‘State of Options’ Update

by | Jul 19, 2023 | Noblesville Principal, President of Options Schools, The Options Experience, Westfield Principal

‘State of Options’ Update

As the page turns from the 2022-23, to the 2023-24 school year, there is a lot to recognize, whether it be things to celebrate from last school year, or important things to know about heading into a new school year.

The high-performing level of Options Schools students in the 2022-23 school year resulted in an Options-record 156 high school graduates for one school year. Graduates represented a number of Options programs, including Noblesville, Westfield, Options with ABA and Options Indiana.

CAREER PATHWAYS & DUAL CREDIT
Options Schools students have the chance to pursue dual credit course opportunities that provide students with the ability to earn college or trade credit, while simultaneously earning their high school diploma from Options. Options Schools offers a variety of 28 college & career pathways – within those pathways, 111 pathway courses are available to students, along with 80 Ivy Tech dual credits and 29 certifications. For information on all programs and offerings, visit OptionsSchools.org/dualcredit.

* View answers to Frequently Asked Questions with Advanced Learning Specialist Rob Stewart *

Options Schools Career Pathways for the 2023-24 school year (listed below):

  • Options In-House
  • Options KLR Medical Certification (Virtual)
  • Ivy Tech (Noblesville campus)
  • Lionfish Cyber Security (Virtual)
  • Conner Prairie (Fishers)
  • J Everett Light Career Center (Indianapolis campus)
  • ABC Construction

What advanced credit programs are available to select from? (Iisted below)

** 2023-24 SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR **

NEW PROGRAMS
With Options Schools serving students in all 92 counties in the state of Indiana, Options will continue working to serve students across the state and will be adding a pair of new programs that will debut in the 2023-24 school year.

  • Options with ABA Muncie (Grades 6-12)
  • Simon Youth Academy at Options Edinburgh (Grades 11-12)

LEGISLATIVE SESSION
This year, the State Legislature passed several education-related bills as well as the State’s biennium budget that affected Options Schools. Several of the highlights were the increase in Charter School program funding from $1,250 to $1,400 per student, access to the Indiana Common School loan fund and the Indiana Bond Bank, and the ability to apply for funding through the new CSP Grant Capital fund.

Options Schools also received wonderful support from several Senators and House Representatives, most importantly, Sen. Linda Rogers and Rep. Chuck Goodrich who championed our efforts on several bills.

PROJECT LEAD THE WAY, VIRTUAL REALITY & MORE!
Project Lead The Way believes all students need access to real-world, applied learning experiences that empower them to gain the skills they need to thrive in college, career, and beyond. Through PLTW programs, students develop in-demand, transportable skills – such as problem solving, critical and creative thinking, collaboration, and communication – that they will use both in school and for the rest of their lives, on any career path they take.

2023-24 will be the debut year for Project Lead The Way at Options Schools. The program will serve Westfield and Noblesville students during the upcoming school year. Options will also be adding a Cybersecurity class to the curriculum, as part of a three-year year grant that allows our teachers to be trained in the curriculum. It also allows for great hands-on experience to prepare for life after high school whether it is college or entering the workforce.

Something exciting coming to both the Noblesville & Westfield campuses is the use of virtual reality in our science classrooms. Separate from Project Lead The Way, this virtual addition will provide each campus with a set of virtual reality (VR) headsets. The technology can be used for other subjects as well, such as virtual field trips to a location of historical significance, the continent of Africa during World Geography, 3D visual math labs to better see geometric shapes, how to measure the human bone structure during health, and much more! Another main purpose for the technology is to allow biology students to be able to have dissection labs that are hands-on in a safe environment and do not require real animals.

ROLE CHANGES FOR OPTIONS TEAM MEMBERS

  • Jake Brandau named Vice President, was previously Chief Financial Officer
  • Steve Bowers named Principal for Options Westfield, was previously Interim Principal & long-time Options Westfield teacher
  • Jack Colwell named Chief Financial Officer, was previously Treasurer
  • Jeff Cramer named Technology Specialist for the district, was previously an Instructional Assistant for Options with ABA Fishers
  • Sarah Danks named Assistant Director of ABA for Options with ABA Kokomo, was previously an ASD Specialist for Options with ABA
  • Michael Dunagan named Director of Schools, was previously Principal for Options Westfield
  • Cierra Golder named Assistant Director of ABA for Options with ABA Fishers, was previously a Teacher at Options with ABA Fishers
  • Lori Lynch named Enrollment Specialist, was previously an Administrative Assistant at Options Noblesville
  • Matt Peterson named Assistant Director of Special Education, was previously a Special Education Teacher at Options Noblesville
  • Linda Vick named Teacher for Options with ABA Fishers, was previously an Instructional Assistant for the program
  • Thomas Yazell named Business Teacher for Options Indiana, was previously Business Teacher for Options Noblesville

ABOUT OPTIONS SCHOOLS
Founded in 2002, Options Schools are free, public charter schools serving grade 6-12 students in all 92 counties in the state of Indiana. With a high-quality, individualized approach to education, Options Schools specializes in providing students with an inclusive environment, unparalleled support, and a student-to-teacher ratio of 15-to-1. With brick-and-mortar campuses in Noblesville and Westfield, Options also offers additional programs in virtual, hybrid and in-person formats.

 

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