Paths To Graduation
story by Charlotte Zombro & Gunner Stuns, design by Zoey Ryan
Have you ever felt stuck in your education? That somehow, no matter what you do, you can’t seem to find that ability to succeed within the system like the rest of your peers? If your answer is yes or if you ever have felt that way in the past, you’re far from alone.
Ellensburg Public Schools adds a new dropout prevention program this fall to their growing list of Choice Schools. According to the Ellensburg Big Picture website, the Open Doors program is designed for students aged 16 to 21 who have either dropped out or are severely credit deficient and are looking to earn a diploma. “We have some work to do on finding some of those kids who have fallen through the cracks,” says second-year Choice Schools Principal Haley Naboychik, “the reality is there’s often a number of reasons why they’re not in school.”
Subhead: Alternative Solutions
There are four separate programs within the Ellensburg Choice Schools, all under Naboychik’s supervision as principal. Ellensburg Big Picture High School, formerly Excel High School, is the fully in-person program located on the rear side of the traditional high school. Big Picture saw its first graduating class last year, and has 60 students currently enrolled. The school has seen many changes since it was first introduced as Excel High School. Ellensburg Public Schools superintendent Troy Tornow says, “It had been a little bit more like regular high school lite: so you went a little bit less, or you did some different things, but it was very worksheet based, very traditional, and that just wasn't working…. so we're just looking for different ways to engage students.” Big Picture High School places a focus on alternative, competency based learning, tailored to students’ individual needs and interests. Naboychik spoke of the flexibility of the program and their projects: from building a community closet, to a recording studio, to learning the physics behind skateboards.
These projects expand past the high school as well. Administrative assistant and public information officer Leslee Caul speaks highly of Naboychik and the program. “Haley finds all kinds of good opportunities,” says Caul. “They spent a whole day at the hospital last year, and one of the kids ended up doing a long term internship.” Principal Naboychik speaks candidly about both the successes and hardships of running a program like Big Picture. “Kids are far more engaged. And it does not mean that every day that we have high levels of engagement,” Naboychik says. “Some days are better than others. They’re still kids and it’s still school, but they are more engaged when they see where it's going and why.” In addition to heading the program itself, Naboychik is also the worksite learning coordinator. Under worksite learning, high school students can earn elective credits through their jobs outside of school. This program allows students who may need to work outside of school to also stay on track with their graduation requirements.
As far as after high school, Choice Schools intends on expanding students’ ideas of what is possible for them. According to Naboychik, many students in the program don’t see themselves as “college bound”, and they are working on exposing students to potential post-secondary paths. “Every kid needs something else, and whether that's through an apprenticeship, or work,” she says. “For some of the kids we talked with last year, it was like, Okay, what are training opportunities within the company? Or how do you get into management?”
With many Choice Schools students coming from a lower income background, Naboychik emphasizes the importance of giving students the tools and self-confidence to improve their circumstances, saying, “They often want the education, they want an improved lifestyle, they want out of the poverty, but they don't know how to get there exactly.” She continues, “The goal is just continued exposure and belief in them, and hopefully us believing in them eventually leads to them believing in them.”
In recent years, Ellensburg Choice Schools has grown exponentially. Enrollment in the alternative high school has grown from 35 to 60 students, and “Virtual Home Connection” has branched off into two new and separate programs. Ellensburg Virtual Academy (EVA) is the largest program in the Choice Schools with 120 virtual learners. According to Naboychik, about 60% of these students take in-person classes as well, spending half the day at the high school and the other half completing online work. With virtual learning, the school places an emphasis on constancy and routine for students, encouraging online learners to take at least half of their classes virtually. “We tend to see if they only have one class they forget,” says Naboychik. “They just don't spend the time because it's not part of their routine. Where, if half of your day needs to be virtual, there's a little more buy in.”
Faith Mcdonald, 17-year-old senior in EVA, says that making the switch to virtual learning aided her success dramatically. “My grades have gone up,” she says. “From literal straight F's to C's, B's and A's.” She also says she receives more apt and individualized support after moving to alternative schooling. The Choice Schools also delve into homeschooling, with Ellensburg Home Connection offering support to the 15 enrolled homeschool students up through eighth grade, meeting with school staff in person once a week. There are already six students participating in the newest Open Doors program, bringing the total number of enrolled students in all four Choice Schools to 201. These six new students participate in online credit retrieval courses, in addition to meeting weekly with school faculty to discuss progress. According to Superintendent Troy Tornow, the program operates on a sliding scale, based on age and credit needs. “So if you're 16, you have to be pretty far behind,” says Tornow, “...it's not just the Wild West. They can't just choose into it.”
With opening a new school comes new logistical challenges, but Naboychik says she is confident with the progress that’s been made and their ability to help students succeed. “The kids matter,” she says, “the kids are the reason, the kids are the why. But you have to have all those other things in place to be able to do things with those diplomas.” Superintendent Tornow, who previously worked in dropout recovery in the Tri Cities School District, says he is satisfied with their ability to provide options in the small Ellensburg district. “We're the size of a district where we're probably never going to have a full second high school, alternative school like you would in a larger district…” he says, “but we can continue to make our programs better and provide options.”
Principal Naboychik says she intends on making even more progress within her department at the Choice Schools, citing Open Doors being another step in the right direction. “There are kids who are getting good stuff out of their day,” she says on the success of the alternative programs. “Kids are graduating and getting an education that’s geared towards what they need…. I definitely feel like they’re a success.” On the new program, Superintendent Tornow concludes, “We in the school district are looking at providing [students] different ways for them to re-engage, earn their credits in a different manner, and graduate.”
There is currently no additional information available online about Ellensburg Open Doors, but the Ellensburg Choice Schools office is open to receiving questions about enrollment and program information.