A Day in the Life of an Alternative School Counselor Part 1

It has been awhile since I wrote a post. One reason I don't write regularly is because I often wonder what people think about stories I may write, and I know that I cannot use names or specific details in re-telling any story about a current student. A couple of years ago, I wrote about my day in the life of a middle school counselor, so it occurred to me that I can share a lot about my present position by simply describing what I do on a daily basis.

I'd like to start by explaining how our alternative school works. In a previous post, I mentioned reasons students attend an alternative school, so I won't repeat all of those. One of the main components of my job is to schedule students.  We don't schedule like a traditional high school, where students pick their classes in the spring, course numbers are entered, and the computer generates a schedule for the entire next year.

At my high school, we service students in grades 9-12, and the students register with us every 9 weeks. Students earn semester credits in a 9 week period, because we have block scheduling, so students can earn anywhere between 4-6 credits in one quarter. This allows them to earn between 16-24 credits in one school year which is why it is a great option for credit deficient students and those wanting to graduate early. Students who are really diligent and put their mind to it could potentially earn 2 years of high school credit in one year.

We do have some of those highly motivated students, but we have a few more who would rather come and earn a few credits at a time, take their time, and end up graduating on time, because they don't really have a plan if they are going to graduate early.

One of my many roles is to schedule the students' classes BY HAND every 9 weeks. This means I enter the master schedule that the principal and I agree on based on what our students need each quarter. We have teachers who teach our core classes- Math, English, Science, and Social Studies, and then our electives are mostly completed online in our virtual classroom.  As students complete classes early, I try to find them another class to take if they finish early enough to complete another class. Our teachers teach mini lessons, and then supervise students working at their own pace. Our teachers tirelessly assist each student individually, answering questions and pushing them along.

One last way that our school runs academically, is students can attend a half day, and then be released to work at a job, for which they can earn up to six elective credits (100 hours of work = 1 credit). The sophomores also have the option of attending our Vocational School nearby for half a day. A bus takes them and brings them back, and they can earn a vocational certification in one of many areas of study.

My next post will focus on what I do on a daily basis to address behavioral and emotional needs of students and parents. That is what really keeps me hopping! On any given day, my mental brain energy is used up and when I get home I take a 30 minute nap!