Supporting Families
Supporting Schools
Introducing: Third Option™ Learning Hub!
Looking for another option to support your child’s virtual learning this fall? Trying to figure out how to balance work and home-learning? Check out Third Option™ Learning Hub at MDC for support for your Virtual Student.
Third Option™ is a temporary program designed to support BASD and the surrounding districts and their temporary virtual learning format and can also support JEDI students! Classes will be held inside MDC’s bright and cheery studio spaces. Socialize safely in our full or part-time program. Choose the right level of support for your learner. Third Option™ is currently running November 16 through December 3rd, and will continue if BASD or BCS continues virtual learning past that date. Third Option™ is open to all students in the community.
Immediate support may be available on 11/13 – fill out the interest form below to indicate interest in support on Friday.
“Transcend traditional solutions by forging a path toward a third option. A third alternative moves beyond this way or that way to a higher and better way—a far better place than either had envisioned.” – Stephen R. Covey
Schedule Options
School Day – 8:30am-3:30pm |
Class Sizes and Ages Average Cohort |
Community & Socialization
Minimize Risk, Maximize Joy |
Serving the Whole Child
Academic Support |
Internet Access Strong WiFi to support Virtual Learning |
Fees
Half Day – $25/day ($8.33/hr) |
Enrollment will require a $25 non-refundable enrollment fee. Fees paid weekly. Cancel at any time with a one week notice. A sibling discount of 30% is available.
Registration opens Wednesday, 11/11 at 8am for full-time students.
Registration opens Thursday, 11/12 at 8am for part-time students.
Choose the right level of support for your learner
Now offering:
✔️Morning-only
✔️Full-school-day
✔️Choose 2, 3, or 5 days per week
✔️JEDI or Virtual Learning Support
✔️Sibling discounts
✔️No long term commitments – cancel at anytime
Our learning hub offers live, in-person support from our Instructional Guides for as little as $5.57/hour. Enrollment begins at 8am Wednesday, 11/11!
Fill out this interest form to receive email updates from
Third Option™.
FAQ
Welcome to Third Option™ Learning Hub
This FAQ Sheet has been prepared to answer parent questions about the Third Option™ Learning Hub and to help parents decide whether or not it would be a good fit to support their child’s education for fall.
What is the purpose of the Third Option™ Learning Hub?
Third Option™ Learning Hub is a way our business (Midwest Dance Center, LLC) can offer support for parents who may be looking for more support and socialization than may be available at home, and for children who are temporarily virtual and have working parents.
How is Third Option™ Learning Hub different from a school?
Third Option™ Learning Hub is a service offering at Midwest Dance Center, LLC, an independent youth learning facility, which does not operate under the same guidelines as public schools. As a private organization, we are able to set our own class sizes, educational best practices and standards of care. Midwest Dance Center, LLC follows our national association guidelines and is independently youth protection certified.
Where will the Third Option™ Learning Hub be held?
All classes will meet at the Midwest Dance Center facility which is located at 202 S. Pine Street in Burlington.
What ages can the Third Option™ Learning Hub currently serve?
Third Option™ Learning Hub is currently able to serve 7-18 year old students. We are working with the Department of Children and Families to explore licensing options that would allow us to serve children ages 4-6 in the future, but they are NOT giving out any emergency licenses to serve those ages at this time.
What is the daily schedule?
We have two options: Half days (8:30am-11:30am) or full days (8:30am-3:30pm). There will also be time each day for lunch, physical activity and getting outside.
What do the full day students do for lunch?
Students will bring their own lunch and snacks each day.
What are class sizes?
Each class will be limited to 10 students, which will be considered a cohort. Each cohort will stay together for learning and lunch to minimize community exposure.
What if I try to register and it’s full?
We will keep a waiting list and reach out if a space opens up.
Who will be supervising the students?
Each classroom will be staffed by background checked, adult Instructional Guides whose role is to help the students to log-in to their virtual schooling and navigate virtual learning each day. Our instructional guides are also there to create a sense of community and foster safe socialization among learners. In some cases, there will be one instructional guide for the morning and one for the afternoon to minimize teacher exposure and to maximize classroom coverage for when subs are needed.
Is there a fee?
Yes, Third Option™ Learning Hub is a fee-based service similar to a day camp or other youth development activities. Registration requires a one-time, non-refundable registration fee of $25 which will hold your space between now and the start of classes. Beginning the first week of classes, weekly fees of $25/per day for half days or $39/per day for full days will be charged to your account on Monday of each week based on the number of school days in the week. For your convenience, weekly fees will be drafted automatically beginning Monday, Nov. 16 until you terminate your enrollment or your child returns to in-person learning at school.
Please note: A one week notice is required to withdraw.
Sibling Discounts
Yes! We do have a sibling discount for this program of 30%. So if you have one child in 4th grade and one in 2nd and you are choosing part-time programming, you would pay $25/day for the first child and $17.50/day for the 2nd child.
Why is there a fee?
Weekly fees are charged to cover expenses such as the hiring of staff, background checks, training, administration, equipment, WiFi, materials, cleaning, and space.
What does my child need for school supplies?
Students should bring their own school supplies to Third Option. Third Option will have extra basic school supplies on hand (paper, pencils, etc.) that will be sanitized before use.
What protections and procedures are in place to fight community spread of COVID-19?
Midwest Dance Center, LLC follows the More Than Just Great Dancing!® Safer Studio™ policies and procedures which focuses on a hierarchy of measures beginning with avoiding contact with anyone with symptoms, followed by frequent hand cleaning and good hygiene practices, amplified cleaning, and minimizing contact and mingling.
What measures are put in place to foster a sense of normalcy for children in a pandemic world?
The mere act of getting up in the morning, getting dressed and “going to school” can be a significant anchor for a child in a turbulent time. Daily routines are stabilizing for children. Our small class sizes and structure minimize risk and maximize the joyful parts of schools such as socialization. Important routines of school such as classroom greetings, enrichment activities, and community building are not only still present in our program, they are more important than ever.
Do you do temperature checking?
Our staff is temperature checked on a daily basis, but we do not temperature check students.
Will the staff and students have to wear masks?
Yes. State Emergency Order #1 requires all students over the age of five to wear a cloth face covering while indoors until September 28, 2020. Students do not have to wear a face covering while outdoors if spread out appropriately from other children.
What is your illness protocol?
Staff, parents, and students should know the symptoms of COVID-19:
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Diarrhea (watery)
- Sore throat/congestion
- Headache
- Chills
- Muscle and joint pain (multiple)
- Nausea or vomiting
- Loss of sense of smell
Staff and students should notify the Third Option Learning™ Hub administrators and contact healthcare providers if they develop symptoms of COVID-19 or any other illness and will be asked to STAY HOME until they are symptom-free for 72 hours. Any student who becomes unwell during the school day will wait in a special isolation area, which is supervised by a staff member, until a parent or guardian can arrive.
Students or staff who test positively for COVID-19 will follow the country’s current recommendations for self isolation. Students may take up to a two week leave of absence and keep their place in the program. If there is a positive report of COVID-19 in our learning community, we will follow the county’s current guidelines for notifications.
How do I register?
- Registration begins Wednesday, November 11th at 8am. The first round of registration will be those who are seeking FULL DAY, 5 DAY placement. Remaining spaces will be made available on Thursday, November 12th at 8am for those seeking half days or fewer than five days per week.
- Registration requires a $25, non-refundable registration fee. Weekly fees will begin on Monday, November 16th and will be charged weekly on Mondays and will be determined by the number of school days that week on the BASD calendar.
Other
Upon registration, students will receive an student profile form so that we can get to know your students better and complete necessary waiver forms.
Welcome to Third Option™ Learning Hub!
We are looking forward to meeting you!