Ninth grade is hard. Being 14 or 15 years old and experiencing multiple emotional and hormonal changes is challenging. Now after two years of remote instruction many students entering high school as freshmen must navigate a new, larger school, while finding the schoolwork more difficult, with core classes and standardized tests. Even previous straight-A students […]
The Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona says personal finance lessons should be mandatory in our schools, and we certainly agree. Since our FLEX schools opened, we have been teaching financial literacy to its high school students for the past seven years. Currently only 21 states mandate financial classes in high schools and only a few […]
It was a chance meeting that brought Hayley Rico to our school. She was 17 years old, taking care of herself and her little brother because their parents who suffered from addiction were unable to properly provide for them. She had been kicked out of school for not attending regularly and was turned away from […]
Always an eager student, Graciano was on track to graduate early – until the pandemic hit. Like so many students who were not proficient with technology, he struggled to keep up with remote classes. His former school couldn’t help him, and he fell further and further behind.
The transition to high school from junior high was challenging for Serina. The schoolwork became more demanding, and her teachers didn’t take time to understand where she needed help. “Starting high school changed my perspective. Everything got harder and nobody tried to understand where I needed the help. The teachers just wanted to get through […]
Social work is one of the fastest growing professions in the U.S., which is well timed since the demand for mental health support in high schools continues to grow. In this post-pandemic world, teens are experiencing significantly more stress and economic challenges. Our counseling team has created a robust social worker internship program with 10 […]
Ryan Kinchen came to us when he was struggling with a difficult home life. “This school gave me the flexibility to complete my studies on a non-traditional schedule,” he explained. “They helped me develop self-reliant work and study habits that I still use every day.” After graduation, Ryan attended Pasadena City College, something that changed […]
Always an eager student, Graciano was on track to graduate early – until the pandemic hit. Like so many students who were not proficient with technology, he struggled to keep up with remote classes. His former school couldn’t help him, and he fell further and further behind. Fortunately, a friend told him about our high […]
Roxeanna is smart and has always done well academically, but is shy, keeps to herself and struggles making friends. When she got to high school, her social skills caused her the most pain. “I would get sensory overload and it was nerve wracking to have a teacher ask me a question in class. I knew […]
While millions of people are currently unemployed and looking for work, there is a massive labor shortage with 10.9 million unfilled jobs across the U.S. The blame, as a recent Harvard Business Review article points out, is because “the U.S. education system is not held accountable for ensuring that students are properly equipped with the […]