Alternative High School

Who We Serve

Since 1979 Second Start has offered an Alternative High School Program for adolescents who have previously been unable to succeed in a traditional high school setting.

The Alternative Program at Second Start enrolls approximately 35 adolescent students from the Greater Concord area. Many of these students have been identified as having learning and/or emotional handicaps that have interfered with their functioning effectively in a traditional educational setting. The Alternative Program is approved by the New Hampshire Department of Special Education to serve both Learning Disabled and Emotionally Handicapped students.

What We Offer

The PRIMARY OBJECTIVE of the Alternative Program is for students to earn credits toward graduation with a high school diploma from their sending school district.

By focusing on the core academics, along with physical education and outdoor, recreational activities at Second Start, many students are able to continue to attend their sending school for half days where they can access a variety of elective and enrichment courses. Many times this relieves a significant stressor and allows the student to succeed in both settings.

For students in need of more separation from the sending school, the Choices and TET programs are available and award elective credit through work on transition, social, work and life skills.

Our Approach

It is a fundamental belief at Second Start that a student’s success in  academic areas has a very positive and observable impact on self-concept. The resulting improvement in self-image and self-confidence enables the student to establish and maintain better relationships, to function more effectively within groups and to develop more appropriate and satisfying social behavior. In order to get there, we operate under the guidance of three main philosophies.

Choice Theory

Behavior is driven by 5 human needs:

• Survival – food, shelter, safety
• Love – connection to others, belonging, friendship
• Freedom – having choices, autonomy, independence
• Power – competence, recognition, respect and skills
• Fun – laughter and sense of play, learning to do new
  things, pleasure

The Change Model

• Stage 1 : Awareness – the “Aha!” moment
• Stage 2: Thinking – Begin to think about making a change
• Stage 3: Planning – What are you willing to consider changing?
• Stage 4: Action – What will you actually do to make the change
• Stage 5: Maintain – Keep motivation; revise and adapt the plan

The Five Skills

1. Listen
2. Control Behavior
3. Contribute Effectively
4. Tolerate Feedback
5. Accept Responsibility

Schedule

The Alternative High School program meets during two sessions daily. Students enrolled in only one academic session may attend the morning session from 8:00 to 11:00 or the afternoon session from 11:30 to 2:20 (Wed. 12:00 to 2:50), depending on their particular credit needs and social/ emotional fit for the group. Students attending Second Start for the entire school day will fill the other half of their day with one of two levels of Choices class (a course that uses a Personal & Social Responsibility curriculum) or a Transitional Employment Training (TET) placement which includes a class that meets once each week.

How to Enroll

Students must be referred by their school district and must be interviewed and accepted by Second Start. Parents and school personnel are encouraged to attend the interview and tour. Students who have been identified by their home school district as having special educational needs must be referred by the Special Education Office in their school district. They should contact that office to discuss a referral.

Second Start does not offer its own high school diploma. Credit for work completed in the Alternative Program is arranged with the referring school. Therefore, enrollment at Second Start (and payment of tuition) can only be arranged with the involvement of a student’s home school district. Interested students, parents and families are welcome to contact Second Start directly for more information, but will need to work with their home school district to arrange for an intake interview and enrollment. Arrangements for specific credit needs are discussed at intake, and after enrollment each student develops their Individual Learning Plan with their Second Start teachers and staff. Contractual agreements for costs are made with the sending school district for both special education and non-special education students.