Huntington Developing Regular Day Alternative High School Program
Huntington school officials are moving to develop a full-fledged regular day alternative high school program in the hope of better addressing the needs of current high school students in the district who are at risk of academic failure and possibly not graduating.
Huntington School Board President Richard McGrath said “the program should also improve the overall academic classroom environment for the non-alternative high school students as well.”
The program, which will feature its own principal, will be housed at Huntington High School and will operate alongside current classes. The principal’s position will incorporate all programs for students who have been identified as at-risk in terms of not reaching academic requirements for high school graduation.
For several years there has been an alternative high school program operating in the late afternoon and early evening hours after the close of the regular school day. Recently, it has mainly included regular day students that need to make up a course. District officials want to improve that model and enlarge the pool of students who could benefit from an alternative approach and make it a fully functional and comprehensive program.
The principal will be asked to analyze current student achievement data and research and design an alternative high school program that infuses what is currently in place with new and creative designs for the future.
The program will be shaped as a parallel school that offers different opportunities for students who struggle on their way toward eventual graduation. Courses will be specially designed to meet the specific needs of those at-risk of failure. Alternate methods of evaluating students will be explored, as well.
Unlike the after school alternative high school program, the new regular day model will allow students enrolled in it to participate fully in interscholastic athletics and intramurals or any of the dozens of clubs the school offers. Students will also be able to maintain after school jobs or meet other personal and family commitments.
Students who often grow frustrated or even disaffected in the regular day program will be able to participate in classes focused entirely on their needs.
District officials believe that since the academic success of students assigned to the alternative program will be very dependent on connections to the home and outside world, extra efforts will be made to establish strong relationships with parents and community leaders.
The district is hopeful the enhanced alternative program will pay dividends for all high school students, including those in the traditional program.
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