by Keri Brenner (Marin IJ)

PUBLISHED: May 23, 2022 at 5:53 p.m.

When the state ordered schools to offer distance learning for the 2021-22 school year because of the pandemic, Nova Independent Study was more than ready.

The Novato Unified School District program already had an enrollment of 64 students meeting weekly with a teacher-adviser, and mostly working on their own. When most schools went to remote instruction for the first year of the pandemic in 2020-21, the only switch at Nova was that the students met with their teachers online instead of in person.

“We transitioned to remote seamlessly,” said Kessa Early, the school principal.

By the time schools reopened in the fall of 2021-22 for in-person instruction, Nova was able to redesign its program to help the district continue to offer a distance learning option to serve 170 students from transitional kindergarten to 12th grade. The additional students came from other parts of Marin — or other counties — where there was no similar distance learning offering in place.

“The best part of Nova Independent Study is that sense of community and belonging,” Early said. “All the teachers are able to get to know their students individually. And then, it’s flexible in the learning.”

Last month, the California Department of Education named Nova as a recipient of its new California Pivotal Practice Award Program, or CAPP.  Nova was the only TK-12 independent study program in Marin to receive the award, which replaced the former California Distinguished Schools Program.

Tony Thurmond, the state superintendent of schools, praised all the award winners, including Nova.

These programs “led incredible efforts to engage students, distribute technology, provide meals and support the social and emotional well-being of students during an incredibly difficult time for schools and families,” he said.

Adriana Cervantes, 16, said she transferred to Nova from Novato High School a few weeks ago.

“It was a better fit for me,” said Cervantes, an 11th-grader, during a pause from her weekly one-on-one meeting with her teacher, Kim Duncan. Other times in the week, she comes on campus to use the library or other resources.

“I get more one-on-one time with Ms. Duncan,” she said. “She has more time to contact me. I can email or text her. She’s more accessible. I get more one-on-one time with math, which is my struggle right now.”

Nova is “a pretty exceptional program here in Marin,” Duncan said.

“The greatest thing about our program is that we can work one-on-one with our students,” she said.

Duncan not only teaches at Nova, but is a parent of a student at the school.

“We can provide a learning atmosphere that’s personalized, calming,” she said. “We can address not only academic needs, but also a student’s social-emotional needs.”

Under the 2021-22 schedule, Nova high school students have independent study plus the weekly one-on-one with their teacher. They can also text or email the teacher during the week.

In addition, there is an option for a daily in-person math lab from 8 to 9 a.m.

While the high school schedule is similar to the one offered pre-pandemic. the real significant changes came this year for the younger students, Early said.

“Our team of teachers worked to restructure and reorganize the entire elementary and middle school,” she said. For middle-schoolers and elementary students, Nova now has added daily interaction and instruction for 1 1/2 hours in the mornings.

“That was a big shift,” Early said. “Middle school and elementary were totally redesigned. That was the big pivot.”

Students from transitional kindergarten through eighth grade now have a remote “community circle” every morning for about a half-hour. After that, they have about an hour of math and English instruction.

The students then design the rest of the independent study in conjunction with their teachers. The middle-schoolers may opt for support or intervention classes in the afternoons.

“This was the big compromise,” Early said. “Still independent learning, but not totally on your own and ‘we’ll see you next week.’ The younger kids might need that extra guidance.”

The flexibility appeals to students who travel a lot, who work part-time or who might train during the day for ballet, for example. They can adjust their learning periods around their other demands, Early said.

Also, students who have ailments that only allow short periods of instruction can work around the times they are feeling most energetic.

“They’re able to make that schedule work for them,” Early said of the appeal of Nova, which is also called the Nova Education Center. “It’s the flexibility and the relationships with the teachers.”

“Kessa and her Nova team have done exceptional work to connect with students and provide the only alternative TK-12 program serving students in Marin County seeking flexible educational settings,” said Jan La Torre-Derby, the district’s superintendent.