Former teacher launches educational enrichment program offering flexible learning for families

MARTINSBURG — Local mom and certified teacher Kacy Harmon is starting a new program focusing on Educational Enrichment, giving families another alternative pathway for their students. Beginning this fall, she will gather a small group of students for three-to-four-week sessions that will enhance their learning experience.

Harmon first began teaching at Mill Creek Intermediate School as a fourth and fifth grade teacher and later switched to teaching virtually through Berkeley County Schools. She decided to take a break from teaching to focus on her family, but now she’s ready to step back into a teaching role. Through her experience teaching students virtually, she noticed that many families wanted a different alternative to education where they could still have the flexibility of virtual learning or homeschooling but have the structure and opportunity to learn under someone else. That’s when she had the idea to start offering enrichment classes.

“I hear most people choose the virtual or homeschool pathway because they want flexibility, and they want the freedom to make their own schedule and make learning how they feel learning should be,” Harmon said. “But I still hear parents say they want their kids involved with other kids their age and want them to learn from other adults, not just the parents themselves. So, I wanted to be something that still allows parents to be the number one role but still feel supported and still gives them flexibility.”

Her plan is to offer four sessions throughout the fall where kids will meet in downtown Martinsburg at 615 Winchester Avenue. This central location will give parents the chance to run errands while their kids learn. They will meet once on Tuesday or Thursday for three to four weeks, focusing on different topics every session and completing different STEAM projects, crafts, games and other hands-on activities. The first session “We’re All Wonders” will focus on the book “Wonder” by R. J. Palacio, teaching kids that they do belong and helping them build confidence and social-emotional skills.

Harmon’s main goal for this program is to make learning fun for students. She wants to create an environment where kids want to come back and look forward to connecting with friends and learning in an interactive way. As a virtual teaching, she remembers hearing from parents how excited her students were for her weekly check-ins. In meant a lot to her and she hopes to create that same feeling.

“There are always those days when you wake up and you’re like, ‘oh, I don’t want to go to work’ or ‘I don’t want to go to school,’” Harmon said. “But at least my students knew it was going to be a good day, and they looked forward to it.”

Not only does she want kids to enjoy learning, but she wants both the students and the parents to feel supported. As a certified k-6 teacher with a master’s degree in reading, Harmon has the experience to guide parents when they need it, so they don’t feel alone. Harmon hopes to work with both virtual students and homeschoolers and is also listed on the West Virginia Hope Scholarship Marketplace so every student can take advantage of the opportunity if they are interested.

Harmon is excited to start working with students starting this September. The first session will be split into two with kindergarten through 3rd grade meeting Tuesdays and 3rd to 6th grade on Thursdays. For more information about the program, visit the “Kacy Harmon – Educational Enrichment” Facebook page where families can also find the link to enroll.