Watch The Bad Kids Documentary on Netflix

"The number one reason a student drops out is not having a relationship with a caring adult."

A parent of one of my students recommended the documentary "The Bad Kids".  It paints a really good picture of what our alternative school is like, except these students have a little more socio-economic struggle. The only thing I wish producers had done, was not named the documentary "The Bad Kids." What it really is about, is students who have a lot of aimless talent, who have been trying to overcome life challenges. Many of them hate school and have gotten behind on credits.  It also highlights the emotional toll working and caring for these teens can take on staff members.

All educators and parents of challenging students will appreciate this documentary.  The documentary highlights three or four students in particular and follows them through their time at school.  Most students who attend Black Rock eventually graduate due to the caring staff at Black Rock Continuation High School, as well as their own change of heart and mindset.  There are always a couple of students, who are in the minority, who don't make it, because they can't seem to overcome the mental hurdle it takes to focus on graduation instead of what is going on at home.

This film highlights the students' dire situations without displaying the shocking details. Much of it is in conversation on school grounds and interviews. Some scenes are filmed at the students, houses or at after school gatherings.  This is a great American human interest story.

Here is a link to the movie page and trailer: The Bad Kids  If you have an hour and forty one minutes to spare, please take the time to watch this.  It's inspirational. It highlights successes and failures, and the reality of being a human teenager.

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!