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Alternative schools often carry misperceptions that hinder their reputation. Dr. Wendy McChristy, current principal at Fort Osage School District's Lewis & Clark Academy, recently sat down with The Buckner Clarion to dispel some of these false assumptions. Lewis & Clark Academy offers students, grades K-12, a structured learning environment that is safe, small and personalized. "This school is dedicated to providing educational growth and positive behavior strategies to prepare students for success in future challenges and lifelong endeavors," McChristy said. "We want to have a very positive, nurturing, learning environment that is safe, not just physically, but emotionally too. Working on yourself takes a lot of courage, whether it is behaviorally or academically, and we want this environment to be a place where kids are comfortable acknowledging what they need to work on." Founded on the Behavior Intervention Support Team model (BIST), Lewis & Clark Academy helps students who are struggling to be accountable and to make positive life changes. To help, students are asked to follow BIST Goals for Life: ● I can be productive and follow directions even if I am mad (overwhelmed by my feelings). ● I can be productive and follow directions even if others are not okay. ● I can be productive and follow directions even if I don't want to (even if it's difficult). McChristy stressed how crucial it is for students to actively learn and use those three goals on a regular basis. "If you can do those three things, you can do anything – have a job, raise a family or have a healthy relationship." She said being able to identify what you are feeling is one of the ways to nurture growth. "Feelings are just a natural part of life and if you care about anything, then at times you will be disappointed, frustrated, sad or angry." Often times, McChristy said children who have been traumatized lack the internal voice in their head that is responsible for managing emotions. A unique way to help students is to offer a feeling buddy. "When we see our kids getting upset, they can get help from a feeling buddy, representing different emotions like anxiety, sadness or anger." When students interact with a feeling buddy, they grow a better sense of how to handle emotions outside of school. Because each child's behavioral and educational needs are unique, their journey to Lewis & Clark Academy might involve a number of different circumstances. First, a high school-level student may apply to be in the alternative high school program if they have fallen behind in their regular grade-level requirements. "They have to fill out an application, kind of like a job, and go through an interview process," McChristy said. These applicants have to make commitments in terms of attendance, behavior and progress in order to be placed and go on to earn the required 25 credits that students at the Fort Osage schools receive. Second, to be in the Missouri Option Program, similar to the alternative high school program, students must pass a screening test and score at least a 9th grade level. McChristy said the program is different from the alternative high school program because it is for students who are 17 to 20 years old and who are at risk of dropping out or not graduating with their cohort group. This program offers students the chance to earn a standard high school diploma through participation in the High School Equivalency Test (HiSET). McChristy described the program as a "godsend" for kids who had some catastrophic event happen in their high school years that caused them to fall behind." Third, students may be assigned to long-term suspension by the district's hearing officer, or they may be recommended by their building's principal and accepted into the leveled behavior program. "Our leveled behavior program is for students who are consistently struggling day to day," McChristy said. "We want these students to be able to stay in the normal school if they can. But, if their behavior is quite severe or we've been trying some things for a while and it's just not working in a class of 25 kids or more, we'll go ahead and move them to Lewis & Clark. The classes are smaller, there's more adults and they can get more focused attention." Time spent at Lewis & Clark Academy varies. "Sometimes students are here for as short as two weeks, and sometimes they stay a whole school year, depending on the circumstances," McChristy said. Several conditions are considered before exiting the Academy. With the Missouri Option Program and alternative high school students, the main goal is graduation. "Those students will come here and be with us for two or three semesters, work really hard and get caught up on credits. Then, they will decide if they want the traditional senior year with pep rallies, assemblies, sports and that kind of stuff. If they are in good standing and at passing level, they are good to go back to the high school," McChristy said. It is also common for students to have such a positive learning experience at Lewis & Clark Academy that they decide to stick around permanently. "I think it is kind of a relief to them that instead of having a thousand kids in the hallway, they only deal with 30 or so and it is really not that big of a deal. It is far less peer pressure," McChristy said. With the leveled behavior program for younger students, the main goal is to get them back into regular school as soon as possible. "For every kid in this program, we do a daily chart, called the target sheet, which has three goals. Those goals correlate with the 'Goals for Life'," McChristy said. During the transition process, McChristy assured that all schools involved communicate regularly about the student's progress and well-being. Placing the transitioned students into socially complex situations is typically the deciding factor for whether they can handle change. Proud of how her school helps students grow, McChristy does not agree with any negative misperceptions obscuring Lewis & Clark Academy's core values. " In the beginning of the process, there is fear, where parents just want their child to go to regular school like everyone else. But in the end, when parents see the progress that their kids are making and the ownership that they take, they are so proud." Although McChristy is retiring this June, she has found her job to be extremely rewarding. "I find it to be wonderful. It is emotionally demanding because we see some kids in hard situations but that is what makes it rewarding - getting to help them." McChristy, who has dreamt for more support resources for families – that go beyond the school setting – said incoming principal, Kim Hawley, will benefit the school tremendously. "It's great to have someone coming in, seeing something with fresh eyes and building on what we have accomplished. With any organization, there's always an exciting next step." Lewis & Clark Academy Positioning Students for a Lifetime of Success By Morgan Nail Left: Students use "feeling buddies" to positively cope with challenging emotions. Right: Principal McChristy poses with student.