Avon roller rink provides alternative e-learning space
AVON, Ind. (WISH) — With e-learning, parents can have a hard time trying to be a pseudo teacher or help when their student is stuck. If parents also have to go to work, it can especially be difficult.
This year, a roller rink may provide some solutions for families in Avon.
From the outside, Hot Skates in Avon looks like your average roller rink, but when taking a closer look, it’s a safe space for e-learning. Walls are now covered in educational material where it would normally be covered in neon paint.
Parents can drop off their kids in a makeshift classroom to do their individual e-learning while still getting help from a teacher and dedicated staff. This way students can also learn beyond the material included in their daily lessons.
“Our STEAM is science, technology, engineering, art and math,” Hot Skates general manager Nancy Flowers said. “So we’ll have all those different activities. They’ll each have their own supplies so they aren’t touching other kids or the supplies so that’s going to be something else that we’re going to offer after their e-learning is done.”
The program will be $25 per academic day. The roller rink will have before and after-school care, but that will come at $10 more. They’ll stick to COVID guidelines for schools, everyone will be screened at the door and class sizes will be limited to keep students safe.
“I saw so much on Facebook,” Flowers said. “These parents were frantic trying to find a safe place. Like I said, we only want to keep it up to 60 kids because we can- I mean, I can fit a lot more kids in here. We just want to start off helping our community up to 60 kids.”
But this isn’t a normal classroom, and Hot Skates isn’t forgetting it is also a roller rink. Skating and playing games will be reserved for after class, but they have other ways to help make learning fun.
“Every week if someone comes in, they get a present every day, they get all their e-learning done they’re going to win prizes from our stuff shop,” Flowers said. “Well, then, you might win a free skating party. So we’re going to make it fun for them.”
Hot Skates is calling this an e-learning camp. They want to make sure parents know that, while learning is the priority, this isn’t a substitute for school.
“This is not better, we don’t feel this is better than a school,” Flowers said. “It’s just an alternative that will make kids and parents feel comfortable knowing that their child is protected in here at all times and we’re practicing the social distancing.”
Hot Skates says they’re primarily looking at students in Hendricks county for the program. Flowers hopes the program can be up and running in mid-August. If your student would like to register you can visit the Hot Skates website or call Hot Skates at (317) 272-0873.