Information & Resources
- Enroll in Falcons Online
- About FOA
- Meet the Falcons Online Staff
- Courses
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Resources & Links
- Contact Us
- Having Success in Online Learning
Enroll in Falcons Online
Falcons Online Academy offers students an opportunity to create full and part time schedules that meet their needs.
Students learn at their own pace and have the support of dedicated and experienced teachers. We offer a variety of courses for a full path to graduation. Our Virtual Business Pathway and Nursing Assistant courses will begin in the fall of 2024!
Interested in Joining FOA?
Registration for the 2024-2025 school year will begin in February 2024. The course catalog and registration information will be available in early February. PLEASE READ THE INFORMATION TO THE RIGHT BEFORE ENROLLING!
- Out-of-District Enrollment in 3 easy steps- Ongoing enrollment
- In-District Enrollment in 3 easy steps- Deadline is one week into semester
Out-of-District Enrollment in 3 easy steps- Ongoing enrollment
- Reach out to Falcons Online Academy with questions and determine if it is a good fit for you
- Complete the OLR (Online Registration form)
- If attending FOA full-time, complete Open Enrollment paperwork OR If attending FOA part-time, complete MDE Supplemental Course Registration Form
In-District Enrollment in 3 easy steps- Deadline is one week into semester
Onboarding Process
Course Catalog
Registration Deadlines
About FOA
Falcons Online Academy is open to all 7th-12th grade students residing in Minnesota.
Students can create their own schedule by creating a part-time or full-time schedule. We have experienced teachers and staff who will support your student's learning and development. Students who register in FOA are encouraged to participate in activities, sports, and clubs at Faribault High School or their home school.
What Does online school look like?
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Flexibility of when you complete the assignments
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Opportunities to take classes that might not otherwise fit in your schedule
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Able to take classes which the current school you are enrolled in may not be able to offer
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Clear and real-time data on how you’re doing and what you need to do next
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Help from experienced teachers how you need it: messaging, in-person, Gmeets, etc.
Is FOA Right For You?
Online learning is a great option for many students because we offer flexible scheduling of courses that work for any academic or personal schedule, self-paced learning, and students can complete coursework any time of the day. If you are wondering if Falcons Online Academy is right for you, ask yourself 4 questions:
- Am I a self-motivated and self-starting learner?
- Am I willing to ask for help?
- Can I set my own schedule?
- Am I an effective communicator?
If you answered yes to those questions, FOA might be right for you! Reach out to Falcons Online Academy to register for courses here.
Who Can Learn with FOA?
- Any Minnesota middle school or high school student
- Part-time or full-time students
- Students who want to attend college or join the military
- Students in the workforce
- Students behind in their graduation and career goals
- Students wanting a challenge
- Students pursuing their career pathway
- Students who learn best at their own pace
- Students with IEPs or 504s
Meet the Falcons Online Staff
Get to Know Your Teachers! Falcons Online Academy has dedicated and experienced teachers and staff.
- An average of over 20 years teaching experience
- Highly qualified, licensed teachers in each subject area
- Committed to the success of all students
- Available for continuous support via phone, email or video chat
- Flexible to help meet your needs as a student
- Chris Johnsrud- Science
- LuAnn Giles- Electives
- Monica Chavis - English
- Brian Meier- Social Studies
- Nick Tackmann- Math
- Ryan Lueken- PE & Health
Chris Johnsrud- Science
What I Teach:
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Science courses grades 7-12
Why I Teach Online…
I love to work with students that are self-driven and active learners, that’s why I was drawn to online learning. Teaching science topics has always been a great joy in my life. More importantly, I love to make personal connections with students and support them as they navigate their education. Students in FOA science classes work independently on their online lessons on their own schedule, but they are never more than a quick message away from me for assistance in their school work. With Falcons Online Academy, any middle or high school student in Minnesota can apply. The best part about FOA is you can choose one class, a few classes, or go completely online. Why not give it a try today!
Bio…
I am the Falcons Online Academy science teacher. I have been a science teacher for over 25 years. I was born in Huntington Beach, California, but have spent the vast majority of my life in Southern Minnesota. I am a lifelong learner, and am proud that all my children have gone through Faribault Public Schools.
Chris Johnsrud
Falcons Online Science Teacher
Contact Me:
Email
507-333-6250
LuAnn Giles- Electives
What I Teach:
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7-12 Elective Classes
Why I Teach Online:
My passion is teaching and I am excited to get to know each of my FOA students and families! I am looking forward to exploring all the options of elective class choices with my students and allowing them the opportunity to experience different course content. Teaching and learning online offers many opportunities for flexibility, exploration, and creativity.
I am excited to help students build skills in time management, organization, communication and self-confidence. I look forward to connecting with each one of my students to help support them through their educational journey and make sure they are prepared for their future! Many of the elective classes will provide students with skills and knowledge which will be used in their own personal lives. I have been teaching elective classes for over 30 years and value the lifelong learning options gained through these elective classes.
Lu Ann Giles
Falcons Online Electives Teacher
Contact Me:
Email
507-333-6367
Monica Chavis - English
What I Teach:
7-12 Language Arts/English
Why I Teach Online:
Hi! My name is Monica Chavis, and I’ve been a teacher for twenty-one years. In my career I’ve enjoyed working with a variety of students. I am dyslexic, so I especially relate to students who struggle. My own struggles with reading and learning inspired me to pursue a reading degree, so I can better help students with their reading skills. I look forward to helping all students in FOA to develop their English goals.
Flexibility is one of the most important strengths in taking classes with FOA. Our program is staffed with teachers like myself from District 656 (but any student in MN can join us) who are experienced and able to adapt assignments for students’ needs. We offer credits for students who are behind in their graduation goals, who want to get ahead, and who are looking for a challenge.
Monica Chavis
Falcons Online English Teacher
Contact Me:
Email
507-333-6318
Brian Meier- Social Studies
What I Teach:
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Social Studies courses grades 7-12
Greetings! My name is Brian Meier and I will be your social studies teacher. I am in my 21st year teaching in Faribault Public Schools. My first 5 years were at the middle school level and the rest at the high school. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Social Studies Education from St. Cloud State University and a Master’s Degree from Walden University. In addition to teaching at Faribault schools, I also have been involved in the soccer and volleyball programs.
I live in Elko New Market with my wife, son, and daughter. As much as we can, we like to get out and do as much as possible outdoors. My kids are young so life is pretty hectic, but we are getting to try a lot of new things!
Why I teach online:
I am excited to offer students an opportunity to learn in a way that is conducive for their needs. Online learning offers many avenues for students to be successful in their coursework. I also appreciate the connections that I get to make with the students and to be able to assist them in whatever way possible as they navigate through their courses.
Brian Meier
Falcons Online Social Studies Teacher
Contact Me:
Email
507-333-6364
Nick Tackmann- Math
What I teach:
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7th-12th Grade Math
Why I teach 0nline:
Welcome to Falcons Online Academy! FOA is a great program that allows students to learn at their own pace. Students in our program can create their own personalized daily schedule. We accept both part-time and full-time students to meet the needs of our students. With a flexible schedule students learn how to prioritize their daily activities. I have taught math for 16 years, and I believe that Falcons Online Academy provides an opportunity for all students to be successful.
Nick Tackmann
Falcons Online Math Teacher
Contact me:
Email
507-333-6410
Ryan Lueken- PE & Health
What I Teach:
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7-12 Physical Education/Health
Why I teach online:
I am excited to be your online physical education/health teacher! The first question I often get from students and families when they are considering taking online classes is “how do you do online PE/health”? While our online classes will certainly look and feel totally different than a traditional PE/health class, I believe you are going to learn so much more! We often associate in-person PE/health with moving and being physically active. You change your clothes and you go to the gym to participate in some sort of physical activity. Online PE/health is a completely different learning experience! In online PE/health, you will focus more of your time and energy on why you need to stay active, how to be active, how to build an exercise program based on your goals, how to improve your mental health and the role that nutrition plays in your overall physical health. While you will still need to be active, you get to choose what you want to do based on your interests instead of the teacher telling you what you need to do for the day. It’s my belief that this sets you up to have greater success when you become a young adult and need to be healthy and active on your own. Now you will actually know how to be healthy! I have been teaching PE for over 20 years; I absolutely love this format and I believe you will too!
Ryan Lueken
Falcons Online PE & Health Teacher
Contact Me:
Email
507-333-6407
Courses
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who can attend FOA?
- Do I have to live in Minnesota to attend Falcon Online Academy?
- Can I go on vacation and continue to work on my classes?
- Does the district provide technology?
- Can I receive a HS diploma through FOA?
- Who are my teachers?
- What academic supports are available to me?
Who can attend FOA?
Do I have to live in Minnesota to attend Falcon Online Academy?
Can I go on vacation and continue to work on my classes?
Yes and no. Students are able to complete coursework anywhere in the state of Minnesota. Students who go on vacation out of the state may continue to work on courses. Once the student has been out of state for 15 consecutive school days, the school is required to drop the student from enrollment, per MN Statute 126C.05.
Does the district provide technology?
Can I receive a HS diploma through FOA?
Students who complete and pass courses through Falcons Online Academy earn credit towards graduation. Students can earn a Faribault Public Schools diploma by completing some or all of their courses through FOA and are eligible to participate in graduation ceremonies. Students enrolled in other districts may take 1-5 courses through FOA and transfer their earned credit to their enrolling district.
Who are my teachers?
What academic supports are available to me?
Students can receive help from their course teacher. Students are also eligible to receive English Learner (EL) and Special Education supports and services through Falcons Online Academy. Falcons Online Academy also has a full-time and dedicated School Counselor. Reach out to Kris Brazil to schedule a meeting with our counselor.
- Can I participate in sports and activities?
- Is online learning for me?
- How many classes can I take?
- Are courses self-paced?
- What classes are available?
- How much time does each class take?
- How Do I Enroll?
Can I participate in sports and activities?
Is online learning for me?
Online learning is a great option for many students because we offer flexible scheduling of courses that work for any academic or personal schedule, self-paced learning, and students can complete coursework any time of the day. If you are wondering if Falcons Online Academy is right for you, ask yourself 4 questions:
- Am I a self-motivated and self-starting learner?
- Am I willing to ask for help?
- Can I set my own schedule?
- Am I an effective communicator?
If you answered yes to those questions, FOA might be right for you! Reach out to Falcons Online Academy to register for courses here.
How many classes can I take?
Students in Falcons Online Academy can take 1-7 courses, depending on their grade level.
- Grades 7-8: Typically are full time online students taking 7 courses.
- Grades 9-12: May take 1-7 courses online. These students should reach out to their HS counselor or speak to the FOA counselor to discuss their options.
Are courses self-paced?
What classes are available?
How much time does each class take?
How Do I Enroll?
Resources & Links
Do you need help navigating Edgenuity? Watch the video to see how to view all features of the software.
Students are required to mark themselves present every school day on Infinite Campus. Follow these directions to take attendance.
Technology Help
FOA Handbook
What is Plagiarism?
Activities Website
Contact Us
Having Success in Online Learning
Create a daily schedule for yourself and stick to it!
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Include rewards for completing your work. Examples may include going for a walk, taking a 10 minute break or 10 minutes of checking in with friends.
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What time are you waking up? Going to bed? Doing your work? This is extremely important. Without the structure of an in-person school day, it’s easy to get off task and choose to always do something else besides your work. Schedule it and stick to it!
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Focus on scheduling at least 45 minutes each day for each online class. You can adjust your schedule once you start your classes and figure out how much time you actually need.
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A full time online student should expect to spend 4-5 hours every day on their coursework. That seems like a lot but it’s still much shorter than an in-person day of school.
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If you are a part time student, take advantage of your study hall or open period. It’s easy to waste that time by talking to your friends, sleeping in or scrolling through social media. But if you don’t do your work during that open period, when are you going to do that work? It’s very easy to fall behind quickly if you aren’t using your time wisely.
Log in every day and do at least one day's worth of work in each of your online classes.
If for some reason you can’t log in every day due to a busy schedule, be proactive. Prepare yourself by doing additional work before your schedule gets busy, mentally prepare yourself that you may need to work on the weekend to catch up and take advantage of days off of school by working in your online classes. Students who stay on pace or within a few days of on pace, tend to do much better in their online classes. If you fall too far behind, it creates unnecessary anxiety and stress! Pay close attention during your onboarding meeting on how to sign in, how attendance works, etc.
Edgenuity has a lot of great features! In particular the course map, which tells you what you are supposed to do that day, and the ability to take digital notes to help you with quizzes, tests and other assignments.
Advocate for yourself!
Ask whenever you have a question.In an online environment we cannot see your faces to know if you are understanding the content or assignments. The only way we know if you need help is if you ask!
Socialize with family and friends
Sometimes an online environment can be lonely and repetitive. It’s important to make sure you continue to reach out and connect with your friends and family. Actually Connect! Meet for a cup of coffee or a treat and talk face to face.
Set your environment for success
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Put away the phone and other distractions.
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Make doing your schoolwork a priority!
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Find a separate space in your environment that is just for schoolwork
We are accepting part-time or full-time registrations for the 2024-2025 school year!
