Alternative Education School Handbook

Organization

The Presque Isle Alternative High School is organized and funded under the authority of M.S.A.D. #1. It is an accredited high school program offering students educational support resulting in the opportunity to earn credits towards a high school diploma.

Administration

Presque Isle Alternative High School is under the administration of Eric Waddell, Principal, Donna Lisnik, Assistant Principal, and Dave Bartlett, Head Teacher of Presque Isle Alternative High School. The school is located at 25 Northern Road. The phone number is 768-3386.

School Calendar

The school calendar runs the same as Presque Isle High School. Classes are scheduled Monday through Friday from 8:20-2:35.

Staff

In order to accommodate the wide variety of individual student needs, the school employs 2 full-time teachers and 2 full-time educational technicians. Presently the staff includes:

• Dave Bartlett, Head Teacher
• Judy Ireland, Teacher
• Kerry Hendrickson, Educational Technician
• Nora LaJoie, Educational Technician

Enrollment and Application Procedure

Students wishing to attend the program must be enrolled at PIHS. Either the student, a parent, or a staff member of PIHS can make a referral. At this time, the alternative committee will make a recommendation as to whether the student is a potential candidate. Upon receiving a referral and prior to the committee approved interview, the staff at the alternative program will complete an information gathering process (attendance record, transcript, teacher reports, social worker reports, behavioral histories, etc.). After completion of this research, an interview will be conducted and a recommendation will be voted on at the next committee meeting. It must be noted that this program is not intended to enroll students who are seen as behavior problems or substance abusers. It is also assumed that students enrolled in alternative ed., will eventually gain self-confidence and skills necessary to return to the high school.

Basic Admission Requirements

• Desire by student to attend
• Parental support of placement
• Student and parent interview
• Team decision for placement
• Student must not have any unresolved disciplinary issues at PIHS

Goals of the program

1. Complete credits towards high school diploma.
2. Develop skills needed to succeed in regular education program.
3. Return to high school when appropriate.
4. Develop life and job skills enabling students to lead productive lives and become assets to the community.
5. Increase self-confidence through success.
6. Meet Maine State Learning Results.

Option to Earn Work Credit

Rationale: “Teens want to be treated like adults, be actively engaged in making decisions about their futures, need realistic ‘personal learning plans’, need their experiences tailored to their interests and future goals, and need to establish ‘concrete, meaningful relationships between effort and achievement in school and the labor market and life’.”

—Promising Futures.

Work Credit Goals

• Locate resources to assist in job searching (B-2, D-1)
• Complete self-assessments and inventories to analyze career options best suited to their individual personalities and skills (A-2, B-1, C-1)
• Possess characteristics of responsible future employees by completing job etiquette tasks and developing confidence in functioning positively in groups/teams (A-1, C-2, C-5)
• Demonstrate an understanding of involuntary changes in employment, reasons for safety rules, and labor laws (B-4, C-3, C-5, D-2)
• Utilize functional academic knowledge in reading, math, and written/oral language to solve career related issues (A-2, C-1)
• To be able to prepare a career portfolio as a way to gain entry into a workplace (C-1)

To Earn Credit The Student MUST:

1. Receive approval from head teacher for credit eligibility.
2. Turn in pay stubs weekly (or bi-weekly pending pay periods).
3. Be gainfully employed at a job until the end of the school year (seasonal employment will not be approved towards work credit).
4. Receive satisfactorily evaluations from employer.

For every 200 hours, a student may earn 1 credit; maximum of 2 credits per year, for up to two years only.

Option to earn volunteer credit

Rationale: PIAHS would like to assume a leadership role in developing positive school/community relations. We believe students can provide volunteer services to community agencies and organizations that will complement educational and related efforts of the school.

Volunteer Credit Goals:

• Student will be actively engaged in community
• Student will be intrinsically rewarded for their services
• Student will develop needed relationships with various agencies and the people who benefit from those agencies

To Earn Credit The Student MUST:

1. Seek approval and discuss responsibilities with head teacher.
2. Keep weekly time log, verified by volunteer agency supervisor.
3. Complete any written assignments that may be required.
4. Work 200 hours to complete one credit, maximum of 2 credits per year, up to two years only.

Volunteer Credit options may include: hospitals, libraries, parks & rec, nursing homes, food pantries, Red Cross, and daycare centers.

*** Note: Court Issued Community Service will not count towards the school-related volunteer credit option.

School Newsletters

As part of the English curriculum, students may be required to submit one news article per month for the monthly PIAHS Newsletter. This is just one way we share and showcase what’s happening here at school. Additionally, the newsletter includes important dates of school functions and updates on work credit hours.