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12 – June 9, 2016, Frazee-Vergas Forum

“Who has been the biggest influence on your life? What lessons did that person teach you?” (To join our Q&A please join the Frazee Vergas Facebook page)

Taylor Tappe, Frazee, “I've had a lot of positive influences in my life. My little brother has always influenced me to be the best big sister and person I can be because I knew he was always watching. Recently, however, just by having the opportunity to watch him grow and change, I have learned that life really does throw curve balls your way, but whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.”

Jona Killian Flatts, South Jordan, Utah, “His name is Judd

Laura Anderson, Anchorage, Alaska, “My mom Vivian

Eskildsen. When I graduated I had no idea what to do with my life. Working under him and becoming his friend has made my life. He makes me a better person, makes me chase my dreams and encourages me to be a better person every day.”

Anderson. She's taught me so much just in the last 8 months. But most importantly, she's taught me to love and accept others, and myself, for who we are and not what we are. And to remember that nobody gets it right the first time. If you fail and learn from it, it's not really a failure it's a lesson learned.”

Bridget Lundgren, Fargo,

Bryce Moen, Frazee,

Ame Reiling, Omaha, Neb.,

“I would have to say my

“I would say my parents Little brother Lucas R. Dick and Jan Riewer. Lundgren. He has shown me They taught me (and my if you push yourself to your 12 brothers & sisters) the goals you can do anything. importance of religion, a I’m like 9 yrs older than him great work ethic, indebut he’s been like my hero I pendence, responsibility guess. He is in the Army and and love which has has had a lot of things haprewarded me in many pen to him when he was in ways and something I Iraq. My dad has also been have passed on to my my hero too because I have children.” always looked up to him but Luke has always been someone I look up too.”

“My father. He taught me to do your best, love your family; and in his last days, I learned to never take anything for granted.”

Online school provides rural Frazee family with opportunities • Barbie Porter Jamie and Mike Johnson wanted to challenge their children academically and provide them with individual instruction. The avenue they found was online schooling. The parents of four children researched online schools thoroughly before settling on Fergus Falls. “When they graduate they will receive diplomas from Fergus Falls,” Jamie said. “They also go there to take the MCA testing each spring.” Online schooling is not the same as homeschooling. Those taking online courses must use the same curriculum as public schools, all of which is provided to the student free of charge, including shipping. Jamie has two elementary students at home, 9-year-old Parker, who is in third grade, and 11-yearold Claire, who is in fifth grade. Jamie explained she gets school materials and organizes the assignments each week for her younger kids. Elementary students learn through computer lessons, books and worksheets. They also meet weekly with their teacher online. “Just like in public school they learn all the subjects,” Jamie said, noting that includes gym. She explained the kids have an activity requirement and the parents sign off on the list that is turned into the teacher. In addition to the regular classes, online students have the option of taking on more. For example, fifth graders can take Spanish with virtual teachers. The family also has two teenages in the household. Carter is 14 and in eighth grade and Reed, 16, is a sophomore. Reed explained online high school requires discipline and a willingness to do independent study, but there is a classroom component. “We go to class for one hour for each class every week,” he explained. “I like the fact that one

Barbie Porter

Jamie and Mike Johnson allow their children (from left) Carter, Claire, Reed and Parker to attend school online.

day I will have science and then the entire day I can focus on science and the next day I can work on English.” “You have to have a drive to graduate; it’s not easy,” Reed added. Helping the kids stay focused is their mom Jamie. She requires each of them to be prepared for their daily lessons by 8 a.m. and is a stickler for keeping them on task. “I joke that I am in class before my friends who go to public school have to be,” Reed said. Online students are given the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities in the district where they reside. Reed took advantage of that option and joined the Frazee High School’s FFA team, where he earned a state competition invite. “We can also play sports or go to the dances in the district we live in,”

Reed said, noting that is a nice option to ensure he doesn’t miss out on typical student events. When it comes to friends, all the Johnson children seemed to agree starting in public school gave them

the gift of peers. Even though they are now learning online from home, they all said they keep in contact with friends from when they attended public school. “I never feel out of the loop,”

Reed said, noting there are opportunities for students to talk before or during the online class, as well as get-togethers for online students. Another aspect the Johnson kids agreed upon was how much they appreciate not being seated for eight hours of the day. Carter said he likes how he has the option to work for a few hours and then get up and move around before delving back into his studies. Reed agreed, noting an hour break helps him refocus. As for the parents, Mike said he appreciates the option his children have to work ahead on assignments. For example, his youngest boy Parker often learns what day his father has off from work and makes sure to have that day’s assignments completed so he can spend that day with his dad instead of hitting the books. Jamie noted there are deadlines. Each week’s assignments need to be turned in by Saturday at 10 p.m. Meeting deadlines plays a part in their grade, just like it does for those attending public schools. The elementary students have an opportunity to take a test three times in order to meet the required 80 percent pass, whereas high school students get the typical letter grade for the work they submit. Reed added some think home-

work and tests online would be easier, as many presume one could look up the answers. “You can’t,” he said. “That’s not how it works.” Also there are more written papers required from online students, which pushes the students to delve deep into subjects and learn the material so they can explain it in an essay. Reed added the teachers are very helpful for the online students and set aside time if extra help is needed. The online school also has a counselor that helped him prepare his resume and submit his application to become a full-time college student, while in high school. He is set to attend Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Wadena his junior and senior year with the goal of graduating from high school and college as an electrical technician. Perhaps the most notable difference for the Johnson family going from public to online school was unexpected. Jamie shared the opportunity to learn together and have time for more family activities have tightened the bond of her crew. Online school does come with one downside - there are not many snow days. “Our snow days are if the online system crashes, and that happens maybe once a year and is usually up in a few hours,” Reed said.

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