LEWISTOWN — Step into the Alpha Program classrooms at Mifflin County High School in Lewistown on any given morning and you’ll see something that doesn’t fit the common stereotype of online learning.

Students work quietly at their own pace, but they’re not isolated. Teachers circulate, answer questions and build relationships. Conversations happen. Support happens. Learning happens — not behind closed doors, but in a space intentionally designed to blend independence with connection.

For Suzi Bender, an online Learning Management Systems educator with 35 years in public education, the misconceptions about online learning have always been frustrating. “There is sometimes controversy around the idea of what online education is and also how it affects students’ learning,” she said. “I feel that the future of education is not solely online or traditional, but simply intentional. I think we should not debate the format but rather focus on designing systems that truly meet students’ varied needs. Alpha exists to that end.”

Her perspective is shaped by a decade of working directly in online learning environments. “Those most recent years of experience have more than validated my ‘younger teacher’s thoughts’ that education should not be ‘one-size-fits-all,'” she said. “Each student learns at his or her own pace, and online education structures exist and have gained popularity primarily because of that notion.”

That belief — that students thrive when given room to learn in ways that fit them — is the foundation of Alpha’s hybrid model. Unlike cyber charter schools, where students work entirely from home, Alpha blends online coursework with in-person support from Mifflin County teachers. Students can work independently, but they are never alone.

“Our Alpha Program proves that personalized learning can happen within a public school system,” Bender said. “However, the strength of any online program is not solely due to personalization — that’s the easy part actually. Our strength comes from the structured independence Alpha students gain when they commit to their online learning. That independence deepens even more through the many meaningful connections they build with our Alpha staff.”

That balance — independence paired with connection — is exactly what Chris Gill, administrator of online programs for the Mifflin County School District, saw in the data when he took over the program in 2014-15. Students who came into the Alpha classroom performed better than those who stayed fully remote.

Attendance was stronger. Grades were higher. Students stayed involved in sports, band, clubs and friendships. They had access to counselors and support staff. They were part of the school community.

“The data was clear that our hybrid students outperformed our full-time students,” Gill said. “Students who physically came into the Alpha classroom to work directly with our teachers did better than the students who worked entirely from home.”

But Bender says many families still misunderstand what online learning looks like in a district-run program. That’s why she repeats one message — over and over — during intake meetings.

“When meeting families, I always put myself on repeat when stressing that ‘Students are not expected to teach themselves,'” she said. “I intentionally say it more than once — more like five or six times — because online learning is sometimes misunderstood as a ‘teach yourself’ model. This misconception is real and can sometimes create hesitation or even fear.”

Alpha’s model is the opposite of isolation. Students have access to eight dedicated teachers — two in math, two in English, one in science, one in social studies, and two in learning support/emotional support — plus an additional teacher for the K-5 Mifflin County Online program. Transportation is available. Most students use their regular bus routes. And nearly all full-time Alpha students spend at least part of their week in the Alpha classrooms.

This structure, Bender said, is what allows students to shift from compliance to ownership.

“When students own their pace in their learning journey, they also begin to own their success, and this is when confidence blooms,” she said. “Alpha allows students to make a shift from compliance to ownership, and although that may not seem like a big deal, it certainly has made a huge difference for many of our students who were not succeeding in the regular classroom.”

Gill agrees. The hybrid model isn’t just a scheduling convenience — it’s a support system. “The core of the struggle for cyber charter schools is that, by design, they are limited in how they can support students and families,” he said. “Our students have in-person classrooms with MCSD teachers who assist them with their online coursework.”

For Bender, the heart of Alpha is simple: connection. “What Alpha provides is not isolation behind a screen, but structured learning supported by real people who are there to carry students — and parents — through the struggles,” she said.

And that support extends far beyond academics. Students who need a quiet space find one. Students who need flexibility get it. Students who need encouragement receive it. Students who need a different path discover one.

“So, in the end, the Alpha Program is not a separate part of what MCSD has to offer,” Bender said, “but rather a supplement that serves the needs of at this time over 500 students for almost as many different reasons and situations. I’m very proud to be a part of the great program that Mr. Gill has developed and honored to help move our district’s initiatives forward while providing personalized trails for our students.”

In Alpha’s hybrid classrooms, online learning isn’t a replacement for traditional education — it’s an extension of it. It’s a model built on flexibility, connection, and the belief that students succeed when schools meet them where they are.