The document discusses whether Stillwater should offer hybrid courses. Hybrid courses are a combination of online and in-person classes that allow more independent study. This could let students leave school early or take extra classes. The Stillwater School Board will decide. Pros include more opportunities to learn. Cons include costs and less teacher interaction. Students and other schools support hybrid courses. Alternatives discussed are structured class schedules and zero/seventh hour classes. The team proposes a zero/seventh hour option and an action plan to present to the school board.

1. Should Stillwater offer
Hybrid Courses?
Lindsey Burger, Alyse Finley, Alli Wilmes, Kayla
Wilson

2. Hybrid Courses
-Definition
○ a combined online/seminar class that lets
students be more independent with their
studies
-These courses could allow a student to leave school
early, arrive late, take an independent study hour or
take another elective class
-The Stillwater School Board will be the government
group who finalizes the answer to our question

3. Pros Cons
● More opportunities ● Costs money to pay
to learn about a teachers to teach the
variety of areas class and oversee the
● Prepares you better building during the
for college, where on-campus class time.
hybrid classes are ● Students will not
more common. develop the same
● All of class relationship with
discussions are their teachers as they
documented on do in a regular class
internet chats. setting

4. What Stillwater Students Think...

5. Minnesota Examples
Mounds View/Irondale University of Minnesota
Course Layout
● The U has seen double digit
● 60%-80% online
increases in students
● 20%-40% seminar
taking hybrid courses
○ held once a week
○ at Irondale or Mounds ● Not all students have to be
View on campus during the
Times offered school day. This would be
● Zero or 7th hour - a plus for Stillwater since
before/after school our high school is nearing
● 1st or 6th - during school capacity.

6. Alternatives
Ways to address this issue

7. Structured Class
Sample Schedule
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Seminar Online Seminar Online Seminar
This Alternative keeps Stillwater Area High School's current
schedule but integrates the independent portion two or three
days a week
(This schedule is similar to our AP Government and AP US History schedule currently)
Pros Cons
● Allows students to take ● Students may be
multiple hybrids during overwhelmed with too
one hour so they are not much work or working
at school for a longer alone.
period of time.

8. Zero or Seventh Hour
○ Classes given beginning at 7 o'clock AM or at 2:40 PM
○ Allows students to take another elective offered by
SAHS during the regular school day or allow students to
take independent hour, where they are allowed to leave
campus
○ It allows students to further challenge themselves and
try out new classes outside their comfort zone, if they
choose.
Pros Cons
● Allows students to sleep ● Costs a lot of money to
in if they decide not to hire teachers for extra
fill their empty hour or hours.
leave school early if they ● Students often have
take a zero hour. activities after school.

9. Do not offer hybrid classes
○ Keep Stillwater's schedule and lesson plans
○ Just keep integrating more technology into
the present day classes offered at SAHS
○ Instead of spending money
to change students schedule
use the money to educate
teachers on technology usage
in the classroom

10. Class Policy - Zero or Seventh Hour
Proposed Schedule
● We believe that having an Zero Hour
(Optional)
7:00-7:50
option for a zero or seventh First Hour 8:00-8:53
hour would allow students to
take more electives if they Second Hour 8:59-9:52
choose.
Third Hour 9:58-10:51
● Many students who stay in
music and a foreign language Fourth Hour 10:57-11:50
do not have any room in their
schedules to take extra Fifth Hour 11:56-1:31
electives
● Also, students will have more Sixth Hour 1:37-2:30
space to explore career
opportunities Seventh Hour
(Optional)
2:40-3:30

11. How our issue relates to the
Constitution...
Our issue relates to the Constitution because it
deals with public education. The Constitution
directly states that each state is required to
provide a school system where every child may
receive an education.
Our issue is directly related to our public school
system, so that is how it relates to the
Constitution.

12. Action Plan
1. Gain student and parental support
2. Receive support from administration and staff
3. Write up proposed course outline
4. Find possible funding options
5. Present to school board
6. Gain school board consent
7. Initiate policy in Stillwater Area High School

13. Compromises
● Students need to keep an average GPA of 3.0
or higher to be able to take hybrid courses
● Teacher teaches four regular school day
classes and and one hybrid course, so it takes
out the factor of hiring more teachers or
paying teachers more
● Students have to pay an additional fee to
take class that will cover materials
● Only core class allowed as hybrid
courses to prevent class size jumps

14. Team up with...
Parents/Students
- Describe how there will be more
opportunities for career exploration and
electives
Tech Support - Jeff Brazee and Heather Wells

15. What we learned...
● To get a public policy implemented you need
a very organized plan
● Need support from many people
● Need to be well informed on your issue