Challenge

In June 2024, Mount Desert Elementary School (MDES), a pre-K–8 school in Northeast Harbor, Maine, faced a pressing challenge when the middle school science teacher resigned. June is an exceptionally difficult time to recruit highly qualified candidates, as most teachers have already secured positions by summer for the upcoming school year, but finding the right teacher was even more difficult due to the region’s teacher shortage and housing crisis. Upon advertising the vacancy, the school only received applications from candidates who either lacked teaching certifications or did not have the specific expertise needed to teach middle school science effectively. MDES’ principal Heather Dorr knew that this situation threatened the quality of science education for her students, so she began searching for an alternative route that would stay within budget to fill the staffing gap.

Solution

Mrs. Dorr had prior experience with Edmentum curriculum at a different district, but she didn’t realize that it could provide the solution she had been searching for until she serendipitously read an email about EdOptions Academy—Edmentum’s virtual instructional program that connects students with highly qualified, state-certified educators. When speaking with the Mount Desert Island Regional School System’s director of teaching and learning about a possible partnership with EdOptions Academy, Mrs. Dorr discovered that the district’s high school students were successfully using Edmentum Courseware curriculum. This revelation led Mrs. Dorr to speak with an EdOptions Academy advisor to explore its potential for addressing the staffing gap at her school.

Mrs. Dorr explained, “For me, it was important that the instruction was delivered along with our bell schedule so that there was minimal impact on the students’ school day, but I also wanted
to make sure that our students were able to do their field experiences and hands-on labs and things like that, so we talked through different scenarios of how many days a week would we
have the instruction delivered virtually.” 

Ultimately, Mrs. Dorr scheduled live, virtual instruction with an EdOptions Academy teacher on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays at times that aligned with the school’s bell schedule. Wednesdays and Fridays provided time for students to complete assignments, participate in field trips, and work with hands-on labs provided through the school’s partnerships with MDI Biological Laboratory and Camp Beech Cliff. 

To support this blended implementation model, the school’s technology integrator became the classroom facilitator, ensuring smooth communication between students, their Edmentum teacher, and on-site educators. Additionally, accommodations were designed for a deaf student, including a secondary facilitator account for the American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter to provide real-time translations. 

“Our ASL interpreter is able to listen to the teacher and sign,” Mrs. Dorr described. “And so, the way it works for our student, he’s sitting with the computer, looking at the computer, and then she’s sitting in his line of sight behind his computer, and she’s signing so he can see her signing and see the screen, and she’s listening on her account. So, it’s quite a symphony.” 

This tailored plan emphasized collaboration, aligning Edmentum’s curriculum and virtual instruction with hands-on learning to maximize student engagement and learning outcomes right from the first day of school. 

Result 

The implementation of EdOptions Academy at MDES was a success. Students remained on pace with their peers in other classes and over 91% of the students demonstrated mastery of understanding and engagement with the material. 

Parental concerns, initially high, were addressed through consistent communication, open houses, and opportunities to engage directly with the Edmentum virtual teacher. The resulting feedback from parents was positive, and it highlighted Edmentum’s solid curriculum and the effective teaching from the EdOptions Academy teacher. 

Biweekly check-ins between Mrs. Dorr and her EdOptions Academy advisor ensured that the program remained responsive to feedback, fostering a strong partnership between the school and Edmentum. Additionally, reallocating funds from the vacated teaching position to the adoption of EdOptions Academy kept MDES within its original budget. 

Ultimately, Mount Desert Elementary School successfully navigated a challenging situation, maintaining high‑quality science education for its students while laying a foundation for future innovation.