School year begins virtually for public & charter students in Las Cruces

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico -- The fall semester started Wednesday for the Las Cruces Public School District, but New America charter school is already halfway through the first week.

On day three of virtual learning, Crystal Bridges works on student introductions, where students present a power point of pictures, likes and dislikes.

This semester at New America will be 100-percent online. The district is calling it the "Synchronized Model."

Students and teachers are online all day during normal school hours.

Superintendent and principal of New America Margarita Porter said, "Our teachers are giving instruction for the first 20 minutes then the teachers stay online while the students work independently."

While the student is working independently, the teacher is still online. So, If the student has a question, or needs help, all a student needs to do is get back online.

Although the school is in day three of virtual learning, there are some challenges.

"It's really hard to replicate the classroom learning environment because I'm not able to show them exactly where things are because I'm not there," said Bridges.

"The difficult part of not being present is that connection, that human connection that we have with our students and that our students have with each other," added Porter.

The school has committed to virtual learning, but is ready to make the switch to hybrid learning when New Mexico education officials say it's time.