Watch VideoLewis Palmer finds right option for students
Story By: Andy Koen
Source: KOAA
Sometimes the path to success takes you outside of the classroom. Early in December, about a dozen juniors and seniors from Lewis-Palmer High School spent the morning hiking through Cheyenne Canyon. The students are part of the Options 38 program where hiking and rock climbing count for a physical education credits.
"I think that gives the kids a unique challenge both on a physical level and on a mental level of overcoming some fears," said teacher Greg Long.
He says the goal of Options 38 is to help get students back in-step academically who struggled in the more traditional classroom setting. A normal day for options students consists of two long classes, lasting two hours and 35 minutes each. The longer class lets them cover a semester’s worth of materiel in six weeks.
"The whole workload of seven classes was just too much in terms of having to pay attention of that many subjects, having to keep track of the homework of that many subjects," Long said.
The flexibility of the block scheduling also lets students make up missing credits. Before joining the class, Katie Roseboro wasn't going to graduate on time. However, now she's graduating early. "It feels good to actually having somebody push you into doing well," Roseboro said.
Junior Sean Whelan says if it weren't for the options program, he probably wouldn't be in school. "There was a point where I was taking English 1A like five times before I actually passed it and now I'm taking English 2A and I have an A minus in that class," Whelan said.
Jenny DeLoach, like Roseboro, is graduating early through Options. She says the pace of the class is more suited to her needs. "It's more one on one,” DeLoach said. “It pushes you and it's one on one with the teacher and you get a good relationship.”
Last year, six students graduated thanks to Options 38. This year 15 will graduate. This is the second year of the program.
