Proposal Summary
This proposal is designed to maximize the diversity of school options for all Juneau high school students by creating new, innovative educational structures while continuing the path of improvement that JDHS has started. This will be accomplished by offering significantly different programs at three facilities:
Juneau-Douglas High SchoolJ will model itself as a reformed, comprehensive high school with numerous electives and extra curricular programs, along with core courses. JDHS will address greater student success by developing smaller, personalized learning communities within the school. The Freshmen First focus for younger students transitioning into high school will continue.
Yaakoosge Daakahidi will provide an option for students desiring flexible, alternative, educational options in a structured and supportive setting.
Thunder Mountain High School will provide several small high schools for students desiring project and performance-based learning in theme-based, career academies. The school will feature smaller groups of teacher teams with common planning time, working to develop interdisciplinary curricula and providing guidance for students during advisory periods. Academies might include Career and Technical, place-based Alaska Native Education, Science Academy, and Early College.
Section One: Program Proposal Description
Overall Description of Program Proposal
This proposal is designed to maximize the diversity of school options for all Juneau high school students by creating new, innovative educational structures while causing the least amount of disruption of existing quality programs.
This is accomplished by offering significantly different programs at three facilities:
1. Juneau Douglas High School – A large, reformed comprehensive high school with numerous electives and extra curricular programs along with core courses. JDHS will continue to address greater student success by developing smaller, personalized learning communities within the school; and by continuing their Freshmen First focus for younger students transitioning into high school.
2. YaaKoosge – A small high school for students desiring flexible, alternative educational options in a structured and supportive setting.
3. Thunder Mountain High School – A small high school for students desiring project and performance based learning in theme based/career academies. The school features smaller groups of teacher teams with common planning time, working to develop interdisciplinary curricula and providing guidance for students during advisory periods. Extra-curricular activities and sports are supported according to the desires of the TMHS community.
Goals of Program Proposal
• Create diverse programs, providing more real choices for all students.
• Help all students stay engaged and enjoy greater success in and after high school.
• Preserve and improve upon existing quality programs at JDHS and Ya Koos.
• Take advantage of opening a new facility to innovate programs not practical within the structures of JDHS.
• Allow TMHS to develop its own population, culture, programs, sports and activities gradually with a multi-year phase-in.
• Develop strong program relationships between TMHS, UAS and other partners.
• Take advantage of the benefits of having both - a large high school and small high schools in the same community.
What would the program look like from a student’s viewpoint?
Students overwhelmingly prefer and benefit from the opportunity to explore options and make choices.Instead of going to the school assigned to the family based on where they live, a student be allowed to choose the school that best suited their needs and interests on a variety of levels, including:
- Location
- Academic methodology
- Social connections
- Career interests
- Special programs (art, music, vocational shops, etc.)
- Activities and/or sports
- Other….?
Alignment with Best Practices & Research
JDHS aligns with Best Practices & Research (B,P&R) as it continues in its efforts to create smaller learning communities within the building. JDHS is also vigorously applying its Freshman First policy to assure that more attention and support is given to students when they need it most. Creating a more personal environment at JDHS is an area of some of the most dramatic change at JDHS in recent history.
Yaakoosge aligns with B,P&R by virtue of its small size (150 max) and programmatic flexibility.
TMHS aligns with B,P&R by virtue of its smaller size, programmatic flexibility and use of partnerships, career pathways and/or academic themes to identify and meet student needs.
Models for Program
- Juneau Douglas High School
- Yaakoosge High School
- Mapleton High School and/or many others
How Programs Addresses Data and Implications
- The local data demonstrates that students are not successful for a variety of reasons. Indicators of risk include younger students, minority students, low-income students. Fewer male students finish high school successfully than females.
- This program model creates more choices for students who may feel marginalized within the limitations of present programs. Decreasing the population density within the present facility makes JDHS a more personal school where more students are known better by adults and other students.
- Allowing students to choose a smaller program in another facility further allows students to enjoy greater familiarity and acceptance within their school community.
- Allowing students to choose programs that better suit their interests and style creates greater relevance for them and more engagement in their learning. This should lead to greater student success and fewer students leaving school early.
Description of Classroom Instruction
JDHS – A variety of classroom methods depending on the teachers’ style and curriculum. Possible use of special techniques such as teaming, looping, block scheduling, and AP courses along with core subjects. Students also select courses from a variety of electives in arts, humanities, vocational, math, sciences, and P.E..
TMHS – Teams of teachers collaborating within the context of common prep time to facilitate learning which is more integrated thematically than is the case in a traditional high school with separate classes for each course of study. As a smaller school, time and other structures are more flexible and allow for more dynamic possibilities within the day.
Utilization of School/Community Facilities
- Students attending JDHS would have priority use of shops, pool, and other limited resources. TMHS would have priority access to special facilities on its campus
- JDHS, TMHS and Yaakoosge students should have access agreements to all facilities as they have need or desire.
Section Two: Rationale for Program Proposal
Describe the Proposal’s Alignment with the following:
Action Belief Statements
All these truths are embedded within the philosophy and structures described for JDHS, YK and TMHS.
Interests of Community
- Creates diversity of choices for all families & students.
- Maintenance of existing strong programs.
- Having choices minimizes division in community, ie. Valley vs. Town
- Creates authentic small school options to support students who may not thrive in a large, comprehensive high school.
District’s Strategic Plan, Goals, and work JDHS is currently undertaking
This proposal supports and builds on the present work of the District, Ya Koos and JDHS in creating a more responsive educational environment and opportunities for Juneau’s high school students.
Section Three: Implementation and Other Factors
Describe how the Program Proposal will impact and provide guidance in making decisions around the following:
School Boundaries
- No Boundaries.
- Boundaries create division.
- Schools of choice remove boundaries and create opportunities
Activities & Athletics
Each school should be allowed to sanction whatever sports and activities their respective communities desire and will support.
What would be the recommendation for the beginning year and possible school enrollment?
The program and population of TMHS should be phased-in over 3-5 years to create a smoother transition into the larger educational community. The program should start with Frosh only or Frosh/Soph combination. For each successive year, more teacher teams and students would be added until the school is at its optimal population.
Special support and resources must be directed toward TMHS during its opening years of transition. Efforts to maintain cultural diversity at all schools are particularly important as any new school comes online.
Describe issues, other obstacles, and questions associated with the Program Proposal.
Some community members may prefer evenly splitting the schools and attempting to balance the populations, programs, extra-curricular activities and sports using a geographic boundary to determine enrollment.
Transportation systems will need to adapt to move students to schools of their choice.
Overall, how will this program proposal meet the needs of all students in Juneau?
- This program proposal will best meet the needs of all students in Juneau by allowing them to choose the school and program that best meets their individual educational needs.
- This program preserves the scope and quality of Yaakoosge and JDHS programs for the many students they serve well.
- This proposal supports innovation and personalization at all three schools.
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