Progressive Pathways also offers full time instruction with a flexible schedule. Visit www.progressivepathways.net.
Be The Change Hybrid Academy
Emily Johnson runs Be The Change Hybrid Academy (BTC), which opened in Bonita Springs in January and provides both classroom and online courses. “BTC Academy was founded to create a place for families to supplement their homeschool curriculum. We connect our brick and mortar programs to online programs. This allows children to physically be present in the academy, or they can be at home using our online platform to supplement their home-school curriculum.”
BTC focuses on connecting local students with students from all over the United States. Students connect with their peers and find support for subject areas that may be challenging for parents to teach at home, Johnson noted. Visit www.thebtcacademy.com.
First Baptist Academy Home School Extension
First Baptist Academy’s (FBA) Home School Extension program in Naples is designed for homeschool families seeking support in a Christ-centered environment. “Partnering with families, we offer a Home School Extension program (HSE) to help meet the spiritual, social, and educational needs of families who are dedicated to the full-time and rewarding task of educating their children primarily at home,” said Lindsey Touchette, First Baptist’s director of admission and development. Founded in 2008, the HSE offers classes for students in grades K-12. FBA also allows students participating in the HSE the opportunity to participate in athletics. Visit fbalions.org.
Grace Classical Academy
Grace Classical Academy is a full-time private school in Bonita Springs that offers a hybrid option. “GCA is a classical Christian school educating students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade,” said Emily Loveall, director of admission. “Our classical method of teaching provides an age appropriate education while exposing students to history, science, and classic literature.”
Students in the hybrid program attend school three days a week and complete the same lessons as the students who are in the classroom full time. “Hybrid parents get to be hands on with their child’s education,” Loveall explained. “Our hybrid program is perfect for families interested in homeschooling but who don’t want the extra work-load of lesson planning and grading papers.” Visit wearegca.com.
Classical Conversations
Jami Coakley oversees the local chapter of Classical Conversations, a national homeschool curriculum. “Our families and students meet one day a week for instruction, and the other four days, our families complete work at home,” Coakley said. She explained that parents often find Classical Conversations while exploring classical educational options, and “many fall in love with our program because of the community of support and encouragement available to homeschool families.” Visit www. classicalconversations.com.