History
Deerfield Alternative School was formed in January of 1996 to serve the
needs of a percentage of students who were not succeeding in the high
school setting. At that time, students spent most of their school day
meeting their academic requirements through completion of computerized
curricula.
The alternative school was chartered in the fall of 1996 and became an
autonomous school within the regular high school. The school's name was
officially changed to Deerfield Charter High School. The school's
charter status allowed for increased flexibility in designing
curricula, scheduling students, and setting graduation requirements: 13
academic credits, five elective credits, and a number of service
learning and work experience hours. When it was chartered, a new
teacher was hired, and hands-on, experiential learning became the focus
of the program. Students were able to choose from a number of
independent projects that the teacher developed to meet their interests.
The program's current teacher was hired in 1998. Building on the work
of the previous teacher, the program further developed to encompass a
mix of group classes and individual projects. More emphasis was placed
on service learning and work experience, and the students' school day
was shortened with the expectation that they would fulfill these
requirements during the rest of the day. In 2000, the school's name was
changed to the Life Education and Preparation Program, to better
reflect the program goals and its place in the high school community.
In 2001, the Department of Public Instruction made changes to the laws
concerning students completing the General Equivalency Diploma and high
school graduation. These changes allow high schools to develop a
program that combines preparation for the GED with several other
components such as work skills and social studies that lead to a high
school diploma.
Because many LEAPP students, for a variety of reasons, were struggling
to meet the 18-credit-plus service learning and work experience
requirement, program staff applied to take advantage of this option and
proposed the change to the school board in September of 2002. It was
approved by the school board and the Department of Public Instruction
in October, and the new graduation requirements went into place.
Along with the Age 17 Graduation Program, LEAPP has a transition
program that provide the means for credit-deficient ninth and tenth
graders to catch up on their academic work and to get support as they
remain in the high school setting or transition into the LEAPP
graduation track.
Since its inception in 1996, Deerfield High School's alternative
program has gone through many changes as it pursues its mission to be a
flexible, personalized learning environment for students, to help them
achieve their educational and life goals. Student statistics show that
the program has been effective.
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