If one thing’s for sure, the world has changed dramatically since March of this year in nearly every way. With the immediate move from in-class teaching to a mostly online format for many schools across the country, teachers, school administration, students and parents have had to be adaptable, resilient and flexible when it came to what school looked like with each new day. As these changes became more prevalent with no end in sight, Apex Leadership Co. knew they needed to respond the same way — being adaptable, flexible, and resilient while remaining a solid partner for schools to continue to help build leaders and raise funds — all while ensuring safety for students, school staff, and Apex team leaders. The company immediately evolved their program formats to offer something for everyone — with the introduction of Apex Virtual designed for distance learning, hybrid models and every other variable in between.

Dedicated to providing daily online leadership lessons, access codes to personal pledge pages for contactless fundraising, powerful back-end site, the Share Wizard, and more, Apex Virtual offers principals, teachers, and parents the opportunity to determine which format works best for their school fundraiser. Correlating with the MIGHTY Show theme for the 20-21 school year, Apex Virtual promises a “MIGHTY Year” for schools that partner with the organization for a safe fundraiser. The MIGHTY Year represents:

Meeting Your Needs — Apex Virtual aims to be adaptable to any mode of learning to ensure any school campus has a safe and successful experience.

Individualized Lessons — Daily Character Education lessons can be done via video to give everyone access to participate and join in on the fun.

Go Online — Sponsors can add a pledge for multiple students at once and pay their donation online ensuring contactless payment and safety first!

Home or School — As it has done in the past in the classrooms, the Apex Team will continue to encourage, engage with, and challenge students throughout the course of the fundraising program whether they are learning at home or on campus.

Technology — Families can expand their fundraising reach by using Apex’s Share Wizard to share out with family and friends all over the world via email, phone number and social media.

Your Safety — Executing each school’s program safely is Apex Leadership Co.’s No. 1 priority.

While some of the happenings and events that took place in a traditional Apex fundraising program may look a little different this school year, Apex Virtual provides the same individualized attention, energy and dedication while being flexible to offer these things in person, online or at a distance. For example:

Teacher Huddles and Pep Rallies can be held in person as usual with all key members/students/staff in attendance; in person yet socially distanced using a larger space or breaking into smaller groups with any needed materials being emailed prior to reduce contact, or online via Zoom or other video conference format.

Leadership Lesson Days can remain in individual classes with students on campus; virtual leadership lessons can be performed live over Zoom or other preferred video conference platform; or video-based lessons can be played on video announcements or in class by the teacher to accommodate.

Thank You Gifts can be delivered via the format of the traditional Apex program (with Apex team members wearing gloves as needed) or prizes can be pre-bagged and delivered to classrooms each day, at the end of each week, or at the end of the virtual program.

Event Day can occur in a number of ways — in person per the traditional format; in person but in smaller groups in compliance with school guidelines (with additional tracks added to spread out students for example); in class Remix events with all the students remaining in their classrooms while Apex team leaders come to visit each classroom; or students can participate in a virtual modified Fun Run or Remix dance/fitness event at home. Programs can also be customized to include a “mix and match” of offerings to best suit each school’s needs based on district guidelines and the administration’s preference.

With the new Apex Virtual format, Apex Leadership Co. hopes to help students regain some normalcy as they go back to school — whatever that looks like for them, whether it be in class, online or via a hybrid option. While the Virtual program is modified from the traditional format, each option still offers students the same sense of excitement and connectivity of a traditional on-campus fundraiser while also offering limitless fundraising reach through its web-based format. Apex Leadership Co. aims to help students get excited about school again, to give them something to get involved in, and to help them connect with classmates, teachers, school staff and Apex athletes — even if virtually.

Through its programs, Apex also places emphasis on Social and Emotional Learning to help students (and adults) comprehend and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. These lessons are also incorporated into the program’s 20-21 MIGHTY leadership theme.

In addition to providing flexible options, Apex Leadership Co. has been dedicated to rolling out strict new guidelines for staff to follow to ensure the health and safety of staff and students. Apex Leadership Co. goes above and beyond both district and CDC guidelines, and staff are all currently undergoing a CDC-backed certification program on health, safety and proper sanitation techniques. Staff will also be certified by the ChildCare Education Institute and have their Health and Hygiene Certification on file with the State. For in-person events, the Apex team will:

  • Thoroughly clean contact points such as class light switches and door handles, as they move through the schoolwith sanitizing wipes with a minimum of 70 percent isopropyl alcohol
  • Take their temperature daily, stay home if they have a temperature above 100° F, and inform their supervisor of symptoms
  • Be attentive to symptoms within themselves and others by following the school’s policy on wearing PPE, and utilize proper and frequent hand washing techniques following CDC guidelines
  • Replace high fives with socially distant “air fives” or similar
  • Carry and use hand sanitizer if/when soap and water are not readily available
  • Practice social distancing when applicable
  • Communicate ways to reduce the spread of illness and reinforce good hygiene in the classroom at the end of each daily lesson with Apex’s refocus tip of the day
  • Follow all other school guidelines and policies related to COVID-19 health and safety

Apex Leadership Co. has worked diligently in the months since many schools switched to online/distance learning to ensure that they could offer the same benefits of their fundraising program in a variety of ways to meet the needs of schools regardless of whether they are in person, online or working with a hybrid back-to-school format. The safety and wellbeing of its employees and their customers (including school administration, staff, teachers, students and their families) in the communities that their branches serve remains a top priority. Apex Leadership Co. is excited to return to school in a brand new way and will continue to offer one-of-a-kind fundraising programs that provide schools and youth groups an opportunity to safely maximize their funds raised while providing students with an energetic program dedicated to leadership, fun and fitness.

Here you can download PDF. Apex Virtual
Here you can download PDF. Social Emotional Learning