PORT ANGELES — Vicki Helwick knows from experience that a traditional classroom isn’t always the right fit for every student.
Helwick, a teacher at Port Angeles School District’s Seaview Academy, spoke to Kiwanis members Thursday at Jazzy Joshua’s about the district’s online K-12 program — how it started, who it serves and why it has become an increasingly popular option for students seeking a learning experience that better fits their needs.
Seaview launched in fall 2019 after district leaders identified a need for an alternative middle school option, Helwick said.
The program was designed to start small, with seventh and eighth grades, and gradually expand.
Six months later, COVID-19 hit, forcing schools statewide into remote learning and rapidly reshaping Seaview’s role and enrollment.
“We had hoped to have 35 students by the end of the 2019-2020 school year,” said Helwick, who also serves as an administrator.
“We had 900 enrolled at Seaview by the end of the year.”
When schools began reopening in spring 2021, enrollment dropped, but it has steadily rebounded.
Seaview now serves about 375 students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
As an ALE — an alternative learning experience — Seaview delivers instruction outside a traditional classroom schedule while complying with state public education requirements.
Courses follow district-approved curriculum, and credits carry the same weight toward a standard diploma.
“There is no difference between English 10 at the high school and English 10 at Seaview,” Helwick said. “They’re meeting the same state requirements and earning the same credits.”
The program is staffed by seven full-time and four part-time teachers, all of whom are district employees.
A key feature of Seaview, Helwick said, is that each student is assigned a mentor-teacher — a role more like a case manager than a traditional classroom instructor. Mentor-teachers monitor student progress, communicate regularly with students and families and help ensure high schoolers stay on track to meet graduation requirements.
Coursework is delivered through an online learning platform for grades four through 12 and uses a separate platform for kindergarten through third grade that includes both digital content and physical workbooks.
For younger students, Seaview uses a “learning coach” model in which a parent, grandparent or other adult supports daily instruction, particularly for early reading and foundational skills.
There are many reasons students enroll in Seaview, she said. They include the need for flexible scheduling, a safer setting for those who experience bullying or sensory overload, disciplinary challenges and health concerns. Among its students are those receiving treatment at Seattle Children’s Hospital, who are required to be isolated.
Seaview also can be especially helpful for students in foster care or experiencing homelessness, providing continuity when placements or living situations suddenly change.
The program also serves “super seniors” — students who didn’t graduate with the rest of their class — by helping them earn the credits they need to receive a diploma.
Some students attend Seaview full time, while others combine online coursework with in-person classes at Port Angeles High School. Seaview students can attend district events such as job fairs and participate in music programs, sports and other extracurricular activities.
The program became a multi-district option about four years ago, Helwick said, attracting students from 39 school districts and places like Moses Lake, Everett, Spokane and Vancouver.
Out-of-district enrollment now accounts for nearly half of Seaview’s student body.
Helwick said Seaview’s growth also has benefited the district financially, as state education funding follows students who transfer from other districts to the Port Angeles School District.
Looking ahead, Helwick said the program aims to expand and better align its courses with district offerings, with a long-term goal of developing a learning management system tailored specifically to Seaview and the district.
In the near term, staffing remains a primary challenge. Under the district’s contract, teachers are capped at 45 students each, limiting expansion even as Seaview expects enrollment to reach about 500 students by the end of the year.
While students learn remotely, Seaview has worked to preserve traditional school rites of passage. That included its first in-person graduation ceremony last year at Field Arts & Events Hall.
“It was incredibly moving,” Helwick said. “Seeing students who don’t share a physical classroom come together and celebrate that milestone was something really special.”
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Reporter Paula Hunt can be reached by email at paula.hunt@peninsuladailynews.com.
