Rationale+and+Goals

**Rationale**

The greatest deterrent to student learning and achievement is not lack of ability but a deficit in meeting the learning and emotional needs of student through the current academic structure and approach to school.

Responsible educators identify student whose needs, shaped by past educational and person experience, cannot be effectively met by a traditional educational experience. Once these students are identified, educational options that address their needs should be designed and implemented.

The Franklin Alternative Program has been specifically designed to bridge the gap between the needs of a 10th, 11th or 12th grades student and the established educational process. Franklin School’s structure includes a variety of elements designed to address those needs.

Entering student and their parents will meet at Franklin for an introduction to the important aspects of the Franklin School structure.

**Program Goal**

Franklin’s major goal is to provide staff and students with a safe culture–an environment where they can learn and develop academic and life skills without fear of rejection or failure.

Students don’t do well when they fear rejection or mistreatment. The program addresses the fear of rejections or mistreatment through the development of stands that direct staff and students to treat all others with respect. All are expected to demonstrate an appropriate level of tolerance for diversity. A student’s treatment of staff, other students, school property and the learning environment affect the student’s daily grade. Rules that address verbal/physical abuse and harassing behaviors involve steps that address both the needs of the innocent and the significant consequences for the guilty.

Student’ past experiences may cause fear of possible failure. Fear of failure is address through an incentive point system and an advocacy intervention system. The incentive point system clearly delineates what students must and must not do to maintain passing grades. The advocacy intervention system monitors students’ progress in order to support them as they learn to manage personal issues that could hinder their success in the program.