The Warren County R-III School Board voted last week to try and upgrade the school district’s alternative school to enable more students to attend.

Currently, the alternative school, or “Alpha Academy,” is based in a converted trailer located on Vosholl Avenue near Daniel Boone Elementary. The existing space can accommodate the school’s current enrollment of 25, but is stretched to the limit. Currently, there is a waiting list of about 25 more students who want to attend, but are being turned away because of space limitations. 

“We need be able to accommodate more students who want and need to graduate and then go on to good jobs and become productive citizens,” said Board Secretary Jan Sutherland. “Not every student is successful in a traditional classroom setting, and alternative schools are vital to making sure we are offering all of our students the resources they need to succeed.”

Sutherland said that providing a robust alternative program can positively affect the district’s dropout rate, now at roughly 4 percent, which factors into the district’s overall performance scorecard from the state.

Sutherland made the motion that administrators immediately begin considering the district’s needs in this area and the resources necessary for construction of a new alternative school. The motion was unanimously approved by the board. The board and administrators agreed to put the study on a fast track for a second semester 2011 timetable for having the new facility in place. The upgrade likely would be funded through the district’s existing capital budget.

Earlier this summer the board received a report from district architects Dickinson Hussman Architects (DHA) that outlined findings from a comprehensive audit of current facilities. The audit is the first phase in creating a long-range facilities plan to address the school’s numerous building and facilities needs. In its report, DHA noted that the classroom trailer for the alternative school should not be a permanent solution, noting less-than-ideal lighting and air flow, crowded conditions and safety inadequacy in the event of major storms. At that time,  Superintendent Dr. John Long said finding a better more permanent solution was at the top of his priorities.

High School Principal Jeremy Way told the board there are numerous options that could serve the program well. Troy, for example,  houses its alternative school in the district’s transportation building, which already has plumbing, electricity and technology infrastructure set up for the school to tap into. 

Board President Teresa Scott acknowledged during the meeting that the board has talked for some time about coming up with a better solution. 

“I don’t think we should drag our feet on this,” she told the board.

To accommodate more students in the program, the school may follow other districts that have two on-site sessions each day and that enable more time doing hands-on work in the community as part of the program. 

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Tom Jaeger told the group that an ideal situation also would include child care for teens with babies or young children.

“Improving our alternative program is a good move for everyone, letting every student in both traditional and nontraditional settings learn in the most productive environment,” Sutherland said.