Alternate Education In Michigan
Posted on 05. Feb, 2010 by Brad in Education | Twitter: @bradhart |
While I am not in favor of using the separate but equal approach they are trying in Massachusetts I am quite in favor of being inovative in our approach to academics.
The Oakland Press: The best place for news in and around Oakland County
Ex-dropouts attribute success to alternative high schools
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Saturday, November 1, 2008 7:39 AM EDT
By DIANA DILLABER MURRAY
Of The Oakland PressFormer dropouts gave credit to alternative high schools Friday for providing a sense of belonging and individual academic help that has made them successful in school.
Several students at an Oa k land Dropout Prevention Summit Friday morning told of their heartaches and successes and praised principals and tea chers from Niles Alternative High School in Troy, Walled Lake Community High School and Ferndale’s high school completion program. In Oakland County, the combined dropout rate is 9 percent. Statewide, 21,000 students drop out annually.
Chelsea Hotchkin, 17, told the packed audience she just didn’t fit in at her former large high school. She would pretend to be sick to stay home.
“I went to Walled Lake Community High School. I had heard bad things about it. But they were like a family. They welcomed you. Now I am a mentor and an ambassador.
“I never before passed a class,” Chelsea said. Now she plans to go to Wayne State University and major in chemistry.
“When I saw my first report card, I started crying. It was my first A.
“My parents were so proud of me, they bought me a car,” she said.
Marlana Krolicki, Oakland Schools consultant, organized the countywide event and Robert Martin, a consultant in school quality, introduced the student panel.
Representatives from all of Oakland County’s 28 school districts attended the summit.
Also there to give advice on how to make high schools more welcoming were Southfield and Berkley students from Tri-County Educational Center, and Oakland County students who attend the Michigan Youth Challenge Academy in Battle Creek — a military-type alternative school open to 300 students.
Students told of ending up in alternative schools because of a death of a loved one, problems at home, bullying or harassment at school, pregnancy, not caring, getting into fights, truancy, wanting to be with friends, helping out with family, being bored or wanting a job and independence.
Besides a sense of belonging, the alternative schools provided one-on-one help, counseling, encouragement and work at their own level. Almost all students plan on going to college.
Erica Quick, 19, of Walled Lake, who dropped out and moved to Florida and got a job at age 15, now gets As and Bs at Community High and plans on attending college.
Tommy Yousif’s father died in 2005. In three years, he earned only eight credits. At Niles, he earned eight the first year.
“All the teachers are the best. They care about you.”
Sable Haney, 18, of Troy, who went to Niles after she got pregnant with her 2-year-old, will graduate in January. Shaun Asmar, 16, of Wixom, now gets As and Bs.
Shawna Graves, 16, of Clawson, struggled at five high schools and earned no credits before Niles. Tre Johnson, 17, of Troy, had been to three districts, missed classes and had falling grades. At Niles, he bonded with teachers for the first time.
It was a long, tough road that led Samantha Freeman, 24, of Detroit, to Ferndale’s adult education and her current success in school. She received a standing ovation
Originally posted 2008-11-01 12:06:24. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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Sprinkler
03. Nov, 2008
It is never too late to be educated. We need more good education systems that adapt to the need of the drop outs.
Marlana Krolicki
03. Nov, 2008
there is a close relationship between alternative ed and our potential dropout. These programs offer great solutions for many of our unengaged students. The Summit was our first step for each community to see what their problems are, what their solutions can be, and how all stakeholders in the community can work to be sure that 100% of our students complet their high school education and are fully prepared for their next steps in college and career.
That takes all of us committed to working for our solutions. Lots of great energy to start, now to keep in going!
Marlana Krolicki’s last blog post..Pre-college conference at MSU