State and Board approved with a focus on

Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements and Grade Level Equivalencies.

In addition, a variety of elective choices like band, foreign langauge, and many vocational offerings. Higher level electives like advanced placement offerings, calculus, physics, etc.

State and Board approved with a focus on

Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements and Grade Level Equivalencies.

In addition, many elective choices individualized with instructors. Not as many higher academic level electives.

Students are scheduled into classes according what they need to graduate, ability levels and if they have passed the prerequisite class. 

Instruction is delivered primarily in front of students with all students on the same page at the same time.

Students are scheuled into classes according to what courses they need in order to graduate. The instructor assesses the students ability and developes an individualized Student Responsility Contract (SRC) with each student, that outlines learning objectives, estimated contact time with the teacher in order time to complete the contract, assessment standards (80% minimum), and specific student responsibilities.

Instruction is delivered primarily one on one with the teacher.

Grading is based on how the student scores in comparison to others, daily work, test scores, attendance and extra credit work.

Grades are marked in compliance to the state wide high school academic transcripts regulations (marks A thru F, GPA calculations 0.0 - 4.0)

Students can pass a course with a minimum of 60% proficiency of learning objectives and they receive a mark of a "D."

Grades are based on the student meeting standard (80%) on each learning objective according to their Student Responsibility Contract (SRC) including daily work and test scores.

Grades are marked in compliance to the state wide high school academic transcripts regulations. However, a mark of "P" passing is the default grade mark for WestSide. Students must indicate with their teachers when setting up their SRC's that they are working towards a letter grade. "P" for passing means the student has mastered the material with an 80% proficiency rate. "P" for passing is equivalent to a "C" standardized grade mark.

Students pass a course when they have met standard on all learning objectives for each SRC. A student may not pass a course with less than 80% proficiency. Students are simply alotted more time and the teacher works with the student to adjust learning activities.

Traditional schools calculate high school credit according to how much time a student spends in a classroom chair (seat time). It is based on the "Carnegie Unit."  A Carnegie Unit is 160 hours of instruction which equals one high school credit. It has been used since the early 1900's and is still being used in our high schools today to determine state funding and credit attainment.

Since credit is based on both passing course objectives and mandatory attendance requirements, seat time is extremely important in a traditional system.

Students earn credit based on semester hours (approximately 80 hours of seat time) That is one reason why students who miss school or enroll late in the year, are in danger of passing a class.

Alternative programs do not assume that if a student is sitting in a classroom chair they are learning. Although attendance is important, in this system learning is what drives state funding and credit attainment.

At WestSide attendance is slightly different in all the three primary programs we deliver. In our contract based programs (Night School) students must not fall behind in their teacher contact time, or five hours per week (with 20 hours a week contracted outside of school). In our day program, 80% attendance is mandatory to earn credit. If students miss teacher contact time, this time must be made up.

Credit is not earned after a set number of hours of instruction. Some students may master their learning objectives sooner and some may need longer than the carnegie unit suggests. Alternative programs are performance based not seat time based and students earn credits as they demonstrate their learning.

That is one reason why so many students come to WestSide to "catch up on credits" before they go back to the traditional program.

WestSide also follows the local school board approved discipline polices and procedures. The range of sanctions are reviewed yearly and communicated to parents through a student/parent handbook.

However, we differ slightly on some dress code issues. Students are allowed to have cell phones in school as long as it does not interfere with anyone's learning. This is because so many of our parents want to be able to contact their students whenever they need to. Students are required to have their phone on silent ringing or voice mail mode and not allowed to talk on them during class. Students can also use CD players as long as it does not interfere with anyone's learning. Not many students use this option but those that do appreciate the fact it helps limit distractions.

This is in the process of changing to a web based student information sysytem that will post grades in real time.

Traditionally, progress reports come out every five weeks. It is simply a summary of your student's progress in each course they are enolled in at the end of a five week period.  Progress reports are not mandatory and not all teachers use them.

Student progress is monitored weekly and if a student is falling behind all three programs communicate with parents and students as soon as possible.

In the same five weeks it takes to get a progress report in a traditional school this is what happens at WestSide ...

In the day program student progress in monitored in an all staff meeting each Monday. There is an Academic Concern, Academic Probation, Academic Suspension and Academic Drop process that happens each week.

Week one - As soon as a student falls behind in two or more of their classes the student is placed on an "Academic Concern" list and a letter goes home to parents explaining where the student is falling behind.

Week two, three and four - If after one week they do not improve the student meets with a counselor and an "Academic Probation" contract is drafted with each teacher detailing what is needed to demonstrate satisfactory progress. At that time, a letter goes home to the parents explaining the situation, the student is given any additional help, schedule changes may occur, counseling or whatever they need to be successful with this contract. The counselor will meet with the student and communicate with the parent for the next three weeks until the contract is completed or not.

Week five - If after three weeks on this "Academic Probation" contract the student is still not making satisfactory progress parents are contacted again. Only this time it is to inform them that the student has failed to make satisfactory progress at school and will be sent home for up to five days to see if the parent can get the student to complete the academic probation contract. Parents are encouraged to visit with teachers, counselors and the principal for any kind of assistance needed to help their student.

Week six - If after the five days the student has not completed the academic probation contract the student will be dropped from WestSide and told they can re-apply for enrollment when they are ready to learn.

Traditional schools are considered residential schools, meaning if you live in close proximity then that school is your designated school of attendance. As a high school aged student the closest traditional high school in your district, located near your home, would be the school that you are suppose to attend.

All that is needed is proof of residency, immunization record, a transcript from your last school, contact information, parent approval and you are enrolled.

WestSide is a school of choice, meaning enrollment is optional.

You must fill out an application and be selected in order to be enrolled. Enrollment is limited as our program and building capacity is limited. Many students wait for a couple of months before they are selected.

It is always good to contact one of our counselors to find out more information or share your concerns.

Scheduling is a complex thing in most traditional programs. This is due to trying to get all students set up to meet the carnegie unit (160 hours = 1 credit) requirement.

Once students are enrolled in a class they must contune until the semester ends. If they start another class after the semester begins then they will not have enough hours to earn credit. This does not allow for flexible scheduling.

Year long, or one credit, courses are set up to be continuously taught all year (160 hours). If a student fails the first semester then they can not take the first semester again until the following year. In this sitaution, it is not likely they will pass the second semester as well.

Since credit attainment is not tied to the carnegie unit (160 hours of seat time = 1 credit), scheduling is very flexible.

Students can change classes at any time for a variety of reasons, mainly because they have passed their current course.  However, parents must also agree the change is needed and each new course demands a new student responsibility contract.

Traditional programs typically staff counselors at a 500 students to 1 counselor ratio. That is because that is the state's school accreditation minimum standard.

Counselors in this setting are usually so busy they are difficult to reach. It is understandable that their primary focus is getting students in the right classes to meet the graduation requirements. This alone takes up most of their time.

Students seldom see their couselors one on one unless there is a scheduling problem.

WestSide provides a much smaller ratio, 125 students to 1 counselor. This is due the program's emphasis on low class sizes and high student supervision. In addition, with three primary programs running both day and night two counselors are needed.

The school district is supportive of this ratio (funding) as they know many of these students need additional support after failing to meet standard in the traditional setting. With this ratio, counselor access is very easy for both parents and students.

WestSide also utilizes ESD supported drug/alcohol intervention specialists on site. These folks are very active in our school program both with student support groups and with school wide activities.

WestSide has an on site, state licensed, day care program. WestSide's next door neighbor, Wenatchee Valley College, has partnered with WestSide to provide a quality early learning center program.

This program works with both the child and teen parent with hopes of better preparing both for school. Our teen parents receive parenting classes and counseling, while the child is in a stimulating pre-school setting.

Both college students and WestSide students take advantage of this program. However, WestSide students are given priority for enrollment.

As Wenatchee School District students, WestSide student ar e free to participate in any of the co-curricular activies offered at Wenatchee High School. Many of our students take advantage of this. It is one reason why WestSide dismisses day program students at 2:30 pm, in order to get to these activities which mostly start at 3:00 pm.

WestSide does offer limited co-curricular activies such as:

• Yearbook staff
• ASB
• CIA - Compassion In Action club (run by our school counselors it is a service learning club)

Students may participate in Running Start classes at the college and Skills Center vocational courses at the tech center.

We are the same, students may participate in Running Start classes at the college and Skills Center vocational courses at the tech center.

However, we are located right next door to teh college so Running Start is a bit easier to access.