STRIVE A program of Forest Lake Area Learning Center

1. STRIVEA program of Forest Lake Area Learning Center

2. STRIVE • Success • Through • Research and • Investigation in • Various • Environments We are a school within a school that serves 7th and 8th grade students at Century and Southwest.

3. Program Expectations • Meet district and state learner outcomes in math, social studies, and English • Supportive and encouraging environment with strong student-teacher interactions fostered to improve learning and instruction • Interdisciplinary • Differentiated Instruction • Service Learning component • Emphasis on technology integration

4. Century Advisory Per 1-3 STRIVE Period 4 Music Lunch Period 5 Art Period 6 PE Period 7 Science Southwest Homeroom Per 1 Band Period 2 Health Period 3 Art Period 4 Science Lunch Period 5-7 STRIVE Sample Schedule

5. Starter -skills practice, student led discussion, transition into classroom, used to enrich units of study Breakouts -subject and grade level specific instruction Thematic Time -interdisciplinary units and project work time With a 2 1/2 hour block of time, this schedule changes based upon teacher and student needs. A Day in STRIVE

6. Units of Study From the peaks of Mount Everest to the depths of the oceans, students will challenge the boundaries of their world while being immersed in experiential learning.

7. Sample Course Outline-First QuarterI. Passport to Exploration A.Skill building 1.Search Internet 2.Practice presenting information to class 3.Work in groups B.Explore your world—independent project answering student developed questionsII. Personal History A.Research family tree B.Present specialties of cultural background to class (food, music, recreation)III. Passport Stop: Ancient Greece and the Olympic Games A.Games: Then and Now B.Seven Wonders of the Ancient WorldIV. Warner Nature Center and Ecosystem Overview A.Help in Prairie Restoration Project at Warner B.Review Biomes and our roll in preserving themV. Passport Stop: Medieval Times A.Family Crest research B.King Arthur study C.Renaissance Festival Field TripVI. United States Immigration through the years A. Indigenous Populations B.Colonists C.African Americans D.Irish E.Italians F.Hmong and more recent immigrantsVII. Politics A.Understand the election process B.Prepare campaign slogans and ads C.Mock election

8. Past Service Learning Opportunities Warner Nature Center Prairie Restoration Project Buckthorn Removal Bird and Turtle Banding Snowshoeing and Winter Survival Kindergarten Buddies National Reading Day Peer Tutors Classroom Volunteers STRIVE Buddies

9. Celebrations! As we explore the world we will take the time to celebrate our successes and share in the sense of accomplishment that each child will take from personal growth and discovery.

10. STRIVE Reflections “STRIVE gives more time to do work and the teachers work one on one to help me learn more.” -Mitch “I like STRIVE because the teachers communicate with you more and the class is smaller which is better for me.” -Zoie “STRIVE is an important place because we get good support to achieve our goals.” -Cynthia “I like the projects in STRIVE. It is cool to do more hands on work.” -Nate

11. STRIVE NarrativesAlthough there is no typical profile of a student who seeks out an alternative education setting, there is common thread of their need to feel a part of something, and to feel valued as an individual. Here are a few examples of their stories. SHELLY Shelly arrived in STRIVE as a sixth grader, and spent the next three years as an active participant in the program. She had been unsuccessful academically in school in the past, and she had been told by many teachers that she was mouthy and disrespectful. The reality was that Shelly wanted to challenge, and be challenged by those around her. Different than her past experiences in school, Shelly looked forward to coming to STRIVE because she felt as though her individuality and her ideas were respected. Connecting with her teachers through on a more informal, first name basis, and being a part of the decision-making process, teamwork and project-based assignments helped Shelly to feel less alienated by the academics, and more able to fully engage. Although it wasn’t perfect since some days she was tired of being around the same people all day, every day, she learned that she didn’t have to alter herself to fit in, or expect that of others. She recognized the value of dialogue and had increased patience for getting to the heart of individuals. Her experience helped her to evolve as a person.

12. More STRIVE NarrativesAlthough there is no typical profile of a student who seeks out an alternative education setting, there is common thread of their need to feel a part of something, and to feel valued as an individual. Here are a few examples of their stories. NOAH Noah’s perception of the ALC, and the STRIVE program was that it was just a smaller version of all of the schools he had ever attended. When he enter the STRIVE as a seventh grader, and through his eighth grade year, he discovered he was wrong. The STRIVE program was totally different. He was encouraged that the teachers not only knew his name, but had a genuine interest in getting to know him. Activities that asked him for his input on units of study, assignments, projects, helped him to feel a part of the process. Better yet, no one seemed afraid of his weird ideas. The energy that Noah brought to the classroom was contagious. Noah listened, risked, led and was a strong critical thinker who liked to challenge the status quo.

13. More STRIVE NarrativesAlthough there is no typical profile of a student who seeks out an alternative education setting, there is common thread of their need to feel a part of something, and to feel valued as an individual. Here are a few examples of their stories. ZEKE Zeke was a seventh grader when he first walked into the STRIVE classroom, and was a strong participant throughout his eighth grade year. He was a bundle of energy happy to be in a program that had an emphasis on hands-on project based learning. Our service learning project at Warner Nature Center was perfect for his love of nature, and all things outdoors. The focus on respect for our natural world was something that was important to him, but even better was that the teachers got dirty, and did the needed work alongside the students. It was all of the teamwork, and team learning that made it easier to connect the academic world to the real world, and then helped him to like school again.Being able to design activities, and develop his own traditions gave him a space to really learn and dig deeper.

14. More STRIVE NarrativesAlthough there is no typical profile of a student who seeks out an alternative education setting, there is common thread of their need to feel a part of something, and to feel valued as an individual. Here are a few examples of their stories. LIZA Although Liza started her seventh grade year at a traditional junior high, she transferred to STRIVE during the second quarter of that year, and stayed through her eighth grade year. She talked more than listened, and often was caught bullying others. When Liza spoke about her experience she too recognized that it was finally the feeling of not being judged by her classmates and teachers that helped her to come into her own. What was modeled in STRIVE was staying true to yourself and your ideas, and not being afraid to show it. Liza enjoyed examining different perspectives, constantly asking more questions, and uncovering the layers in any number of subjects. Most importantly she found the ability to trust, to consider, to complement, and to compromise. According to Liza, there were the times that people were too far into each others business, but that’s what you get when you are a family.

15. Program Information • Contact STRIVE staff with questions Kyle Oberg 651/982-3117 KOberg@forestlake.k12.mn.us Britt Schachtele 651/982-3108 bschachtele@forestlake.k12.mn.us Allison Whittlef 651/982-3107 awhittlef@forestlake.k12.mn.us Or visit our website at: http://alc.forestlake.k12.mn.us

16. Program Enrollment Information • For program information contact the ALC: • Scott Urness 651/982-3188 or at surness@forestlake.k12.mn.us • Steps in the enrollment process: • Teacher/Counselor/Learning Team referral • Contact ALC to set up intake meeting to begin process • While this is not a special education program, we do serve some sped students. Kelly Lessman reviews student files to determine appropriate placement before enrollment can begin.