CALDWELL, Idaho (CBS 2) — On Monday, ninth and tenth graders at Elevate Academy in Caldwell sat down in their classrooms for the very first time.
One week earlier, CBS2 got a chance to see the school while it was still being set up.
Elevate Academy is an alternative school in more than one way. When you walk in the first thing you notice is the giant purple slide.
"We're serious and we're going to have fun and we're going to work hard but we want kids to still be kids," said Co-Founder Monica White
There are 330 students enrolled. The school focused on recruiting students who meet the state of Idaho's "at-risk" standards.
Monica White and Matt Strong took their experience in Idaho education and co-founded the program which focuses on connecting the core subjects to career and technical education.
"The intent for elevate is everything is learned through the trades nothing is learned in isolation," White said. "When kids learn math and say they're taking the culinary classes all the math standards that they're learning will mirror what's going on in the culinary kitchen."
Co-Founder Matt Strong says community involvement was a huge part of this process, which involved talking to the mayor, the police and fire departments and industry professionals.
"We went right into their companies asked their employers, asked the people that manage those business and the owners what do you need," strong said.
The school offers eight CTE programs including business and marketing, medical arts criminal justice and fire, welding and manufacturing and graphic arts. They want students as familiar as possible with the type of technology they'll use in each industry.
In the sixth, seventh and eighth grades, students will work through every trade the school offers. By ninth grade, they'll narrow their focus down to four.
After that begin specializing in two subjects.
"The goal is that everybody graduates with two industry certifications and then their high school diploma," White said.
Though unique in process, like any other school safety is extremely important for student success.
"We fenced the whole perimeter of the school so in the morning students will get dropped off right here at the gate," White said. "They'll come in and come around through the back doors into the cafeteria."
Once school starts for the day those gates will be locked. The front doors of the school will be double secured. Visitors will have to be buzzed in by the front office and check-in once they are inside
The school also offers many wrap-around services, like a barbershop.
"Oftentimes students don't have access to be able to get their hair cut on a regular basis. We have volunteer barbers coming in on Fridays to cut students' hair."
There will also be a fitness center, individual showers, and a laundry mat. Most importantly the school has partnered with Lifeways to provide onsite mental health and counseling services.
"If bringing in a mental health component will help a student academically as well as personally and socially and emotionally i just think it's where we are now in society to offer that to students."
Sixth, seventh and eighth graders will start filtering into the classrooms Tuesday and Wednesday.
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