Space problems at the Alternative School.

[Scutter]

I am hearing that there is a major space problem at the Alternative School. I am wondering why, since the District is now shifting the remaining trailers around, why a couple of those trailers have not been designated to this function. Remember that the trailers do not need to be placed contiguous to the School itself. It just seems to me that this would be a common sense solution to the crowding problem.

[joetowngirl]

I think they should close Central as an elementary school, divide their small number of students between the other grade schools and make Central the new alternative school since the NHS seems hell bent on filling it up.

[Scutter]

Actually Joe, there are folks who believe that Central is the best elementary school Neosho has. Just because it is old does not reflect on the quality of the education provided there.

[joetowngirl]

No but the campus is very small and they have far less students than any of the other schools. It would make sense to consolidate and then use an existing building for the alternative school since space is at a premium at the current location.

[Scutter]

Joe, the only reason many of us voted for the new Elementary School was to get the overload out of South. If Central were to be closed, I double dog guarantee you that those students would end up at South and it just does not have the space to accomodate them.

[Moriancumer]

Does the Alternative School meet its goals?
What is its purpose?
In my day (I’m as old as dirt) there were no alternative schools.
You towed the line or you were suspended & had to face the embarrassment of having mom or dad get you signed back into school.
After 2 or 3 suspensions they just booted your butt out & you had to grow up & find a job.
Some choose the military (like my older brother who lied his age and became a Marine at 16) he turned 17 in the Nam.

The alternative school near Pittsburg, KS is nothing more than a prep school for hoodlums.
That school seems to be a holding pen for students who are too wild to be permitted to be in the “general population” within the school system.
There is very little formal education being attempted.
In 2006 when I visited it, it was hard to tell the teachers from the students.

As long as the students don’t beat anyone up (teachers included) they aren’t required to do anything other than show up.
It seems like a total waste of taxpayer $$.

I hope that the Neosho Alternative School is better.
Is it?

[Scutter]

Your guess is as good as mine Mo. I have never heard anything negative about the school but I haven't heard any positives about it either.

[Moriancumer]

Does anyone else know anything about the Neosho Alternative school?

[joetowngirl]

It's overcrowded mainly because the high school administration likes to move any kid they see as potential trouble out. Some of the kids sent there are Hispanic but not all - probably not even a majority. I know kids who were there for awhile and came back to the main campus and did well, graduated and moved on. Some go to the alternative school and flunk out anyway. Some actually prefer being there because I've been told by some teens that the staff there treats them with respect, like human beings.

It serves a purpose but I think that since they have it, there is a tendency to want to fill it.

[Moriancumer]

Thanks JTGirl,

It sounds like there have been some success stories at the Alternative School here.
As I mentioned the A.S. in Pittsburg, KS seemed to get the students who were either trouble makers or the ones that would have special needs. There were several handicapped students who were sent there because they posed problems with fitting into the main stream & the school district didn't want to go to the expense of providing an education to them.
There were several young people with autism who were sent there because no one was willing to meet their needs as well.

If the A.S. is over crowded the Board should come up with a solution.