Alternative Education Overview:
Continuation or Alternative High School

Lou Denti, Ph.D.
Special Education Program
California State University, Monterey Bay

~ Introduction, Session 3~
Activity 1

• Divide into two groups. One group reads the principal’s message from Abraxas Continuation High School. The second group reads Turned Off By Tradition by Janet Knoeppel. Participants pair up, with a representative from each reading in the pair.
  
  Principal’s Message:
  What are the key points of the message? What aspects of the message do you find significant? If you were the principal, would you have added anything to this message?
  
  Turned Off By Tradition:
  List 5 key points of the article. In what ways do you agree or disagree with Ms. Knoeppel’s point of view?
  
  
• Find out as much as you can about a continuation/alternative education high school in your local community. What programs does it offer? How does the school keep track of its outcomes for students?
  
  
• Interview a student from a continuation/alternative education high school. Some questions to ask: what does the student like about the school? How did s/he get placed there? What are the student’s hopes/dreams for the future? How does the school compare to the traditional high school where the student came from.
  

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