None of our programs will work if you need school to function as full time childcare. Our counselors and families can share ways that they juggle things to get around this problem. Many families find that their kids are supported so much better that the sacrifice is worth it long term. Other use Cascade as a temporary school that they can escape to mid-year and then end up eventually moving back to a different public or private school once their kids have gotten back their love of learning.
Our 6-12 program is not recommended for kids who need their learning to have social aspects. It is great for a focused student that can handle the responsibility of asynchronous online classes. Some students feel safer not being in SPS buildings. Students choose Cascade 6-12 Virtual Option because they can do their classes on demand, which means they can keep some of their time available to babysit younger siblings, work, pursue athletics, handle health issues, or supplemental academic or recreational activities.
Our K-5 program can be challenging for kids who need a lot of social time with peers. They are in a MS Teams classroom with their teacher and classmates for only a few hours per day and do the rest of their work asynchronously. And some families are uncomfortable having a teacher and other families inside their home (via MS Teams) even though everyone there is in the same situation and our teachers are experienced with online teaching and expect normal family life to slide through the screen once in a while.
Our K-8 program depends on parents to be their students' primary educators and requires students to sign up for at least one in person class per semester. This is a big responsibility and sometimes a significant commute. The parent community, counselors, and librarian are all experienced at helping new families learn how to make this work, but it can feel intimidating, especially at first.
Most of the families who enter our programs are happy here and find ways to make it work. But it is definitely different than walking your kid to the bus and knowing that they will be in someone else's care until the bus drops them back off in the late afternoon.
