One might ask, "Why are alternative schools necessary?" The rapidly changing global environment, whether we like it or not, is changing the educational needs and many public schools are doing well, others fail to serve students needs. For whatever reason, there is an increase in students that have learning difficulties. Rapidly shifting economies and the demise of the family unit, especially in the US , are major contributors to service delivery dilemmas in educational and behavioral health systems.
There are a growing number of youths who are simply leaving the educational systems, opting for who knows what in life on the street, cultural niches, or correctional systems. One of the buzz words in today's world is 'holistic.' Holistic systems are designed with the 'whole picture' in mind, understanding how all the pieces work together in order to function as a 'learning organization,' another buzz word made popular at the turn of the century. Many feel our children and youth have a 'sense' of the cognitive dissonance in the world around them and that they are angry because life does not portray what they know in their hearts. The only control they have or decisions they can make are to exit the system. Their family and personal lives are a mess, and rarely do they feel anyone cares enough to help them.
Whether you are conservative or liberal, rich or poor, saint or sinner... the value of holistic education increases as our world progresses. Holistic education that addresses changing needs includes a plethora of points for discussion. An alternative educational village for at-risk youth, challenged by their individual circumstances beyond what any child should have to endure, would provide a foundation for study and research into providing a paradigm shift toward a better world. We have many environmental and technical concerns for our future survival. What do we offer our challenged youth to support those needs now? When we address the worst case scenarios with a learning organization and systems thinking philosophy, the world changes for the better in an unprecedented leap in the evolution of our species. We ask you to explore the beginning of developing such a model community as Spectrum Academy. It is an idea whose time has come, combining education, behavioral services, and economic foundations for sustained operations.
This
is an incomplete list of alternative schools, resources, and supporting organizations in a variety of settings. Please
feel free to offer links or share this information. We hope to display links to a growing number of
alternative learning environments for study and practical applications. Success
needs to be shared. Educational reform is necessary for our continued global
growth.
Holistic Education Network... PURPOSE:
To discuss the application of the principles and practice of holistic
education to teaching and learning for all students.
The International School Connection (ISC) is a web-based
professional development and graduate degree program in Global Organizational
Leadership
The Coalition of Essential Schools is a growing national network
committed to increasing student achievement by re-inventing school design,
classroom practice, leadership and community connections.
The National Coalition of Alternative Community Schools is a nonprofit educational organization. Since 1978, the Coalition has
supported the work of students, parents, teachers and others in the field of
alternative education, while informing the general public about its benefits and
successes.
An alternative school is one that offers an approach
to education that varies from the traditional structure of a group of students
in a self-contained classroom learning from a predetermined course of study.
Model Secondary School for the Deaf... provides a
comprehensive day and residential four-year high school program for students
from various states and United States territories.
The Child Development Center of Oregon (CDCO) is
dedicated to providing a state of the art education for children with autism.
Carmel Community Arts & Technology Charter School.
The first charter school in Arizona and focus is on individual and special
needs, including multiple intelligences with sensitivity toward spiritual
intelligence (non-religious) in relationship to the connectivity of all things.
Program is K-12 with two locations.
Red Oak Academy Welcomes You To The Latest In
State-Of-The-Art Online Education. Real Teachers, Real Books, Really On-Line.
Curriculum delivered in textual, audio, and video classroom environments.
Eastside Alternative School,
Eugene, OR, offers a strong academic program based on a non-graded, continuous
progress model. Children choose projects. Decision-making skills are practiced
daily in groups made up of students in grades 1-5. A sense of family is
paramount. Parent involvement is required.
Douglas
Alternative is an open-space, whole language, arts impact school. The city is an
extension of our curriculum. Douglas, Ohio has a long history of community
involvement dating from the early 1900's.
Aspen Education Group is the industry leader in providing
educational services to youth and their families. All of our educational
services are integrated with a strong and effective self-growth program.
Lawton Alternative School, San
Francisco, CA. In order to achieve our goal, we provide a stimulating learning
environment that focuses on academic excellence and high achievement from
Kindergarten through 8th grade. The academic program emphasizes active
learning and problem solving with hands-on materials and projects.
The Alternative Schools Network (ASN) is a network of
non-public alternative community-run schools in the Chicagoland area.
Wyncote Academy
is a non-profit, non-sectarian private school located on a five-acre suburban
campus in Eastern Montgomery County. A co-educational institution, Wyncote
serves grades 6 through 12 in a middle and upper school. Enrollment is
approximately 100 students, and averaging 13 students per class. Curriculum is
college preparatory, with emphasis on skills development.
Sojourner School
is the Boulder, CO Valley School District's newest middle school, approved as a
charter school by the Board of Education in December 1998.
North Heights Alternative School
(Amarillo, TX) is committed to recovering and preparing at-risk students to
become self-directed learners. Students will develop an understanding of
the rules of society, meet and accept challenges, and find life fulfillment.
Grand Alternative School (CO) admits students based
on the following criteria: educational history, essay response, personal
interview with student, second interview student and sponsor, and student's
conviction to genuine motivation for success at Grand Alternative School.
Founded in 1983, Saturday
Academy is a community-based pre-college department serving students and
teachers in the four-county Portland/Vancouver area and through four other
centers in Oregon.
Our mission at South Camden Alternative School (NJ)
is to prepare our students to become effective lifelong learners as well as
independent and productive citizens in society.
PACE Alternative School
(Milwaukee, WI) is an innovative alternative program targeted for students that
are not reaching their full potential in a traditional school setting. The
program is modeled after the Ombudsman Alternative High School in Libertyville,
Illinois, which has been operating since 1974.
The MACH Academy of Tennis & Chess, Inc., is a non-profit
501 (c) (3) tax exempt charitable organization as determined by the Internal
Revenue Code. MACH is incorporated in the State of Georgia and South Carolina
and is affiliated with the United States Tennis Association-National Junior
Tennis League (USTA/NJTL). (slow download)
Spectrum Academy, Arizona's leading educational village concept which
uses indigenous and traditional programs to empower at-risk youth to ascend to
at-hope young adults.
itmOnline
Institute for Traditional Medicine
If you would like to find massage
therapy schools, chiropractic colleges, acupuncture schools, or any school of
the natural healing arts, you'll find NaturalHealers.com a great source for
information on schools, programs, certification, careers and licensing
requirements.
The Open
International University For Alternative Medicines
(Charter Of Indian Board Of
Alternative Medicines)
SouthWest Institute of Healing Arts - Arizona's Premier Holistic Healthcare
College
Aspen Education Group is the industry leader in providing
educational services to youth and their families. All of our educational
services are integrated with a strong and effective self-growth program.
ORY Center opens the door to a world of
opportunities for young adults living in group homes through education,
mentoring, counseling and recreation.
FamilyFirstAid.Org
Help for
troubled teens... boarding schools & programs.
Top Flight Academy is a licensed residential treatment center
(specialized boarding school) for troubled teens ages 13 to 17 that are
unmotivated, yet very capable of being successful.
Please support our efforts toward implementing Spectrum Academy through our Affiliate Purchasing Programs.
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