How It Works
Students enrolling in Holston Academy can expect an educational experience where they are placed at the center of their academic journey, supported by an Academic Coach and teachers who are subject matter experts.
Our Approach
We believe personalized learning means meeting each student where they are, recognizing their unique strengths, opportunities, and learning preferences. This involves tailoring educational experiences to align with each student’s individual pace of progress, encouraging students to develop mentor-mentee relationships with their Academic Coach and teachers, and empowering students to take ownership of their education, fostering a more engaging and effective learning process.
New Student Onboarding
Once enrolled, students will meet their Education Team, take academic assessments, and work with their Academic Coach to build their Personalized Learning Plan.
Student Assessments
Students complete assessments that shape the personalization they receive from their Education Team, and help in the development of their Personalized Learning plan.
- An Academic Plan developed from your student’s previous school’s transcripts
- NWEA MAP Assessment results that are used to measure a student’s academic growth over time in math and reading
- MindPrint Assessment results which uses objective cognitive data to identify a student’s strengths and provide strategies personalized to the student’s learning needs
- An Interest Inventory
- A Future Goals Questionnaire
Academic Coach Support
Students are paired with an Academic Coach, who they meet in their first days of enrollment. The relationship begins with a review of the student’s Personalized Learning Plan, and the student and coach will continue to meet regularly following that first meeting. Our Academic Coaches use the strategies provided in the student’s MindPrint assessment to offer insights into effective time management, goal setting, and problem-solving. Coaches are trained in the science of learning and offered continuing education through MindPrint.
Teacher Interaction
Our teachers meet with students individually to highlight student successes, lend assistance in overcoming challenges, and provide instructional support. These meetings may be quick check-ins or longer, more intensive instructional sessions. While not all students have the desire or availability to meet with their teacher in a live session each week, they can expect communication from their teachers via text messaging, email, and phone calls.
Mastery-Based Learning
In a traditional school, students work at the collective pace of the group, which means some students are left behind and others are ready to move ahead sooner. Since our online courses are self-paced, students can work ahead if they have a strong understanding of the material or repeat a lesson until they have mastered the concepts. Our teachers go beyond simply grading student work to provide insightful feedback, guiding students toward self-improvement and mastery of concepts.
Time Management and Parent Involvement
Our students benefit greatly from the flexibility Holston Academy provides. Some students may prefer block scheduling, while others may want to cover all subjects each day. Students work with their Academic Coaches and parents to plan a weekly and daily schedule that will help them be the most successful. Parents have the ability to check student progress in the Holston Learning Management System (LMS) and should engage their students in dialogue about their coursework on a regular basis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our school is a vibrant community of families who value the flexibility of participating in an academic program that is personalized to meet the needs of individual students. Upon enrollment, each student is assigned an Academic Coach who works with the student and family to create a Personalized Learning Plan, which includes courses and a schedule for students to complete coursework at their own pace. Academic Coaches meet with their students regularly to review progress, teach study skills, and provide academic counseling. Subject matter teachers guide students through the courses, providing grading, personalized feedback, and support along the way. Tutors are available to help support students on a scheduled or on-demand basis at an additional cost. Students are required to maintain continuous progress on a weekly basis, although they may skip weeks from time to time by arrangement with their Academic Coach. Holston Academy is a mastery-based program. Students receive credit for demonstrating that they know the material required. They may test out of units they have already mastered or slow down to spend more time on new or difficult material.
No, we do not offer live classes. Holston Academy’s courses are asynchronous, meaning students are able to work independently through their coursework at a time and pace that works best for them. Teachers are available for additional support at a time arranged by the student and teacher.
Holston Academy students have access to one-on-one individualized instructional sessions with teachers, basic tutoring (for a fee), screen readers in multiple languages, built in interactive tools and scaffolding, audiobooks, and other learning support tools.
We encourage parents to be actively engaged in their student’s education. Engagement may take the form of reviewing student progress in the Learning Management System, attending meetings with their Academic Coach or teachers, or helping students with scheduling and time management.