SouthwestAlternative Education Center has served at-risk students for 15 years. SWAEC, as we affectionately call ouralternative high school program, serves 60 high school students in grades 9through 12 from McDonald County and the Neosho R-5 School District. Students who are at-risk of graduating areidentified and referred to us through their sending school’s faculty. Each school district has 30 seats which arefilled immediately upon opening. Theenrollment process requires parent and student signatures with the understandingthat students will experience stricter discipline policies and higherattendance and grade expectations. Twohundred and twenty-four (plus) graduates have earned credits through SWAEC andreceived high school diplomas from their sending schools.
Beginningwith the 2010-2011 school-year SWAEC diversified adding three new at-riskprograms to their campus in attempt to meet the needs of an increasing amountof students dropping out of high school and the continuing commitment of the NeoshoSchool District to ensure studentachievement.
MissouriOptionis a program offered on our campus to students who are 17 years of age andunable to earn enough credits to graduate with their cohort class. MO Op students are required to spend 15 hoursin the classroom and 15 hours working per week in order to meet the staterequirements. Students are required to have taken and passed the Missouri andFederal Constitution tests, a personal finance unit, as well as a health class.In addition, students are also administered all required EOC examines prior tograduation. During their seat time, students undergo intense individualized instructionalremediation in preparation to conquer the GED test. Once the student has passed the GED, theirclass time requirement ends but their work load must pick up to 30 hours perweek. These students are now high schoolgraduates and have opportunity to walk with the current year graduating classto grasp that once elusive high school diploma!
FLEX is now offered through theSouthwest Alternative Center to all Neosho High School and SWAEC High Schooljuniors and seniors. This programoffers elective credits to students who are working and attending school at thesame time, many at-risk students are working 30-40 hours a week, allowing themopportunity to support themselves and others while pursuing a high schooldiploma. FLEX students are stillrequired to pursue all credits necessary to graduate.
TLC orTransitional Learning Center is housed on the SWAEC campus and serves studentswho have been suspended from school for violations of school rules and/orpolicies. In the past, these studentswere sent home and not allowed to make up any work they missed while servingout-of-school suspension causing them to get behind in credits needed tograduate. Addressing the correlation betweenabsences and academic success, suspended students now have opportunity to servetheir suspensions in TLC with theability to earn 100% of all class work completed while in attendance.
Allfour at-risk programs are served by a staff of six certified teachers, asecretary, and the director. Allstudents have access to high quality teachers and support from a team that hasgenuine concern for every student’s success, both in academics and characterdevelopment. Our students are in pursuitof “BeatingThe Odds and Building A Future.”
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