Any program that provides a pathway to a high school diploma should be supported, and ELO's are included in that. ELO's are another tool in the belt of School Districts to encourage and support students towards a post-secondary career path, and it's important to use them when appropriate.

I think ELO's in general are a fantastic idea- broadening our children's exposure to real life skills outside of the normal classroom environment- or at least providing that opportunity I believe is important. This could take the form of volunteerism- working in a soup kitchen one morning a week, working a co-op job a few hours a week, assisting in an experiment . . .the list goes on. I think we need to be innovative, open minded, and flexible in our approach to thinking about these.

Opportunities for students to learn in new, different, real-world ways outside the traditional classroom setting should always be encouraged. Our society has changed so rapidly over the last 50 years, and much of education has not kept pace. Students in 2020 have myriad ways to experience and explore the world, but often school does not engage them in the things they are interested in or the modalities in which they learn. An excellent education in 2020 should be flexible, creative, outside-the-box, and explore many different ways that students can access and experience the same learning, but in new, innovative ways. Community service, online learning, apprenticeships, independent studies and the like can be employed to engage students who might otherwise struggle in a traditional school setting or can extend the experience of a student who excels in a classroom, but needs the challenge of applying knowledge in a real-world setting. I would like to see Merrimack greatly expand ELO's particularly at the high school level.

I see the positive impacts of ELO's first hand in my school district as our program is incredibly strong and vibrant. I've even had the opportunity to work with a number of students to accomplish their ELO goals. Some of the ELO's I've had the opportunity to guide students through have included; conducting an instrumental ensemble, composing and arranging a piece of music for a jazz ensemble as well as music production and recording. Working one on one with a motivated student in their area of focus has been such a thrill to literally watch their learning and passion activate in real time. The highlight has always been the capstone project at the end of the ELO experience to showcase what the students have learned. I've seen students build houses, intern with hospitals, create a clothing line, establish a jewelry company and so many more. I can't say enough positive things about ELO's.

Extended Learning Opportunities are a great method to encourage students to use alternative, hands on methods to obtain their needed credits. A 2-year study showed that students that participated in ELO's were more likely then students who did not participate in ELO's to accumulate credits to be on track for graduation. Additionally, 12th graders that participated in ELO's scored higher on the SAT and more likely to enroll in college than those that had not participated in ELO's. Other positives created by participating in ELO's includes increasing responsibility, the building of mentorship options, networking in the community, and increased preparedness for ventures post-graduation. https://reachinghighernh.org/elo/

With the current process at MHS, the student is required to initiate and plan out the steps they will take in order to achieve the required competencies which not only helps the students potentially learn or improve a skill, but also how to take initiate to determine and strive to attain personal goals.

ELOs are a fabulous way for students to creatively learn and advance their education. ELOs should be annually evaluated, revised, and expanded to reach more students so they can become well-rounded citizens and life-long learners.

I think this fits very well with the above. We should be giving our students every opportunity to succeed after they leave the district, no matter what path they decide to take.

I believe that ELO's such as internships and apprenticeships could be a great option for students in addition to other career readiness options. Allowing independent studies and online learning helps students obtain as much knowledge as possible prior to going to college or other vocational training after high school. Dual enrollment options can also be greatly beneficial and allow for students to potentially save money on college credits. Merrimack offers many options currently and we need to ensure they remain and evaluate if other options could be beneficial.

Extended learning opportunities break down the walls of the school and make the world the classroom. There are incredible chances to allow students to gain credit through real-life experiences. i.e., community service, internships, competency-based learning, travel and work skills. Also, these opportunities boost academic achievement and build leadership skills. This makes students more likely to be college-ready.

I am supportive of any valuable learning opportunity that provides students with the opportunity to explore and prepare for career readiness. Earning academic credits for real world learning should be encouraged as long as the activity meets standards for student goals, competencies and activities. ELOs can be a great learning option for those who want more challenge and for those who thrive outside of the traditional classroom setting. They should be considered and included as creative and innovative ways to support our students in developing a full educational experience.

ELOs are another tool and method for students to gain experience working on their studies/education. I believe if a student feels passionately about a certain subject/topic, and they wish to explore it more than what they could in a classroom, they should be afforded the opportunity to do so, as long as it meets the criteria outlined in the MSD policy.