Going fully remote in the Spring of 2020 due to COVID-19 regulations was not optimal for a large number of students. As a result, there has been a higher than usual number of students failing classes and falling behind on graduation requirements. 

After returning in the fall, students have had to adjust to the transition back to in person classes, rather than sitting at home learning over Zoom. Starting this year, the district has offered a new Credit Recovery course for students to make up failed credits for classes during the quarantine in the third and fourth semester.  

“Many students struggled to transition back and continued to get off track to get their credits to graduate,” assistant principal Casey Lundgren said. “The Millard School district received money through the CARES act. The money needs to be used to address COVID related expenses. COVID has resulted in major disruptions to student learning.” 

With the CARES Act donating money to the district, this allowed the district to hire a credit recovery teacher and paraprofessional at each of the three high schools in Millard to help any student get back on track to graduating after failing classes. 

At West, Grace Baker was hired to be the teacher for the program. Throughout various blocks all day, she works with many students.  

“I am the lead Credit Recovery teacher and am supported by several subject area teachers, counselors and the grade-level administrators,” lead teacher Grace Baker said. “My job is to encourage, support and keep the students assigned to the class on track in order to recover the credits that have been lost. The decision about who will take this class is determined by the student, counselor and the grade level administrator.” 

Students in the credit recovery program utilize an online learning platform called Odysseyware that closely aligns with the normal class curriculum. It allows for a student to progress at their own pace through learning modules to finish the course. Students involved can make up more than one class in a semester, thus earning more than the five credits of a regular seated class.

“With each student being assigned a teacher that carries an endorsement in the curriculum area of the students’ Odysseyware class, the teacher is responsible for grading assessments in Odysseyware and helping the student when they get stuck,” Lundgred said. “I am very grateful that Millard West had a number of caring and dedicated teachers that stepped up to volunteer to be teachers of record for students that desperately needed assistance getting back on track to graduate.”

Each grade level administrator is responsible for identifying eligible students for credit recovery and assigning them to a block and a teacher of record. The district must approve each student for the classes they are eligible for.

“Students’ names get approved for the core classes that they need to make up after receiving a five,” Principal Dr. Greg Tiemann said. “With this being a new program, the most important classes such as graduation requirements are what is being offered rather than all of the courses offered here at West.”

In addition to the Odysseyware opportunity during the school day, West is also offering a Credit Recovery Bootcamp during Spring Break. Students will be reporting to school for one of two daily sessions of classes. The District also has plans to offer a Credit Recovery Summer Academy to help students keep on the track of graduating.