Within KHS, there are many ways to earn your diploma, and not all students take the same path.

One of these paths is called Edgenuity.

Although it is known as a catch-up route for students who are attending seventh hour, the Edgenuity program is growing and becoming a key part of many students’ educations.

As of the 2018-2019 school year, 11 percent of the student body is enrolled in Edgenuity for credit recovery or an alternative to general education.

Principal Brian Wiskur introduced the program during the 2015-2016 school year as a credit recovery program for students at least two and a half credits behind.  But today students who are not behind can also take these classes.

“There used to be qualifications where you had to be at least two and a half credits behind,” Wiskur said. “Now I will let any kid who wants to take an online course take one of those.”

Edgenuity has only been around for three years and is still growing in its impact on education at KHS.

The program gives students who are struggling academically or looking for an alternative education a way to stay in the high school setting.

This year alone, Edgenuity has seven classes during the school day, all taught by certified teachers.

Ms. Joan Gregar, social studies teacher, has been teaching Edgenuity since its arrival at Kearsley.

She feels the program is challenging, especially with reading, and teachers have to work around the issues.

“I think the program is really difficult,” Gregar said. “The reading is difficult. It’s a higher-level reading ability, and the teachers who teach it have to find a way around that.”

Ms. Jane Turton, English teacher, has taken on the task of teaching an online English course while still teaching general education.

“I like the students in here,” Turton said. “They have very rich personalities, and it’s a good way to start my morning.”

Some students find the program to have fewer advantages than general education and feel the program is more difficult.

Senior Devin Tingley is one of many students who find it more difficult to learn having to watch lectures online for each course.

“You don’t have a teacher actually teaching you,” Tingley said.

Tingley is correct in that the teacher doesn’t give a specific lesson to each student because their lessons are online.  However, a teacher is there to answer students’ questions and help them understand the material.

In addition, the teacher manages a classroom where students are taking different online classes. In one classroom, for example, there are five different classes students are studying.

Mrs. Corrine Walworth, counselor, finds the program can help tremendously, especially for students who have trouble making it to school.

“Edgenuity allows students to work at their own pace,” Walworth said. “There is also an opportunity to get caught up in credits by fast-tracking classes. Some students who struggle with attendance perform better in Edgenuity because they can pick up where they left off without losing any instruction.”