The school is organized and funded under the authority of the Board of Directors of Carleton Project, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation operating a Private High School approved by the Maine Department of Education. 

Administration

The school is under the administrative supervision of Alan Morris. Jennifer Walker is the Executive Director of the Corporation. The Corporate Office and Presque Isle school location is  444 Main Street and outreach programs operate in Houlton and Livermore Falls.  The mailing address is:

Carleton Project
P.O. Box 1603,
Presque Isle, ME  04769

The school operates all year, Monday through Thursday. There is a traditional Christmas Break and a modified summer schedule.  Students who work the traditional Potato Harvest Break may be granted time off. Seniors who are working or taking college classes will have modified schedules.

Staff

Each school program is staffed by a teacher and other support personnel as needed. Presently, the Curriculum Review Team includes:

Alan Morris, Principal and Social Studies
Liz Bradbury, English and French, Special Education
Kristen Graham, Media Specialist
Mark Smith, Math and Science
Sherry Calhoun, Music
Giselle Faucher, Science
Rusty Taylor, Business Education
Len McHatten, Guidance

Enrollment Procedures

Application  

Any student wishing to attend the program must follow an three-step process. Any student may apply to the program in writing or in person. The first meeting will be a informational one, conducted by the school, to explain how the school works and familiarize any prospective student or their parent/guardian with important guidelines. In the second step, the school will invite the student and parents to visit the school and meet other students before making a decision as to whether the school is the right fit for them. In the meantime, the school will go through an information gathering process, focusing. on the student's academic and behavioral history. It may come from a variety of sources including, but not limited to, teachers, guidance counselors, social workers, probation officers and school administrators. In this process, the principal will seek a referral by someone outside the program who can help identify suitability of placement before formally accepting the application.

When the application has been accepted, staff members will schedule a screening to determine if enrollment is in the best educational interests of the student. On the Screening Committee will sit not less than two of the following people:

• School administration
• School staff
• A parent or adult advocate
• Representation from the last school attended by the student
• Corrections officials if warranted

The screening itself is facilitated by a member of the school staff who carries out introductions, helps develop a comfortable setting, and allows discussion to bring out helpful information. The approach to the screening is a structured one:

The student will first be given the opportunity to talk with the committee about the experience of his/her last school placement. Discussion will focus around the issues of attendance, student/teacher rapport and any other identified problem areas.

The parent will then be asked to support the student's information and/or give input concerning issues that may have been raised.

The school will then ask specific questions concerning:

1. Any special services that the student may have received;
2. Substance abuse issues, either personal or at home;
3. Career aspirations or personal goals;
4. Family relations or financial support of the student;
5. Whether the student is involved in probation issues; and
6. The parent's attitude(s) toward the change of placement.

The student's acceptance and subsequent enrollment into the program is determined by the Screening Committee that makes a final decisions to accept or not accept the student. It can also make any other recommendations that it deems necessary to help ensure the success of the student in the new placement.

The minutes of the Screening Committee meeting and the recommendations of its convention become part of the student's permanent file (upon acceptance into the program) in the form of a Screening Report.

The Screening Committee can only make informed decisions with good information. In this light, there are many enrollment considerations that may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Has the student demonstrated a sincere interest and commitment to his/her education?
• Does the student have a substantiated reason for not being able to participate in a traditional high school program?
• If attendance has been poor, will there be a genuine commitment on the part of the student and parent(s) or advocate to improve this area?
• Is the student mandated to be in school?
• Has the student experienced discipline problems in school? If so, is there a willingness on the part of the student to address behavior?
• Does the student have special academic needs? (The curriculum is designed to provide as much individualized instruction as possible but may not able to meet the needs of all special education students.)
• Is the student aware of the withdrawal and evaluation policies?
• Is the student willing to abide by school rules?
• Is the student willing to assume some of the responsibility for the situation he/she is in as well as the responsibility for change?
• Has the student provided all appropriate school and immunization records* requested by the school?

*An immunization screening must take place before a student is enrolled. Parents must sign a permission slip requesting that all school records from the student’s sending school, including immunization records, be provided to Carleton Project so that compliance with State of Maine guidelines is assured.

The philosophy of the school identifies parent participation and awareness of educational activity as a critical ingredient for student success. There is a pro-active approach to increasing parent participation in their child's education through formal as well as informal activity.

The approach identifies four levels of parental involvement that coincide with the experience of new students enrolled in the school. First of all, parents are required to be a part of the screening process. If the student is accepted, parents form a partnership with the teachers at the school as positive models for social interaction, with the parent(s) stating their commitment to an interest in their child's education upon enrollment. The parent then agrees to become part of the Student Progress Team that serves as a support group if student needs or goals are not being met. Finally, parents agree to serve as a resource for the school for any appropriate activities or to make themselves available, whenever possible, to act in the interest of their child's success.

The same group of people who are a part of the student's screening committee, including the parent or legal guardian, becomes the student's Progress Team. The team consists of a group most committed to the success of the student and, naturally, a group most in the position to help identify barriers to student success. Within the first semester of enrollment for any new student, or as deemed necessary for any student by parents or school staff, the Progress Team will assemble. All those involved will be expected to share information about student performance, especially the student. The school will facilitate the meeting and call on all parties, when appropriate, to be part of any specific plans for redirection. Minutes of the meeting and any commendations or recommendations will be recorded.

Educational Planning

The school realizes that many students who are enrolled have had negative educational experiences that have affected their success. In short, they may be behind in earned credits or required coursework. The focus of their success must then be based on expectations that they, and school staff, have for performance success and, ultimately, graduation. The school places a great deal of emphasis on consolidating school records in terms of credits earned and helps the student plan to pursue areas of interest that support educational goals in the form of an annual Alternative Educational Plan (A.E.P.). Educational planning takes place regularly at the end of each quarter or as student needs arise. Permanent educational and immunization records are maintained at the school.

Students who are unsuccessful in the alternative program will no longer be eligible to participate in the program as regular, full-time students. They may, however, upon the recommendation of a Student Progress Team, be considered for enrollment in the Transitional Education program.

This program is offered and monitored by program staff who works with the progress team to develop a modified A.E.P. (Alternative Education Plan) that outlines clear academic and behavioral standards designed to answer the unique needs of the student. Specific educational goals and completion dates are agreed upon. Students can remain "in transition" for up to one full semester before making decisions about their educational plans. A successful transition would see the student choose to return to services offered by the school or another school program. An unsuccessful transition could mean that the student would not be eligible to attend the school. 

Development of a modified A.E.P. would be sensitive to issues of scheduling while supporting the school's philosophy of keeping the student connected in some way to some educational goals. It would use resources available that include, but are not limited to, combinations of traditional approaches, alternative settings, directed studies, home-tutoring, guidance counseling, work experience, special education services and computer-assisted learning.

All students participate in a forum that meets regularly. A student or staff member may facilitate the session. They are open forums where student voices and concerns can be heard. Research has shown that students have identified such forums as a very helpful part of the program that "takes off the pressure and stress of everyday school" and serves to "facilitate communication among fellow students and teachers."

Students need to be prepared to perform complex tasks in a modern world. The program is, therefore, committed to providing an educational experience that offers a chance to learn the skills that go beyond content areas and focus on human development. The methods by which subjects are taught focus on processes that are central to problem solving, group dynamics and inquiry within academic disciplines. These include a focus on both planning and goal setting. The results are unique to each student.

The school curriculum and philosophy uphold the Guiding Principles of the Maine Learning Results where each student will leave school as:

I. A clear and effective communicator
II. A self-directed and life-long learner
III. A creative and practical problem solver
IV. A responsible and involved citizen
V. A collaborative and quality worker
VI. An integrative and informed thinker

Staff members determine academic goals for each class. In addition to content area, these goals include:

Reading/Writing Across the Curriculum / Computer skills / Time Management   Student Presentations / Problem-Solving / Working Cooperatively / Relevant and Meaningful Experiences / Community Awareness / Research Skills / Career Planning

The objectives for reaching goals are determined by staff with student input. This is realized through syllabus development and learning contracts for each course based on student interest and planned staff activity. Instructional methods and learning activities are determined by students with staff input. The heart of alternative learning is realized through co-operative learning, group dynamics, group and self-evaluation, the completion of the goal setting/planning process and student and staff evaluation of S.L.I.R.P.s (see Assessment below).

A school goal is to teach social, academic and career skills for survival in a rapidly changing world within an individualized and creative environment. This is where student input and discussions make sense for the student who can see these processes affecting their academic and personal lives.

Learning Modules

The school offers coursework that is flexible enough to accommodate student interest and fulfill Maine State requirements for graduation from high school.

Within the context of minimum required courses as established by the laws of the State of Maine, the school offers a variety of modules that can be fit together to fulfill graduation requirements in the major content areas of Language Arts, Social Studies, Literature, Life/Earth Sciences (including a lab), History, Math, Health and Physical Education, Maine Studies and Computer Skills. The focus of the student’s work in each class determines requirements fulfillment.

Assessment

Student assessment involves both teacher and student input into the content areas as well as specific concept areas.

Content evaluation focuses on the student's academic performance and allows for both teacher and student evaluation of performance.

Concept evaluation measures personal growth in terms of Self-esteem, Leadership, Inter-personal relations, Resourcefulness and Participation (S.L.I.R.P.).

The mechanics of this approach are very simple and direct. Curriculum is driven by students and teachers alike. Evaluation in the content areas takes the form of a teacher/student agreement with very clear expectations and consequences for both parties. The teacher has the ultimate responsibility of deciding whether or not the student has met the agreed-upon expectations for the course performance.

Additionally, attention is given to peer evaluation in group activities. The focus is on the process as much as the result. Creativity, research, cooperative learning, information management and a final presentation serve to highlight the quality of the work each student is doing. All students get an opportunity to see some quality work, and standards are implied if not stated. This approach is interest-driven and short-term, with an emphasis on planning, and may be separate from overall classroom goals for learning. The teacher evaluates the planning process and the student evaluates the quality of his/her work, reflects upon the experience and negotiates for a final grade or pass/fail with the teacher.

The staff also assesses student performance on the basis of portfolio contributions in addition to the present methods being used. It is the philosophy of the school that such an approach offers students a very valuable exercise that serves to instill creativity through contribution to a representative document. It shows growth and a variety of experience and will be a representation of progress as a result of their school experience.

Students will be encouraged to make contributions to their portfolio for each class above and beyond those to be considered for a passing grade. Students may also contract for credit through the Student Advisory and Assessment Team. This group is made up of student and staff members who will work with enrolled students on specific programs of study and on an ongoing basis until the desired outcome is reached. This is an individualized approach, and the portfolio format and formal presentation are used for assessment.

We are currently developing a written evaluation by staff  that is periodically presented to students. The intent is to provide the student with an honest and sincere statement about the student's overall performance in the program. It will cite specific and relevant examples of behavior that support the evaluation and, when necessary, suggest areas where change is needed. It will not become part of the student's permanent record as it is primarily used as a tool for discussion, especially if the student has questions or concerns about its content. The time and energy necessary for staff to complete these evaluations will allow each student a regular reference point for insight into their own behavior, performance and progress that goes beyond standard report card formats. All regular, full-time students receive a written evaluation quarterly in addition to their report cards.

The program, in keeping with its philosophy that the student's individual educational needs will be considered, provides various methods for earning high school credit that include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following options:

Work Experience - A student can earn one credit for 200 hours worked at a job site or regular part-time position. This option includes employer orientation, evaluation or work performance and student counseling and must be a part of the student's Alternative Education Plan (AEP) as determined by conference with administration and staff of the school. 

Vocational Programs The school will work cooperatively with area schools to provide placement for students, when appropriate, as part of their individual AEP.  These classes may include auto body and mechanics, heavy equipment operation and maintenance, welding, industrial construction, operation and maintenance, welding, and health occupations.

Adult Education Courses Selected students may participate in adult classes at the discretion of the adult education directors of local area schools and the principal of the school.

Independent Research When students have identified an area of interest that they would like to pursue and traditional methods of individualizing the AEP are not able to meet their needs, the student, in conjunction with the staff of the school, may elect to work independently following an agreed-upon course of action with specific goals and a learning contract.

Community Based Learning This credit option emphasizes the importance of school and community partnerships and focuses on the learning experience rather than work experience. Its strength lies in the identification of specific career interests by students. Credit is earned by successfully completing an approved activity plan and by working with either a learning site supervisor at a location specified within the plan or a community member willing to work with the student.

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