Alva Review-Courier -

Children struggle in school for many different reasons. The modern-day student’s plight is one many parents may not know how to respond to as curricula and technology continue to change.

Whether it’s specific skills the student is struggling with, or difficulty in grasping new concepts, falling behind can happen for a variety of reasons. Some students also find the stimuli of a traditional classroom distracting. These reasons alone may leave a parent wondering what steps to take to ensure his/her child receives a quality education. Many families seeking these answers are finding a good educational alternative with Epic Charter Schools.

Dedicated to providing students and their families with a learning environment that meets an individual student’s needs, Epic is a free preK-12 public school. This non-traditional educational setting utilizes internet-based, personalized instruction that is self-paced and provided in almost any location. Teachers also regularly meet one-on-one with students to make sure they are mastering content. Each Epic teacher is fully Oklahoma certified and carries a roster of about 30 students.

One local woman, Lindsay Headlee, serves as a teacher for Epic Charter Schools. Headlee, now in her 11th year of teaching, brings with her the experience of teaching reading, speech, journalism, creative writing and even ACT prep classes. Prior to going to Epic, Headlee was employed with Cherokee Public Schools for the last four years, fulfilling the role of district media specialist.

“I loved my job at Cherokee and really toiled with the decision to go to Epic,” she said. “There are so many kids that a brick-and-mortar school doesn’t help.” The traditional classroom works well for many students, but can leave others feeling unchallenged, unmotivated or even left behind, and schools like Epic function as a great alternative.

In her virtual classroom, Headlee has 23 students enrolled thus far, and the quickly growing school is projected to have about 24,000 students by the end of this upcoming school year. She said Epic students will not only receive the benefits of a customized education, but enjoy another little perk as well: enrollees can expect a $900 learning fund that is used for leasing equipment/devices needed for the program and can even be utilized for extra-curricular classes with approved vendors. Epic High School students are also eligible to attend career techs and participate in concurrent enrollment at Oklahoma colleges and universities.

Headlee’s passion for Epic Charter Schools is one shared by her fiancé, Daryl Gandy, who is entering his second year with Epic. Gandy and Headlee, along with recent new-hire Kendall Hadsell, makes three local teachers dedicated to the mission of Epic Charter Schools: fulfilling every student’s individual potential by personalizing an educational plan that focuses on school and family partnership to achieve optimal student performance.