Every student is different. Some students get concepts with the snap of a finger, some do not. Some students are great at math but not at English, and vice versa. Some just have learning disabilities that make learning difficult. Some might need to provide for their family and can not go to a traditional school. Some students may struggle with the traditional 7-hour straight school day. Some students need an alternative way to learn. That is where The Academy can help.

The school offers two ways of learning; students can either attend online or participate in in-person classes. The principal, Greg Grostefon, is an administrator with experience in non-traditional learning (fun fact: he is also Mr. Grostefon’s brother). He used to be the superintendent of the Logansport State Hospital before he was offered this opportunity. As I inferred before, there are many reasons a student might attend a school like this. Some may have disciplinary issues. They may just not function well in a normal classroom. Some may have gotten jobs and need to provide for their families. This way, they can earn a high school diploma and make sure their family is taken care of. Some may have made some poor decisions and ended up becoming young parents who have to provide for their children. Some people might have chronic absences from school due to sickness or disciplinary issues that would benefit from this non-traditional learning structure.

The academy started out in 2005 with 40 students. It has had many buildings since its first opening. Its first building was at Franklin Elementary, and now it is hoping to settle at Fairview Elementary. In May of 2022, the school had grown to 117 students. Though the school is experiencing an issue with transportation, some students who opt for in-person classes need transportation to and from The Academy. Some students, personally, do not do well in purely online schools (I, for one, do way better in person than online). They need guidance with their schoolwork and to keep on task. This is why they need to offer in-person classes. This is also why this problem exists. Grostefon is currently working with the school system to help alleviate that issue.

The academy uses an online learning tool called Apex. The tool provides students with the standard public school curriculum online. It has a comprehensive list of courses for students to take. Every student is issued a computer to take their courses on. When they complete a course, they earn a high school credit. They can then earn their high school diploma like anyone else who is in a traditional school. Last year, 27 students earned their high school diplomas through The Academy. Even though some kids attend due to disciplinary issues, it is rarely an issue at The Academy. According to Logansport School Corporation Superintendent Michele Starkey, when students realize the staff is cheering for them, they get engaged in learning. This is a great service in our community that offers everyone equal learning opportunities.

https://www.lcsc.k12.in.us/o/academy/page/about

https://www.pharostribune.com/news/article_c7b05ac4-092a-11ed-ac3c-efd7d00726d4.html