Philosophy
It is our task to have all students graduate from WIHS with the following attributes:
- Functional academic skills in reading, math, science, social science, and technology designed from Whitefish Schools’ curricula with high expectations of student involvement and achievement
- Social and emotional maturity to be productive citizens with a plan to either work or pursue further studies and training
- Positive self-views, motivation and discipline
- A knowledge of personal strengths
Benefits of Attending
Students who are not successful in the traditional high school are able to thrive at WIHS for a variety of reasons.
- More individualized instruction
- Lower teacher/student ratio
- Small student population
- Easy-to-understand textbooks
- Students work at their own pace
- School support for employment outside of school
- Pottery class offered to Seniors
- Jobs for Montana Graduates class prepares students for employment after high school
Goals
These are the goals of the Alternative Education Program at WIHS:
- Increase the graduation rate of Whitefish School District #44.
- Provide a safe/secure/nurturing learning environment
- Maintain a gender balance
- Design meaningful project-based learning
- Involve students in community service
- Connect students to the world of work and develop a positive work attitude
- Conduct adequate follow-up studies to evaluate program success
- Provide quality, meaningful, and incremental educational experiences for students who have not been successful in a typical high school setting
Expectations
The graduation requirements for Whitefish Independent High School are the same as the requirements for Whitefish High School. Students who graduate from WIHS receive a Whitefish High School diploma.
Students must complete a minimum of 1.5 credits per semester (excluding P.E. and Vocational Work Experience). Students who do not complete the minimum will be placed on academic probation for the remainder of the school year. If, at the end of each subsequent grading period, the student is not progressing satisfactorily, the student will meet with the head teacher and administration to discuss options.
Aside from the graduation requirements, students at WIHS are expected to maintain regular attendance. While there are no “excused” or “unexcused” absences at WIHS, students are expected to be in school. WIHS follows a “three strikes” policy in which students who do not attend the minimum number of days must do community service before returning to WIHS. The third time a student falls below the minimum days in school, the student will be removed from WIHS for the remainder of the school year.
