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| Transitions High School |
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MISSION To help students who are in early recovery from addiction develop the necessary skills they need to succeed by providing academic programming that includes activities in support of their recovery. The methods used to achieve our mission include but are not limited to: providing and maintaining a drug free environment, providing resources and opportunities that promote academic achievement providing daily access to therapeutic counsel and support, providing life skills training and access to other services and career training opportunities.
PROGRAM SERVICES THS's program services are comprised of three components; Academics, Recovery Activities, and Life Skills Training and are offered to students ages 14 through 19 in grades nine through twelve.
RECOVERY ACTIVITIES Recovery Activities are provided by a Masters level counselor and supported by a cast of additional paraprofessional drug and alcohol service providers. Students participate in individual and group therapy sessions, learning activities that develop recovery supports, attendance of local Alcoholics Anonymous and/or Narcotics Anonymous meetings, and the review and working of a personalized recovery and development program.
ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION Academic Instruction is provided by a certified teacher, a teachers aide and a certified education consultant for students having special education needs. THS's academic curriculum focuses on mathematics, Science, English and Social Studies utilizing cyber-schooling through the Midwestern Intermediate Unit, individual and collective classroom instruction and specific tailored course study. Additional courses offered include Health and Nutrition, Physical Education, Art, Music and Entrepreneurship.
LIFE SKILLS TRAINING Life Skills Training is provided by THS staff and outside paraprofessionals. The training is broken down into three areas: Finance, Career Employment, and Home & Community. Finance includes budgeting, saving & investing, purchase of assets and insurance, and estate preservation and distribution. Employment includes personal skills testing, career exploration, entrepreneurial training, resume writing and interviewing, and employment ethics. Home & Community includes discovering your personality type and its impact, character education, and developing and maintaining healthy relationships.
ORIGIN In May 2003, a forum was arranged by Deb Hall (a Butler Area High School Counselor) to explore the possibility of establishing a recovery high school in Butler County. This meeting lead to the establishment of a collaborative that grew to include Butler Area and Seneca Valley school districts, the PA Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Gateway Rehabilitation Center, Grace Youth and Family Foundation, the Center for Community Resources, Inc., and Butler County's Drug and Alcohol Program. With initial funding being provided through the PA Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, the name "Transitions High School" was agreed upon, and the location "The Net Outreach" (a four story community center owned and operated by Grace Youth and Family Foundation) was established. In October 2003 the professional staff was assembled and in November 2003 THS opened its doors with the enrollment of its first two students.
RESULTS In our first three years THS received 45 referrals which lead to the enrollment of 41 students. (2 freshman, 10 sophomores, 11 juniors and 18 seniors) Of the 41 students enrolled, 12 were released due to their noncompliance and 4 moved on to other coordinated programs. Of the 25 students who completed their school year at THS after 21 weeks average enrollment 2 students returned to THS, 11 students transitioned back to their home school, 10 seniors pursued post high school education and/or military service and 3 hope to return to THS. Before enrolling at THS, the average attendance rate for these students was below 60% and many of them were either chronically truant, failing or not enrolled in a school at all. After enrolling in THS, the average attendance for these same students was 93%, their average GPA was 3.35.
ADMISSIONS THS is a privileged program developed specifically for students who truly desire to affect a change in their life and work through a personal recovery and development program. Therefore all students who earn admission are placed on a 30 day trial probationary period that includes periodic reviews to determine if their continued enrollment is appropriate.
REENTRY TO HOME SCHOOL Students are recommended for reentry to their home school if the following criteria are met:
TRANSITIONS HIGH SCHOOL PARTNERS Butler Area School District Butler County Drug and Alcohol Program Center for Community Resources District Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Gateway Rehabilitation Center Grace Youth and Family Foundation Seneca Valley School District
Transitions High School is an approved private provider of Alternative Education for Disruptive Youth Programs in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania listed under Grace Youth and Family Foundation (a 501C3 Domestic Nonprofit Corporation) at http://aep.ed.state.pa.us.
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©2010 Grace Youth and Family Foundation.
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