'Toughest year' at CHOICE High School

Two years into the pandemic, CHOICE High School is in “a bit of an uphill battle,” Principal Stacey Anderson told the Shelton School Board.

“This has been the toughest year for me and my staff and for the kids, harder than last year by far,” Anderson said as she presented the school’s improvement plan Feb. 23. “We’ve had more fights this year than any year I have been principal.”

Those conflicts prompted the school last week to begin limiting one student at a time in the restrooms.

Anderson also delivered encouraging news to the board, and strategies to better help students succeed. The school is exceeding its attendance goal of 70% this school year, with attendance at 73.89%.

In her presentation, Anderson said the school is working to have by June 70% of students graduating in four years, 55% within five years, and 60% in five or six years.

“That might not sound very high, but I do just want to mention that at CHOICE we tend to have students who struggle with being a little behind on credits,” she said. Some of the students are in transitional housing, working jobs or taking care of their children, she said.

At CHOICE, 80% of the 165 students in grades seven through 12 are credit deficient. Last year, 37% of seniors graduated in four years.

The school has created an “anti-bullying” environment, Anderson said.

“A lot of them said they were lost in bigger schools, or that they felt like they were bullied or harassed, and not that the other schools were not addressing it, but we only have one hallway, it’s a lot easier to catch what students are doing with each other,” Anderson said.

Students involved in fights must give a presentation to staff to return to school, “whether they’re the instigator or the video taper of the fight,” she said.

Anderson said the one hallway also allows teachers to better monitor safety measures. CHOICE students won the district’s award for being the best at following such COVID measures as distancing and wearing masks.

Advisors are working with students to help them graduate, helping them monitor their credits and recover any lost credits, Anderson said.

“A lot of what we do here is motivation,” she said. “A lot of students come to us and they’re discouraged and we want to help them and give them a reason to stay in school.”

Each student has a written plan. Most of the students are not

interested in attending four-year colleges, but many are drawn to two-year colleges and technical schools, Anderson said.

The school’s clubs recently were activated.

“It’s been a bit of an uphill battle right now, but we’re excited to take it on,” Anderson said in her closing comments. “We want the kids to leave here feeling like they are prepared. It’s not just that they’re prepared for college or tech school, but they are prepared to be a better citizen … We know a lot of our students stay in the community, and we want them connected to things like OysterFest and events, and they can feel like part of the community.”