SOC - School of Choice

The Mission of the School of Choice is to provide an alternate path to graduation by helping the students become self-disciplined, effective learners.

School of Choice (SOC) is an alternate program within Los Alamos High School that is intended to reach students who have a strong desire to learn and who want to graduate but who are failing their core classes.

SOC students typically are those who work hard and focus in class, participate well, are abstract thinkers, and are creative, but who fail when it comes to homework and tests. Typical SOC students have high academic ability but have outside factors that affect their ability to complete work after school. SOC classes design curriculum to be taught and demonstrated in the classroom setting. Learning is done very quickly, at an advanced rate; thus, attendance is vital to student success. The goal is to help students learn to think, analyze, and apply their knowledge, and to be able to take pride in their work.

The coursework covers the same Common Core Standards as general LAHS courses; however, the work may seem even more challenging due to the nature of the higher-level thinking that is expected of students and the fast pace of the classes. Extensive in-class reading and writing are part of the program, which includes frequent use of computers.

Due to the nature of the work, there are no freshman courses offered in the School of Choice program.

In order to be considered for the School of Choice program, students must apply and go through a formal interview process. It’s important to note that not all students who apply are interviewed, and not all students who are interviewed are accepted into the program. Students who are accepted must earn a 70% in each of their SOC classes in order to earn credit and in order to stay in the program.

Application process

1. To apply, the student must first go to the Guidance Office and discuss SOC with his or her guidance counselor.

2. The counselor may give the student an SOC application, if deemed appropriate.

3. The student must then fill out the application with his or her parents, return it to the counselor for her signature, and turn it in to Mrs. Pomeroy.

4. Parents are generally contacted within two weeks of receipt of the application to set up an interview with the student and the parents.

5. After the interview, the student’s current teachers and/or guidance counselor may be contacted to discuss the student’s appropriateness for the SOC program.

6. Parents are generally notified within three weeks of the interview or by the end of the semester (if interviewing for the following year) regarding whether or not their son / daughter was accepted. Students who interview in the spring for the following school year will not be notified until late-May.

7. If accepted, the SOC staff notifies the appropriate guidance counselor, and the student’s schedule is changed to incorporate SOC courses.

Acceptance to School of Choice is based on the student application, the student interview, and LAHS teacher feedback.

Students, for more information, please contact your guidance counselor. If you have further questions, you may contact

Whitney Pomeroy, SOC Department Chair, at 663-2586 or w.pomeroy@laschools.net

GATE

Coordinators

Whitney Pomeroy:  505-663-2586   •   w.pomeroy@laschools.net         

Catherine Puranananda:  505-663-2592  •   c.puranananda@laschools.net

The GATE program at Los Alamos High School is based on the autonomous learner model. GATE students pursue a project focusing on an area of personal interest. The project should address topics that are outside or beyond the high school curriculum.  Each participating student will also attend an IEP (individualized educational plan) meeting and develop an IEP in conjunction with his or her GATE case manager.

LAHS GATE uses a pullout model. GATE students will have formal meeting with their peers once every six weeks. Students will also meet with their GATE case managers independently, as needed or desired. Students will have the choice of meeting times, depending on students’ schedules and case manager schedules. During the group meetings, students will discuss and troubleshoot their projects with other GATE students, and they will make goals that they will try to meet before the next group meeting. The individual meeting topics are tailored to the student’s individual needs. The last group meeting of the school year will be used for project presentations.

Students will not receive school credit or a grade on their transcripts for participating in GATE. However, many students who have remained in the GATE program have stated that they enjoy the camaraderie of the group meetings and the connections that they make with the case managers. Additionally, students enjoy the external motivation to do something on their own that they enjoy.