Hawaii Technology Academy (HTA) is the state’s largest public charter school, with Learning Center sites on Hawai’i, Kauai, Maui, and Oahu. The blended learning program at HTA is growing and new Learning Centers are popping up around the state. HTA’s newest Learning Center recently opened in the heart of Wailuku at 2050 Main Street. HTA offers a blended learning experience – a combination of face-to-face classes, virtual instruction and independent learning.
At over 2300 square feet, HTA’s new Wailuku Learning Center boasts science labs and an art room. The new Learning Center provides students with the ability to collaborate with one another as they attend their face-to-face classes. Executive Director Leigh Fitzgerald remarks, “One of the innovative design principles of our new space is that each classroom can accommodate individual, small group or full class learning for a kindergartener one day, and a group of high school seniors the next. Since HTA’s students only attend Learning Center classes a few days per week, it is imperative that our classrooms offer teachers and students the ability to engage in physically active and dynamic learning. When at the Learning Center, students should be collaborating with their classmates on projects, creating presentations and performances, or engaging in other hands-on learning activities with the guidance of their teachers and peers.”
Enrollment of students on Maui has quadrupled over the past four years, with now over 100 students in grades K-12. For many Maui families looking for an alternative to traditional school, HTA’s blended learning program is the answer. HTA empowers students to succeed through face-to-face instruction, virtual instruction and independent learning.
HTA’s remote sites in Hana and Napili will continue to thrive, with the new Wailuku site serving as hub for all of Maui. “Having a permanent learning center space on Maui provides our students with more opportunities for intervention, enrichment, and clubs,” states Fitzgerald. To learn more about Hawaii Technology Academy, please visit myhta.org.
