That Stands for Maximum Achievement Program

1

WELCOME

These pages contain the policies and practices of the Dillingham City School District Alternative High School Program, commonly called MAP.

That stands for Maximum Achievement Program.

We believe you can achieve your maximum potential in this Program.

This booklet is really written into two parts. First, you will read a description of how the school operates. Then, starting on page eleven, you will read about what is expected of you when you are a MAP student.

INTRODUCTION

MAP stresses academic, social, and career/technical skills. We teach a balance of these, giving you a fresh start towards your future.

A committed student may take advantage of the following opportunities through MAP.

Receiving your high school diploma

Passing the Alaska High School Graduation Qualifying Exam (HSGQE)

Career/technical guidance and job training

Getting dual credit from UAF-BB

Help with planning your future

Earn a CDA or an Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education

MAP is organized to accommodate individual needs. You will be working in a more “one-on-one” environment with a stronger focus on career/technical and social skills than in a traditional high school. MAP, through our partners, can also provide many additional services, such as counseling, childcare, job training, and more.

The staff at MAP will not give up on you. Our objective is simple: to help you achieve your academic and career/technical goals. There is a challenge in being a MAP student. Although you will receive plenty of assistance in achieving your goals, you are responsible for your own education—you must be motivated to learn independently to achieve your maximum potential.

The rules you read in this Handbook are guidelines. Because everyone is different and situations can differ, the rules stated here are not set in concrete. But, they apply unless you have been informed otherwise. So read carefully and make sure you understand how we operate, what we offer, and what we expect.

APPLYING

You can request an application packet from our office at any time. The packet contains all the forms you need to apply. You should read the instructions carefully and complete the documents as directed. There are forms for you and your parent to fill out and forms for your parent/guardian to complete. (If you are 18 years old or older you may not require a parental signature, but the parent forms still need to be filled out). You will also need to get two references—the forms are in the packet.

When all of the forms are complete, a student committee will interview you. The committee makes a recommendation to the Principal. The Secretary / Registrar then conducts a formal interview with you.

All written application materials must be completed at least one week before the beginning of the mini-term you wish to enter. Interviews and testing will be done the week before the beginning of the mini-term.

GETTING ACCEPTED

If you are accepted as a student in the Alternative Program, it is because we believe this is the best place for you. We believe you can succeed at any goal you set.

When you are accepted, the first thing we do is assign you a Teacher Advisor team. Your Teacher Advisors are two adults in the Alternative Program who guide you through school. You will be assigned either to Bill Rodawalt and Sam Brannon OR John Montooth and Karl Clark. They will work to learn what credits you need, what your interests are, and how you like to learn. Your Teacher Advisors will be your best advocates in the Alternative Program.

Next, we find out your reading level and your math abilities. We use Measured Academic Progress Exam (MAPE). It gives your Teacher Advisors vital information about what skills you have and what skills you need. Your education program will be individualized to meet your needs and this is where we start.

After that, you will look at what credits you have and what credits you need to graduate. This gives you and your Teacher Advisors more information to help you get started the right way.

Personal Learning Plan

Finally when you are accepted, your Teacher Advisors work with you to create your original Personal Learning Plan (PLP). Your PLP will contain your long-range goals and the immediate steps you will take at school and work in order to reach your goals. Think carefully about this Plan. It forms the foundation of all that you will do on your way to graduation and beyond. Your Personal Learning Plan—your PLP—is updated every six weeks. Your PLPs become part of your permanent school file, showing all the work you were assigned.

Re-Applying to the Program

There may be a time when you might leave the Alternative Program. If you leave and go to another school, you are always welcome to reapply. If you leave because you were not able to fulfill a contract or because of a serious offense or for repeated misbehaviors that you failed to correct, then you may usually reapply after one complete Mini-Term out of the Program. You can only do this ONCE per year. You may also need to meet other conditions (i.e. holding a job for a periods of time) before you are eligible for re-entry. Exceptions to this time requirement can be made, depending on circumstances. Students who leave MAP are always encouraged to come back. We believe you can succeed here or we would not have accepted you. However, chronic breaking of contracts may be an indication that MAP is not for you. If you continually break contracts, we may offer to help you investigate alternate educational opportunities.

EARNING CREDIT

Graduation Requirements

Although the route through MAP to graduation is different for each student, the credit requirements to receive a diploma are the same for everyone.

English4.0Social Studies 3.5Math 2.0

Science2.0Health.50P.E.1.5

Keyboarding .50Computer Apps .50Volunteer.50

Voc. Ed.2.0Electives5.0Total22.0

Social Studies includes: Alaska History .50, US History 1.0, Social Studies Electives 1.0, Government .50, Economics .50

Keyboarding Requires 35 Words Per Minute

Starting with the graduating class of 2012, students will be required to complete 23 credits including an addition .50 in Math and .50 in Science

To receive a diploma, you must also pass the Alaska High School Graduation Qualifying Exam. You can begin taking this test as a tenth grader and MAP staff will provide the assistance you need to pass. MAP staff will help you design an individualized plan that includes the courses you need to pass the exit exam and graduate. As an alternative to graduation, you can choose to earn your GED. We work in association with UAF-BB to assist you in meeting this goal. The Adult Learning Center operates the GED program and MAP staff members may serve as tutors.

Mini-Terms, Personal Learning Plans, Grades, Credits

Unlike a traditional high school, the school year in the Alternate Program is divided into six-week Mini-Terms. Full time students are enrolled for 30 hours per week. This 30 hours is split between 15 hours devoted to academics and 15 hours devoted to on-the-job training.

If you are motivated and self-directed, you are able to earn 1 to 1½ credits in a six-week Mini-Term. Credit is awarded at the end of each Mini-Term. Since you should earn at least one credit in each Mini-Term, earning less than .75 credits will mean that you are not progressing at an adequate rate. You would therefore be put on a Progress Contract.

Personal Learning Plan

Each student, with the help of your Teacher Advisor, creates a Personal Learning Plan (PLP). It contains your goals and assignments for the up-coming six weeks. The PLP tells you what quality work “looks like,” so you know what you have to do to earn credit. This Plan is updated every Mini-Term.

Your individual needs determine the focus of your Personal Learning Plans. Social skills are stressed and career/technical opportunities are presented. Academic work centers on mastering basic skills, earning credits towards your high school diploma, and passing the Alaska High School Graduation Qualifying Exam. Career/technical work focuses on preparing you for the workplace, exploring various occupations, on-the-job training, and paid employment. Social skills work centers on a positive attitude and appropriate social behavior and giving back to the community as a good citizen.

Grading

An “A, B, C, I, N” grading system is used to evaluate student productivity and to determine progress, probation, and termination. (You will read about probation and termination later in this booklet.)

AExcellent - beyond the norm

BAbove average

CMeets minimum course requirements

IIncomplete (if not completed within two mini-terms, an I will become an N)

NNo grade (the class will have to be retaken)

There are no D or F grades. We believe every student can succeed. No credit is ever awarded for work that is less than satisfactory. Classes are standards-based. While we track your hours in school, credits are really based on your accomplishments and understanding of the required material. When you can demonstrate knowledge and mastery of a course then credit will be awarded.

Under certain circumstances, students may opt to receive pass/no pass grades in lieu of letter grades. This applies only to certain courses and individual circumstances.

Career/Technical

The career/technical or work experience portion of MAP helps you explore a wide range of occupations, learn to be on time and keep a work schedule, and be responsive to supervisors, clients, and co-workers. We also work with you to help you understand the role of personal initiative in the workplace.

Our career/technical program begins with an assessment of your interests and abilities in our World of Work course. In class, you explore various occupations available in the community and demonstrate your knowledge, skill, and readiness for entrance into the work force. When you have completed introductory World of Work lessons successfully, our Job Development and Placement Guide will help you to find employment, for which you can earn work experience credit. Students new to MAP must have a job within four to six weeks of enrolling in MAP. Continuing students must have a job within three weeks of the start of school. If you do not have a job within the specified amount of time, you will be assigned volunteer hours in the ITLC or other volunteer position, which will count toward credit.

Work experience earns credits towards graduation. To earn credit, you must work and complete school assignments. Employers help to train you and they assist the MAP Job Development and Placement Guide in evaluating your performance. You will turn in timesheets EVERY Monday. Students who turn in timesheet on time will be entered into a drawing for a weekly prize.

Training and credit for employment are based on state and national employability standards. Employability skills will be coached and counseled to help you meet those standards to become a valued employee. As an employee you will be monitored and evaluated not only by your employer but also by MAP staff.

Our goal is to provide school-based and workplace-based learning that leads not only to a diploma but also a career.

Volunteering, Parenting, and Infant/Toddler Learning Center

Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year students at MAP will be required to participate in volunteer service during the school day two Fridays per month. These opportunities will last for between one half hour and one hour in duration and will count towards the volunteer service requirements for graduation.

Also beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, the Infant and Toddler Learning Center for children from birth to 3 years of age will be run by BBNA. Students will still be eligible to have their children enrolled in the program, however there may be additional paperwork needed through BBNA for students to demonstrate their need for child care.

Students may also be eligible for employment at the Infant and Toddler Learning Center, but all decisions regarding employment will be made by BBNA.

Dual Credit

For some courses taught at MAP you can earn both high school and college credits, through an agreement with UAF-BB. Check with your teachers to determine if this option is available for your MAP classes. There are also frequent offerings of courses you can take at UAF-BB for which MAP will also give high school credit. These classes are well advertised and often there is tuition money available.

University classes earn high school credits in the following amounts:

1 college credit =.25 high school credit

1.5 to 2.9 college credits=.50 high school credit

3.0 college credits=1.00 high school credit

Report Cards and Student-Led Conferences

Report cards are issued at the end of each Mini-Term, which is every six weeks. The credits and grades reported at the end of the Mini-Term are earned; these are not “progress reports.”

Three times during the year, you will conduct a conference, in school, with your parent or guardian. These required conferences are your opportunity to report clearly what you have done in the Alternative Program over the previous two Mini-Terms. The conferences are an opportunity for public speaking and for honest reflection on your efforts and your learning. Student-led conferences are required MAP activities.

Parents and guardians can request to meet with Teacher Advisors and MAP staff at any time to ensure that students are making progress.

Daily Class Schedule

Daily Schedule

Each school day begins at 8:40 and ends at 3:00 (except Wednesday, when the school day ends at 2:10). You are expected to be here every day from 8:40 to 3:00. Breaks are at 9:30, 10:30, 1:00, and 2:00 and are ten minutes each. Breakfast is served at school between 8:15 and 8:35. Lunch is served at school between 11:30 and 12:10. As the need arises, announcements and meetings will be done during the first hour in the morning and afternoon. Note that on Wednesdays, the schedule is slightly different and that and on Fridays, afternoon students will be required to come in for one hour after lunch to meet with their advisors. Morning students will spend all morning Friday with their advisors.

All students enroll with the same schedule for 30 hours per week. When you get a job, your daily schedule will be altered to match the needs of your employer and you. The 30 hours is then divided, with at least 15 hours devoted to academics and at least 15 hours devoted to your job.

Buses

If you use school bus transportation, you will arrive at the high school around 8:30 and will have to walk to our area of the building. Buses leave from the high school around 3:05, which is why our day ends at 3:00.

Our students are not allowed to enter DHS until after 4:00 PM, or with prior permission. Please check in at their office if you need to be in the DHS portion of the building OR get a pass from the MAP staff.

SUPPORT

Teacher Advisors & Job Placement Guide

Each student, when accepted, is assigned to two staff members, who serve as the student’s advisors. The Teacher Advisors work with you, other MAP staff, and community agencies to prepare plans for you that include the most appropriate options for building your academic, career/technical, and social skills. Your Teacher Advisors monitor your progress and help you achieve your maximum potential. Teacher Advisors communicate with Native associations, social service agencies, and state agencies in the interests of students.

The biggest job of your Teacher Advisors is to know you and your needs. Your Teacher Advisors will help you write your original Personal Learning Plan and all the updates of your PLPs, based on what you want and need.

MAP has a Job Development and Placement Guide. The Job Development and Placement Guide secures job sites and assists employers, helps place students in jobs, transports students, on a temporary basis, to job sites, monitors job performance, assures that students are paid for good work, and troubleshoots issues that arise related to work performance.

Partner Services

Our Program is unique in that we have many community partners to assist us. Those partners enable us to provide benefits not commonly found in school. Some of these offerings are:

Child and family counseling from SAFE

Mental health services from Community Mental Health Center

Drug and alcohol counseling from Jake’s Place

Cultural and language preservation from Curyung Tribal Council

Childcare and teen parenting programs from BBNA

Job training and internships through BBEDC and BBNA Workforce Development

Our partners make the Alternative High School Program possible.

Student Committee