Our School

The Haven School's application window for the 2022-2023 school year is from January 10-February 18, 2022. The application deadline ensures that the Haven School has adequate time to prepare students and staff for the start of the 2022-2023 school year. While applications received after the deadline will still be considered, students will be enrolled based on space and/or will be put on a waiting list. Students on the waiting list will be enrolled as space becomes available. 

The Haven School enrolls students K-12. 

Applications are reviewed by The Haven School staff to determine if The Haven School is an optimal learning environment for the student. Parents/guardians will be contacted if additional information is needed to complete the application process. Parents will be notified of their child's enrollment status and/or next steps in the enrollment process within ten business days after all required information and documentation is submitted.

The Haven School allows students to receive their education at home via a fully virtual platform if parents choose the Virtual Learning Model for their students. The Haven School is different from traditional homeschooling as curriculum is provided and students have the opportunity to participate in school sponsored activities such as STEAM activities, field trips, and experiential learning. In addition, a Haven School teacher provides instruction, grades, gives feedback, and offers support via email, phone, and video-conferencing on all coursework. When a parent chooses to homeschool their child, the parent is responsible for providing the curriculum and instruction for their child without the support of a WSD3 teacher.

The Haven School is specifically designed to support virtual learning, and our teachers are intentionally trained in virtual instructional techniques. Students who participated in remote learning experienced instruction designed for a traditional classroom being taught online. The Haven School uses Accelerate Education for all coursework. Accelerate Education is specifically designed to be taught and learned in an online learning environment. In addition, many remote learning models were “synchronous” learning models meaning that students were required to participate in virtual classes throughout the entire school day. Haven School students complete a combination of independent module work, virtual classes, and in-building Connection Days (Enriched Virtual Model students online). While virtual classes and Connection Days are at specific times, students can complete module work at the time of the day that is best for them.

The Haven School offers a mostly “asynchronous” learning model. While students are required to participate in virtual sessions with teachers and in person Connection Days (if the students in enrolled in the Enriched Virtual Model) at designated times, students can create a personalized schedule to complete their teacher assigned module work. Haven School students have access to curriculum 24/7 allowing for flexibility of completion at the time of the day that works best for the student.  As total time online needed to complete independent module work can vary by student, parents are encouraged to create a learning schedule that works best for the needs of their child. The Haven School’s schedule does allow flexibility to meet the unique needs of each student.

High School Students: On a typical day, a high school student may participate in any of the following academic activities: 
-Virtual classes with content teachers and peers
-Independent module coursework (writing an essay, completing a project, reading through a science unit, etc)
-In-building Connection Days at the Haven School Learning Center for enrichment activities (individual tutoring, science labs, STEAM activities, teacher lead workshops, collaboration with peers, meeting with the school counselor for academic planning, etc). 
-Attendance at MRHS or WHS for classes such as NJROTC and the fine arts
-Attendance at the Manufacturing Industry Learning Lab (MiLL) Program for construction courses
-Individual conference with the student's mentor teacher to gauge individual academic progress

Middle School Students: A typical day for a Haven School middle school student may look like any of the following:
-Virtual classes with content teachers and peers
-Independent module coursework (completing a social studies project, independent math practice, writing a poem for English, etc)
-In-building Connection Days at the Haven School Learning Center for enrichment activities (individualized tutoring, science labs, STEAM activities, teacher led workshops, collaboration with peers, project based learning, etc.) 
-Virtual small group sessions with teachers for additional support and instruction
-Individual conference with the student's mentor teacher to gauge individual academic progress

Elementary Students: A typical day in the life of an elementary school student can vary depending on the student learning style and schedule. However, within the flexible schedule there are sessions that all students will attend. Each teacher and grade level has scheduled virtual classes that are mandatory. At the beginning of the year, students will receive a class schedule with assigned meeting times that will be consistent for the semester. During these live class sessions, students will receive direct instruction, engage with their classmates, participate in engagement activities such as discussion threads, community building activities, review of content material, and much more.

After the live class session, students are expected to work independently in their coursework within the Accelerate platform. This is considered asynchronous learning time. Our expectation is for students to complete module work in each class, each school day. Students will work in math, science, social studies and language arts. Students may also be involved in small group instruction with their teachers. These small groups are designed to meet the needs of students and could include extra math support, targeted reading skill practice, or advanced math skills. 

If the student has chosen the Enriched Virtual model, the student will attend in-building sessions each week. These sessions will be led by their teacher and include hands-on enrichment activities, science labs, additional instruction, tutoring support, STEAM activities, and opportunities to socialize with their grade level peers. Students will also have the opportunity to engage in experiential learning through field trips to various locations such as Fountain Creek Nature Center, Colorado Springs Philharmonic, yoga studios, Discovery Science Space Center, and more. 

Elementary students will need the support of an adult that will be available during the school day to offer guidance and assistance. The Haven School refers to this person as the "Learning Coach." The learning coach will encourage and support the students as they learn from home. Teachers communicate regularly with the Learning Coaches. Below is the approximate level of learning coach support needed at each grade level: 

Starting with the 2021-2022 school year, The Haven School is a full time primary school option for students. Our  policy allows for on "in district" transfer per school year. If you decide to enroll your child in another in-district school after enrolling at The Haven School, you will need to dis-enroll your student from the Haven School. If you decide to enroll your child at The Haven School again, you will be required to wait until the following school year to submit an application.

Once a student with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) has applied to The Haven School, the special education team at your child’s current school will be notified and a meeting will be held to determine if The Haven School is an appropriate academic placement for your student.

Haven School high school students can participate in specific classes at WHS or MRHS that are not offered at The Haven School such as fine arts, certain foreign languages, and NJROTC. Haven School students can also participate in the Manufacturing Industry Learning Lab (MiLL) program. High School students will work with the Haven School counselor to determine a personalized course schedule for your child.

Haven School secondary students (6-12) who wish to participate in sports can do so through their neighborhood school. The Haven School student athletes are held to the same academic standards for eligibility as students in the traditional learning environment.

Starting with the 2021-2022 school year,  high school students enrolled at The Haven School will graduate with a Haven School Diploma. The Haven School will host its own graduation for our seniors in May. Credits earned from WHS, MRHS, or DHS before enrolling at The Haven School will transfer to The Haven School.

The Haven School offers Advanced Placement classes. Students must work with the Haven School counselor to enroll in these classes. Certain prerequisites may be required.

High School students complete a course request form on the Haven School website.

The Haven School students may attend events such as homecoming and prom at MRHS or WHS.

The Haven School is a multidistrict online school meaning students from districts other than WSD3 can apply to attend. Families who live outside of WSD3 bounds must submit a boundary waiver with their student's Haven School application. Families will be notified if of the status of their student's boundary waiver during the application review process.