A vital, effective, and remarkable alternative learning program ...nkhs.nkschools.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_419503/File...curriculum to the long‐term qualities we strive to engender

A vital, effective, and remarkable alternative‐learning program for grades K‐8

North Kitsap Options Program • December 2010 1

CONTENTS The Options mission ................................................................................... 2 Our approach: The four threads ................................................................ 2 #1: Building strong community #2: Nurturing engaged, independent learners #3: Honoring individualism through creative curricula #4: Focusing on long‐range success

What does Options look like in practice ................................................. 20 Our curriculum Our classrooms Our parents Our teachers

Learning beyond the classroom ............................................................... 26 Field trips Family camp “Circles” (a.k.a. Enrichment Classes) Civic outreach projects Mystery Dinner Theater

What does Options have to offer? .......................................................... 32 For parents: Greater choice For students: Unique learning opportunities For NKSD: More students For everyone: Long‐term success

Come explore Options for yourself ......................................................... 34

Appendix A: Parent hours reported for 2010‐11 school year ................ 36 Appendix B: Options alumni survey ........................................................ 37 Appendix C: Options parent surveys ....................................................... 39


The Options mission 2010 marks the 20th anniversary of North Kitsap Options, an alternative public school program founded by a group of parents who set out to create educational choices for their children and, in the process, left a lasting option for other area students. The program’s mission statement is:

To provide North Kitsap students with community‐based education that fosters the development of self directed, life‐long learners through

significant family involvement, interdependent, multi‐age learning groups, and

curricula that are responsive to the needs and interests of our students. Ideally, the Options experience begins in Kindergarten, before children have grown to expect that motivation and reward are extrinsically generated, and extends through the critical middle school years – that often‐tumultuous period in which many young people feel ungrounded, misunderstood, and overwhelmed by peer pressure and the changes they experience in the transition from childhood to young adulthood. During the nine years from K through 8th grade, our focus is to:

Provide a solid support system for our students by developing a strong community of peers, teachers, parents, and extended families.

Guide students in developing the skills and attitudes required for successful, life‐long, independent learning using a wide variety of academic, artistic and social settings.

Create curricula and an environment that fosters curiosity, experiential learning, critical thinking, problem solving, risk taking, reflection and evaluation.

Emphasize the intrinsic rewards and values of learning in daily work and through community service and participation.

Our approach: The four threads

Four philosophical threads run through our entire program – from the daily curriculum to the long‐term qualities we strive to engender in every student. The following pages describe each thread from a variety of perspectives.


“The Options method is not an accident. It follows the natural rhythm of human development.” Bob Deweese, Options teacher for 17 years


Thread #1: Building strong community Options provides daily opportunities for kids to learn from teachers, each other, parents, and people outside the school community. Within that safe, supportive environment, we encourage children to take the risks and make the mistakes that are critical for developing both self‐confidence and problem solving skills. Here, students are known, valued, and accountable participants within a larger context, and the community they build remains integral to their lives long after they’ve left the program.

“The fact that Options parents, children and teachers are a big family led my daughter to interrelate with adults well, and to learn trust and accountability in a caring, nurturing manner. The parents also brought their various talents, opinions, and styles to the classroom and field trip events, broadening the student experience further than a single teacher alone could provide.”

‐ Carl Miller, Options parent




Options alumni on community and the importance of adults

“One of the most important things was that I was welcomed, exactly as I was. Teachers, other students, even the families of students showed interest in me as a person and made it clear that I was wanted there. That feeling of being accepted was something that I had never before experienced and will never forget. The small community of students, teachers and parents became a network of support and encouragement to me. I became part of a strong cohesive group.”

– Molly Dorsey, Edmonds Community College; Running Start 2010 “The parent involvement in Options and the individual approach to each student's education taken by the teachers meant that in Options I had powerful relationships with people besides just the students I was in class with. Today (especially as I prepare for my 700 student senior level lecture at the UW) this is one of the things I remember and miss most about my Options experience. At no other point in my education have I had so many powerful mentors and advocates for my education. In fact, many of these relationships are the ones I still depend on when I need help and advice making difficult decisions about my education/life.”

– Dylan Peterson, University of Washington 2011; Polaris 2007 “When I was in Options I loved how everyone was comfortable around each other and most of all, comfortable with themselves. I've never experienced a more accepting and friendly environment. No matter what grade you were in, everyone worked together and in the process, learned from each other as well. It was this multi‐age learning that truly set Options apart, for me at least.”

– Alex Beaulieu, Kingston High School 2011 “To me the most important part of my experience in Options was the learning community. It was so unique, so safe, and so full of life and exploration. I never felt like I was limited to the walls surrounding me in the classroom. I felt that I had so much opportunity, and so much support from the teachers, students and parents around me. It was such a safe comfortable place to learn. I truly felt free to be myself and because of that I learned so much more.”

‐ Greta Miller, The Evergreen State College, KHS 2010 “The most important part of my Options experience was being involved in such a strong learning community. The students, parents, and teachers I spent eight years with in Options I consider to be my extended family, and I think that those kinds of ties are unique to schools like Options.”

– Katie Gates, Evergreen State College 2011; West Sound Academy


Thread #2: Nurturing engaged, independent learners

Kids are intrinsically motivated to learn about the world. We respect that fact by encouraging our students to develop control and ownership of their own education. Our job is to provide a healthy, stimulating environment where students feel safe to experiment, try new skills, correct mistakes, change behavior, and accept that there may be many “right” answers to any question. Our ultimate goal is to cultivate our students’ curiosity, inspiring them to become independent, life‐long learners.

“The Options focus on the learning process and critical reasoning coupled with projects and seminars gave me a set of tools to approach any subject, new or familiar.

‐ Daniel Bryan, Options alumnus




Options alumni on independent learning and how it has served them

“I was able to explore things that meant something to me, and many of those things I am still pursuing in my higher education.”

‐ Cameron Groh, University of Oregon; KHS 2010 “To be honest, when I first joined Options, I really didn’t know what it was all about. It took me a year or so to figure out that we are there because we want to be there, and we learn what we need and want to learn. When I discovered this, it really opened a bunch of doors to new and exciting things that I never imagined possible in a public school. The most important thing I brought away [from Options] was that I am in control of what I am doing. And if I am not, then there is something wrong and we need to change it, rather than just going along with the system.”

‐ David Lemay, traveling in South America; KHS 2010 “I think [Options Students] are more free thinking, more prepared to learn the information offered for the sake of the knowledge itself (not just to remember it until the test and then forget it again), more engaged in our communities, less apathetic than standardized school children, more encouraged to…think outside of the box.”

‐ Kate Latina‐Able, Shoreline College 2010 “The Options program offers students an education where they are taught that learning is a way of living, not a means to a goal. [The program] encourages students to develop and pursue their interests, and gives them experience in seminar and extensive project work that might not be well explored by traditional students until high school or college.” ‐Daniel Bryan, The Evergreen State College 2010

“Due to the structure and learning environment of Options, I had more freedom than the average junior high student to decide what and how I wanted to learn. I was able to explore my areas of interest to a large degree. The fact that I was studying things that sparked my curiosity motivated me to put more effort into my schoolwork. I strongly feel that such academic freedom helped prepare me for college and the decision‐making that goes with higher education.”

‐ Molly Dorsey, Edmonds Community College; Running Start 2010 “When I was in Options I really felt like what I had to say mattered, that I had a say in what went on in the classroom. The opinions and ideas of the students are truly valued, and we were always treated with respect. I didn't feel that way as much when I was at the High School.”

–Toby Jacobrown, Bennington College 2010


Thread #3: Honoring individualism through creative curricula

Learning is an organic activity. It happens at different rates in different subject areas for different kids. And when you consider that there may be as much as a 364‐day age difference between classmates, it’s impractical to expect that all of them can or will accomplish the same goals within the same year. With that in mind, Options applies an integrated, responsive approach to teaching the standard public school curriculum; an approach that provides the flexibility for students to develop skills at their own pace. In allowing students to choose both the timing and subject areas they pursue, we create a relevant, integrated curriculum that responds to individual student needs and promotes greater success. This kind of individualization helps kids to see and respond to the inter‐relatedness of all subject areas.

“[At Options] I looked forward to going to school EVERY DAY. I was always in an environment that bred self‐expression and discovery.”

‐ Kendal Peiguss, Emerson College 2012, KHS 2009




Options parents on creative curricula and meeting individual needs

“At Options, kids are valued as individuals and as members of an interdependent community. In the 11 years we were in the program, there was never a day where either of my girls wanted to stay home from school voluntarily. They, and their classmates and friends as well, simply EXCELLED in that environment.”

‐ Isabel Gates, parent of two Options alumni “Our daughter continued at West Sound Academy where she was well‐prepared for the difficult academic classes. She was more centered than many of the students there; she looked less for approval for what she had done than many of her peers; she could evaluate her results better.”

‐ Nancy Ball, parent of one Options alumnus “[My son] learned to work with a huge range of personalities and ages, he developed his confidence in front of groups by presenting independent project research and yearly plays, his rambunctiousness was moderated from the wise intervention of many, many adults, he developed a deep social awareness and empathy for others through the intensity of group projects such as plays and other cooperative learning tasks.”

‐ Bob Dash, parent of one Options alumnus “Benefits? Independence, curiosity for the world around them, interest in other cultures, the ability to work with children or adults. The ability to work in both small or large group situations. Knowing that hard work pays off, and that what works for them might not work for one of their peers (i.e. tolerance). The ability to look at problems in many different ways, and knowing that there could be more than one solution.”

‐ Mary Swoboda Groh, parent of two Options alumni “The thing about Options it is the way it instills the drive to learn. There are a lot of interest driven projects that give kids the opportunity not just to learn about themselves, but about the community and the art of collaboration and creation. Now more than ever we need to have access to our creativity and innovation. Options is a cutting edge program in this regard. It gives kids the opportunity to strengthen those skills that will be so important in the 21st century.”

‐ Lailey Jenkins, parent of two Options alumni


4. Focusing on long‐range success

The first lessons many new Options students learn are to let go, to trust themselves to be themselves, and to do what needs to be done without being told and without reward. Ultimately, even the most uncertain kids gain confidence to move forward with their learning. Our goal as a learning community is to accompany our students through their academic journey and along their paths of self‐discovery. Completing this process takes time. Our nine‐year (K through 8) program allows every student the opportunity to experience this growth. What's more, nine years of working together as a community allows Options families to develop the trust, values, and norms that infuse our learning culture. The result is a synergistic program that is far more than the sum of its parts.




Options alumni on the value of Options’ long‐range approach to success

“I think Options kids have higher self‐confidence; much more adaptable, flexible, and effective problem solving skills; higher communication skills across age‐levels; and they know themselves better, what their strengths and weaknesses are as a learner, and how to address their own needs.”

‐ Myrna Keliher, Hampshire College/The Evergreen State College 2008; PAL “[The Options environment] bred self‐expression and discovery. When I left for high school, I was confident in the awkward teenager I was… I became Vice President of the Student Body, Assistant Director of the KHS Drama Club, and have had success in college working with professionals older than I am.”

‐ Kendal Peiguss, Emerson College 2012, KHS 2009 “The varied work and small class sizes allowed me to get…the support I needed. Middle School/Junior High [are tough], and my experience at Options helped me pull through that time and ultimately succeed personally and academically.”

‐ Faith Patton, Western Washington University 2010 “Because Options’ approach is individualized, and students are constantly pushed to explore and incorporate new interests in their schoolwork, [we were] inherently engaged and invested in [our] own education.”

‐ Dylan Peterson, University of Washington; Polaris 2007 “In high school and college, other students were surprised at how dedicated I was to projects…that I would invent new extra‐curricular projects that were above and beyond classwork or, often, had nothing to do with it. I think my independence and love of learning was encouraged and developed in Options in ways that I couldn't believe it would in the traditional system.”

‐ Toby Jacobrown, Bennington College 2010

“I noticed that kids raised in the traditional system [see learning] as a chore... Options kids see learning as an opportunity.“

‐ Jessie Gates, traveling abroad, KHS 2010 “As my high school teachers have noted, [Options alumni are distinctive]. We achieve a deeper level of thinking and analyzing [than] other students. We are motivated and ambitious in school and in life. We are successful and confident.”

‐ Samm Perry, Olympic College; KHS 2010


What does Options look like in practice? Our curriculum The Options curriculum model correlates closely with the State Essential Academic Learning Requirements, but approaches these requirements in a more integrated way, taking a broader look at the kinds of skills essential for becoming a successful and competent person. All of these essential skills are interrelated, but social skills, communication skills, and the arts lie at the heart of the model and our program.

Our classrooms Options classrooms are a good deal livelier than those in traditional schools. The “chaos”, though, has an interior organization that our founders and current leaders feel is appropriate to the goal of supporting independent thinkers and engaged community citizens. For instance, on any given day you may see entire classrooms involved in discussion circles, group problem solving, music making, or working on more in‐depth projects such as:

Market Day. In these simulations, students learn first‐hand about commerce and economics, practicing math (addition, subtraction, fractions, decimals, ratios, proportions), reading and writing, time management, design, and more in a dynamic, interactive setting.

Science projects. Options kids begin developing and testing hypotheses as early as Kindergarten, pursuing science projects of their own choosing on their own time outside the classroom, and presenting their findings to the


class. Independent science projects, in fact, occur at least twice a year throughout the nine‐year Options experience, allowing students to progressively fine‐tune their skills in theorizing, testing, data collection, graphing/charting, and presentation.

Independent Project (IP) presentations. Starting in grade 3, Options kids are asked to choose topics of special interest to them and spend a minimum of 1.5 hours/week for a month or more pursuing that interest in depth. The experience culminates in a presentation of findings to the class. The formats are rich and varied, ranging from oral reports to group participation activities to fully edited and scored video presentations. Aside from the obvious skills kids develop in researching, digesting and presenting their IP results, they learn to find and apply the passion to understanding other important topics that may be of personal interest.

Rehearsals and dramatic presentations. All three Options classrooms perform plays at least once a year. Script writing and rehearsals provide kids with reading and comprehension practice, as well as contextual springboards for studying history; set building hones math, art and teamwork skills; rehearsals and performances help kids to develop self confidence and persistence; and much more.

Camp preparation: Students participate in developing meal plans for our twice‐annual camps, taking dietary restrictions and seasonal availability into account. As often as possible, they participate in harvesting, building their understanding of the field‐to‐table food cycle. (For more information about Options Family Camp, see “Learning beyond the classroom” below.)

Construction projects: In designing stage sets, scale models, garden beds, board games, quilts, and so on, kids get hands‐on practice with design, measurements, geometry, fractions, and decimals.

Kids work together within – and even across – Options classrooms to acquire new knowledge needed for any given task. Often regardless of any fears they may have of appearing inadequate or unskilled, Options students are eager to learn, and respond to these larger challenges as fun opportunities.


Our parents Visit any Options classroom and you’re bound to see parents playing integral roles: helping kids develop reading, math, and science skills; working on sets for plays; or designing enrichment class curricula on topics ranging from anatomy and horticulture to mapping and woodworking. Parents are a clearly visible and absolutely invaluable part of the Options community, active participants who are every bit as engaged in learning as their kids are. Above and beyond classroom time, parents devote many hours working together in monthly parent meetings and smaller operational committee meetings – steering, fundraising, enrichment classes, green school, environment/garden, and more. Our parent group is always looking for ways to improve our program, and to find new and innovative ways to excite, inspire and challenge our students. As a side benefit, this kind of collaborative committee work serves to strengthen our broader community even further.

Options parent volunteer hours logged as of 11/1/2010 *

August 25

September 378.5 October 318.0 Total 721.5

Ave./month 240.5 hours total (130.6 in class)

* For details on the last two years,

see Appendix A.


In October 2010, we conducted an online survey of Options alumni parents, asking them their thoughts about the program and which ways (if any) the Options approach benefitted their children. For details about that survey, as well as another recent parent survey, turn to Appendix C.


Our teachers To Options teachers, the questions underlying every learning opportunity are:

How does this tie in with other things we are doing or have done?

How can I make this learning more real to the kids?

How can I structure a project that requires cooperation and sharing of the learning experience between the students and parents?

Who in our community can help add dimension to our study of this topic? In essence, their teaching methods are cooperative, inquiry‐based, and supportive – not the teacher‐directed approach found in more traditional classrooms. Teachers Sue Dazey, Nat Smith, and Bob Deweese have 45 years of combined tenure with the Options program. (Sue was a founder of the program back in 1988.) Each of them has proven dedication beyond the call of duty to the program mission, students, and the extended Options community. They actively integrate parents into their daily classroom activities. They willingly take learning beyond the classroom walls, facilitating outreach projects and enthusiastically participating in twice‐yearly overnight camps designed to enhance the educational experience and solidify the extended Options community. We will sorely miss Bob and Sue when they retire at the end of the 2010‐2011 school year. We look forward to working with the district to find two new teachers who will fit our uniquely demanding program and leave legacies as profound and enduring as Bob and Sue’s.


“An Options teacher must have great patience, the ability to reach out to students of all levels of motivation…and to engage students with the course material and their peers…[Options teachers] should possess an unmitigated enthusiasm for both learning and teaching, and in approaching both in new ways. …Options teachers are part mentor, part instructor, and part tribal chief. They provide equal parts guidance, instruction and community building. Each part is essential to the Options experience.”

‐ Daniel Bryan,

Options alumnus


Learning beyond the classroom

Field trips In the early years of Options, the community did extensive road trips in Eastern Washington to explore the ecosystem. These days, classes take frequent field trips to local sites – to the county dump, for instance, to learn about recycling, or to local hatcheries for hands‐on experience in lifecycle management.

In nice weather, teachers often take classes to the nearby lake to observe nature, hold discussions, or read. Students and parent volunteers work together to tend a garden space on campus or help out on local farms. Each year, our graduating 8th grade students choose a “senior trip” destination and raise funds to pay their way. Two classes have gone to Italy, while others have visited Canada, Boston and NYC, and the central coast of California. And, for the past 10 years or so, many students and their families have spent summer vacation days traveling with teacher Bob Deweese to the Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon.


Family camps Twice a year, Options holds outdoor education camps – one of our program’s most unique and powerful educational experiences. These eagerly anticipated excursions bring teachers, students, and their extended families together for three days of learning and outdoor exploration. Everybody pitches in to make it happen: Parents head the organizing committee, design curricula and activities, and manage the paperwork; students cook, clean, and serve all the meals; and parents, outside volunteers, and in some cases, Options alumni lead the enrichment classes that fill each day. The result of each camp is a more closely bonded extended community dedicated to supporting the Options experience.


“Circles” (a.k.a. Enrichment Classes) Based on our belief that parent support is absolutely essential to making Options successful, the largest and most active Options group – our Enrichment Class committee – works non‐stop to organize special, multi‐week programs that enhance the curricula and add variety to the students’ school experience. Led by parents (and sometimes members of the outside community), these classes are motivated by the interest and expertise of the parent volunteers, as well as the students. Past courses have covered weather reporting, physics, beading, meditation, keeping journals, calligraphy, photography, modeling groundwater aquifers, baking, watercolor painting, owl pellet analysis, rocket making, ultimate Frisbee, geo‐caching, and embryology. Because our parents are committed and involved, there is no limit to the range of subjects. Students gain both from collaborating with supportive parents, and from sharing their interest and enthusiasm.


Civic outreach projects One core Options belief is that children learn the most from being involved in real world projects that serve real needs. That’s why civic involvement is also a large part of our programming. For example, students frequently make visits to residents of a local nursing home to do crafts, read, sing, tell stories, and foster intergenerational relationships; some students help raise funds for Unicef and Heifer International and work for hunger relief through Children of the Nations International, etc.; and many students and parent volunteers often participate in community cleanup and habitat maintenance projects.


Mystery Dinner Theater Family camps, field trips, and enrichment classes all cost money – funding the district does not provide. As a community devoted to providing these extraordinary learning opportunities, we are equally committed to raising the required funds. Mystery Dinner Theater (MDT) evolved 10 years ago from the desire to “put the fun back into fun‐draisin’”. MDT is even part of the curriculum, with kids reading books like Fast Food Nation, discussing food genetics, and taking Health Department food handler classes. Today, MDT has grown into a multi‐night, multi‐course culinary and entertainment extravaganza for hundreds of patrons. Every year alumni students and parents return to help current families in the kitchen, on the floor, and in the play, bridging generations of Options parents and students. It’s a lot of work, but well worth it. In the last few years, MDT has netted an average of $14,000/year, all of which goes toward enriching our program for current students and funding scholarships for new Options kindergarteners who would otherwise be unable to attend full‐day classes. There’s wealth to be found, too, in the hours parents and students spend together designing sets, rehearsing shows, prepping food, and promoting our cause. In the process, they serve to solidify our community beyond measure.



What does Options have to offer?

For parents: Greater choice By being both alternative and affordable, Options gives parents a greater opportunity to choose an educational situation that best fits their children’s needs. What’s more, Options expects parents to participate first‐hand in their children’s education. In the process, Options parents create tighter bonds with their own kids, simultaneously building a mutually supportive community with the families of their kids’ friends. These family‐based networks provide an invaluable safety net for children and adults throughout the Options experience – especially during the teen years. For students: Unique learning opportunities To answer the question “What advantages (if any) do you think Options students have over kids that come through the traditional system?” we sent an online survey to approximately 70 Options alumni, 58 of whom responded by the deadline. Their answers reflect two clear and consistent themes:

A strong appreciation of Options’ multi‐age community: the cross‐classroom interaction; the constant presence of mentors and advocates, and a solid sense of their value in that community.

A keen awareness of their uniqueness as students and citizens: their desire to learn simply for the sake of learning; their comfort in taking initiative, even in unfamiliar situations; their drive to meet high standards, without regard to external reward or recognition.

(For more detail about the Options alumni survey, see Appendix B.) And here’s an interesting footnote: The breadth, depth, and endurance of the Options community are wonderfully illustrated by the manner in which we located participants for our survey (through alumni Facebook connections), as well as in the high response rate (75%). We believe that class connections on such a large scale rarely survive beyond graduation in standard school communities.


For the NKSD: More students For the district in general and Gordon Elementary in particular, Options means more students and, in turn, higher levels of funding. We firmly believe that Options attracts students to the district who would otherwise not attend school here. To substantiate that belief, we recently polled the 56 families currently enrolled in Options with this question:

If the Options Program was no longer an education choice for our child, we would choose…

Home school / Private school / Another public school / Other Thirty‐seven families responded to the poll, representing 53 NKSD students. The results indicated that no more than nine of those students would remain in the district. In other words, upwards of 44 students participate in NK public schools solely because the Options program is a choice. (For details about two recent Options parent surveys, see Appendix C.) For everyone: Long‐term success Regardless of the educational choices we make, any parent’s highest hopes are borne out (or not) when our children step up to the next challenge and show the world what they’re capable of accomplishing. As Options parents, we have seen remarkable results from our alumni. For instance:

One third of all Options students enroll in Running Start.

Approximately 80% of Options students attend 4‐year college.

In 2009‐2010, seven AP honors scholars were named in Kingston High School. Six of them were Options students; three were just juniors at the time.

“Trust the children. Standardized tests aren't important, and a curriculum based on taking tests doesn’t matter in the long run. Offer children a place to learn and discover in a patient, caring, supportive environment and they will learn! You may not see it in the moment, but it is absolutely happening.”

‐ Anonymous, parent of two Options alumni


From day one, the Options education model provides students ample opportunity for creativity, play, and peer interaction. Our entire program encourages self‐regulated freedom, creating an open environment for working independently on research, writing, drawing, experiments, and building. And our approach pays off. High school teachers report that Options alums are the dynamos of their classrooms – they are engaged, thoughtful, and independent learners.

Our door is always open. Come visit a classroom, drop in on a monthly parent meeting, or spend an evening enjoying February’s MDT production. You’ll see what makes Options:

Vital to the NKSD, drawing children to the district whose parents are looking for an alternative education program.

Effective for both students and their parents, as our survey shows.

Remarkable. There truly is nothing comparable anywhere in the North Kitsap school district.

If you’d like more information about Options, please contact us. We’ll be happy to help. Options teacher Nat Smith (360) 394‐6748 [email protected] 2010 – 2011 Options Steering Committee Co‐Chairs Robbin Baker (206) 972‐3115 [email protected] Kristen Chandler (360) 297‐3003 [email protected] Pam Buitenveld (360) 860‐0491 [email protected]

“I am 23 now, and keep in touch with [many] students from the program. Every single one of them is doing amazing things... All but one has gone to college, and [he] has traveled half the continents in the world and works for very worthwhile causes.”

‐ Kirsten Sorensen, Options alumnus


“Why should the North Kitsap School District value and support their Options Program? Because it provides an alternative to traditional schooling that is sought by many families, some of whom would choose private schooling if it weren't for Options. Its parent fund‐raising activities offer enriched learning experiences to Options participants at no extra cost to the district. It showcases the district's open‐mindedness about learning, its responsiveness to a diversity of learning styles, models and philosophies, and its willingness to try new and different approaches in meeting its students' needs. The Options program has a 20‐year track record and is still in high demand. It was developed by a focused, collaborative effort of teachers, principals, administrators and parents. What is the single most important thing that principals and other administrators can do to keep a healthy Options Program that continues to provide a true alternative to the traditional classroom? Hire teachers that are passionate about the program, skilled in leading it, and committed to its goals.”

‐ Barbie Brooking Options alumni parent and co‐founder of the NK Options Program


Appendix A: Parent volunteer hours reported for 2010‐11 school year as of 10/31*

TOTAL HOURS

IN CLASSROOM COMMITTEE WORK

August 25 0 25 September 378.5 259.5 119 October 318 132.25 185.75 Total hours 721.5 391.75 329.75 Ave./month 240.5 130.6 109.9 * Unrecorded volunteer hours missing from this accounting: ‐ Parent meetings (~45 parents x 2.5 hours x 1 meeting/month) ‐ Fall camp participation (~100 parents x 3 days)


Appendix B: Options alumni survey

At a time when the trend in education is to quantify student learning, Options has sometimes been a haven for parents who don’t value standardized testing or the kind of teaching that it drives. We also attract a group of well‐educated people who deeply value learning. This fall, realizing that many new board members don’t know much about Options, we thought it prudent to gather some measurements of our program’s success to validate the philosophies and practices we’ve employed for more than two decades. Anecdotal evidence strongly suggested that our alumni were doing well in high school, almost all going to college, and enjoying a high degree of permanence in their relationships to the people they met while in Options. We wanted to quantify some of these notions. In October, we wrote two surveys: one for Options Student Alumni and one for Options Parent Alumni. We sent them via Facebook and email to approximately 70 former students and about 50 parent alumni. As of this printing (12/1/2010), 63 former students and 33 parents have responded. The majority of students were in Options for at least five years and more than 80% were in Options through their junior high school years. (This means that the majority of student respondents graduated from 8th or 9th grade Options between 3 and 12 years ago.) The following are the highlights of the Alumni survey. (For highlights of the Options Parent Alumni survey, turn to Appendix C.) The surveys remain open and we hope get more responses over winter break. We strongly believe, however, that any new results we get will mirror the data we already have.


Alumni survey highlights

Sixty two percent of respondents were in Options for five years or more; more than 20% were in Options for their entire elementary and junior high school careers.

More than 80% of respondents were in Options for 7th and 8th grade. 93% of respondents were in JHOP (Junior High Options Program) for at least one year.

More than a quarter of our alums went outside of the district for high school; 50% chose to attend alternative high school programs ‐ Spectrum, Pal, Polaris, or Running Start.

75% of Options alumni entered four‐year college. The survey results included several respondents who have not graduated from high school, so actual rates may be significantly higher. When community college entrance is added to the four‐year college statistic, college entrance for Options alums approaches 90%.

The distribution of college majors chosen by Options alumni is roughly distributed in thirds between science, English, and the arts.

More than 80% of respondents said they’d definitely choose Options for their kids; 100% said they would consider it as an option.

One hundred percent of respondents said they would attend Options again if they had the choice.

Eighty percent of respondents report at least monthly contact with their Options peers, as well as with classes above and below them.

More than 70% of respondents report at least yearly contact with parent mentors and teachers they met in Options.


Appendix C: Parent surveys

Alumni parent survey highlights [For an explanation of the origins of the following survey highlights, see the introduction to Appendix B.] More than 75% of responding families felt that their children were “very well

prepared” for secondary and college academics in Options. An additional 15 % felt that their children were "pretty well prepared.”

Parents report keeping regular contact with their children’s cohorts (90%) and even closer contact with other parents from Options (97% on a monthly or more frequent basis). More than 75% of parents report staying in contact with Options teachers after their children have graduated.

Only one parent felt she wouldn’t choose Options again for one of her children. She also said that she would probably still choose Options for her other child, and felt that child was very well prepared for college and secondary academics.

More than 90% of responding parents said that they would “probably” or “definitely” be supportive of an Options style high school.


Current parent survey We recently polled the 56 families currently enrolled in Options, asking them:

If the Options Program was no longer an education choice for our child, we would choose…

Home school / Private school / Another public school / Other (describe) Thirty‐seven families responded to our poll, representing 53 NKSD students. The results indicated, in summary, that no more than nine of those 53 students would remain in NK public schools. In other words, upwards of 44 students participate in NK public schools solely because the Options program is a choice here. Here are the details: Twenty‐six families indicated clear choices:

7 marked “Home school”

9 marked “Private school”

7 marked “Another public school” o 1 specified an in‐district school o 4 were not specific about remaining in‐district vs. going out‐of‐district o 2 specified alternative programs offered outside of NKSD

1 marked “Private school” for one child and “Another public school” (specifically one outside of NKSD) for one child

1 would combine home schooling with a school outside of NKSD

1 would “move to Seattle” Eight families indicated two possibilities:

7 marked “Home school” or “Private school”

1 marked “Private School” or “Another public school” (no district specified) Three families marked “Other” and wrote “undecided”


North Kitsap Options Program Richard Gordon Elementary School

26331 Barber Cutoff Road Kingston, WA 98346

(360) 394‐6758

Documents

A vital, effective, and remarkable alternative learning program ...nkhs.nkschools.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_419503/File...curriculum to the long‐term qualities we strive to engender