Patricia Shelton
“After a year with access to adequate computers, Wi-Fi, and the program’s full selection of online courses, 12 of the 13 students who began the 2016-2017 school year successfully graduated.”
– Patricia Shelton
Eatonville High School’s alternative learning program accommodates students—most of whom are credit deficient or at risk of not graduating—in an independent, non-traditional setting.
Many of these students come from homes with backgrounds of drug and alcohol abuse; have been or are currently homeless; are sustaining jobs and thus need an alternative school schedule; and/or struggle with anxiety. Occasionally, formerly-homeschooled students who are uninterested in brick-and-mortar high school settings will seek opportunity with the program.
When the program recently shifted from offering limited online material to complete online learning, students needed access to computers.
Initially, without additional funds, the lab was provided ten year old reconditioned computers from another school district. The computers did not have Wi-Fi capacity, were unable to host the full curriculum, and thus could not sufficiently fulfill students’ curricular needs.
The Innovative Educator Prize changed everything. The money enabled us to purchase 32 Chromebooks with full Wi-Fi connection. The Chromebooks allowed the students to find a place to work and feel comfortable; the class zoomed.
After a year with access to adequate computers, Wi-Fi, and the program’s full selection of online courses, 12 of the 13 students who began the 2016-2017 school year successfully graduated.