Accelerated Learning Academy (ALA) students at Salt River Schools can get the extra help they need to succeed at Saturday School, an in-person session led by certified teachers on Saturdays.

Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, a teacher at ALA, said that the Saturday School staff consists of the same teachers the students have during the week, so they are quite familiar with the learning platform as well as the curriculum.

“The ALA staff is in communication with one another, including those who are not physically at Saturday School, so when a content question does arise, they are quick to respond to help students,” said Flanigan-Arthurs.

Parents and students should know that the majority of ALA’s curriculum uses the same software, Edgenuity, which means that there is a universal understanding of the platform for all the teachers at ALA, regardless of content area.

According to Flanigan-Arthurs, consistency is important when it comes to learning at ALA. “Saturday School reflects many of the same aspects conducive to learning we have at ALA throughout the regular school year, including access to technology resources, familiar environments, academic policies and procedures, and of course, our own ALA staff,” said Flanigan-Arthurs.

Saturday School has been offered since 2011, and in some past sessions, up to 20% of the school’s population has attended in one day. Last year, the program was offered in a virtual setting.

From the point of view of ALA, by making attending Saturday School a choice, it puts ownership with the student to see the results made from their choices. Flanigan-Arthurs said that those students who attend Saturday School on a regular basis are more academically successful.

Saturday School is free for all ALA students and is held on Saturdays from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at ALA.

For more information about Saturday School, head to https://ala.saltriverschools.org or call (480) 362-2130.