POWAY - While most kindergarten through 12th grade students are back in the classroom after the pandemic disrupted traditional classroom instruction, some students are still enrolled in online learning academies.
Poway Unified is just one of a handful of districts in the county continuing to offer online or remote learning opportunities. Joe Gizzo is one of the 12 teachers in the district who helped build Connect Academy based out of Park Village Elementary School where the instruction focuses more on the individual student.
"We build community, we build relationships," Gizzo told reporting partner 10 News. "And if we can see the students' interests and passions and we can guide our teaching towards them, it brings them in."
Gizzo also said it's an innovative and more creative way to teach.
But students aren't just sitting behind the screen five days a week. They can actually come on campus and do hands-on projects like helping out with the campus community garden.
"More and more families are wanting a flexible experience, and really, the future of education looks hybrid," said Jill Halsey, Director of Connect Academy and Poway Home Education.
About 200 Poway students are enrolled in Connect Academy. While districts are no longer required by the state to offer remote learning, the San Diego Unified, Sweetwater and San Dieguito still offer an online option.
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