A Day in The Life of a BlueSky Middle Schooler

Online middle school can look very different from traditional middle school. It’s for this reason that we want to give parents and families a little insight into what their middle schoolers can expect from a day at BlueSky. Many parents are hesitant about online middle school simply because they’re unsure of what to expect.  We try to be as transparent as possible so that parents and students alike feel confident going into their online middle school experience.

Just like traditional middle school, online school comes with a class schedule. Albeit online middle school is a little less structured, students will still have a start and end to their school day if that’s what suits them best.

6th Grade

9 am: The school day starts with advisory class. This is an opportunity for students to connect with their teachers and classmates. During Advisory students will collaborate on Social Emotional Learning activities and learn new skills to help them be productive members of a global society.

After Advisory, 6th-grade students will have direct instruction in core subjects: Language Arts, Math, MN Studies (social studies), and Science. 

9 am – 12 pm: Between these times 6th-grade students will be in a zoom classroom with their teacher. They will have a lunch break before an afternoon specialty class and supported independent work time as needed.

7th & 8th Grade

9 am: The school day starts with Advisory class for 7th and 8th graders just as it does for 6th grade.  All middle school grades use Advisory to develop Social Emotional Learning skills.

10 am – 2 pm: 7th and 8th-grade students will have two to three live classroom sessions sprinkled between 10 am and 2 pm with independent work time and opportunities to connect one-on-one with their teachers between live classes.

7th and 8th-grade students have multiple teachers who specialize in each of their core and elective courses. They take up to two electives per quarter and will have different teachers for each.

Keys to Online Middle School Success

Communication

Communication with teachers is key. Students will have core teachers and elective teachers who are all available for further support sessions by text message, phone call, or email from 8 am – 4 pm on school days. They are also assigned a counselor who is in direct communication with the student and their families.

Participation

A live session virtual classroom will have up to twenty students and while cameras are strongly encouraged, they are not required. But students can use chat, raise their hands, and use their microphones to interact during their live classes. Participating in the classroom is really key to understanding the lessons and having a positive experience with online learning.

When invited to by the teacher, students can use drawing and annotation tools to respond and interact on-screen. In small groups, students can connect and interact with their peers to make learning more engaging and get some social time in.

Self-Motivation

While we provide individualized support for our middle schoolers, it is essential that students learn to be self-motivated in their studies. As long as students are willing and comfortable reaching out for help, they will get the support they need. But it does have to start with effective communication and self-motivation on the students’ behalf.

Online middle school doesn’t have to be a mystery! Learn more about our middle school programs and feel free to reach out to us at any time!