INDIVIDUALIZE the learning process for all students
ADVOCATE for student differences
PROMOTE a positive self-perception
CONNECT students to healthy life choices
Pleasant Creek School was established in 2011 as an alternative school for Youth in Care (YIC), at-risk students and our Adult Education Program. The Pleasant Creek School consists of three YIC homes throughout North Sanpete School District, as well as one alternative classroom (SOAR) for students transferring from North Sanpete High School. Each home has their own classroom and the teachers rotate between each class. Students are served both breakfast and lunch at the school. Our goal is to have a regular school setting at Pleasant Creek with a positive and successful environment experience, so the transition is smooth and seamless when they return to their mainstream schools or graduate from Pleasant Creek.
The YIC homes in our district serve adjudicated male students grades 6 through 12 who come to our youth rehabilitation homes from various locations around the state. The population of the school fluctuates, generally between 60 and 90 students. Each youth home travels to Pleasant Creek in Mt. Pleasant for their schooling. YIC students require constant supervision by the group home. We have five certified teachers and five teachers’ assistants that work in our school each day. Our teachers rotate to each home during the day teaching their certified subjects. We offer math, English, social studies, sociology, philosophy, CTE when available, PE, science and credit recovery through Odysseyware/Edgenuity. We have a guidance counselor and special education teacher to assist the students.
SOAR students share our qualified staff and work exclusively on Odysseyware or Edgenuity to obtain credits towards graduation. Our certified guidance counselor works with students on a weekly basis to assure that courses have been assigned correctly, students are on track to graduate, that students understand the academic pacing that is required, and to assist with emotional support.
There are unique challenges associated with an alternative setting. The students that arrive at our YIC homes come with a spectrum of academic and domestic experiences. The teaching staff works to identify their literacy ceiling and designs a plan to close the academic gap before they are transferred to a new home or into proctor care. The students may stay in our district for one year or a few months, so at Pleasant Creek, we are looking to improve their academic standing and offer the students a positive educational experience. SOAR students are identified as at-risk by NSHS counselors and administration through a screening of their attendance, behavior, and lack of credits. They are placed in this program to recover credits, connect with a life skill, and earn a diploma.
Adult education is a service of this school. The program offers evening support to patrons on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at Pleasant Creek School.
Our priority in designing this school is to address the needs of the community and our students. It is a high poverty area with limited financial resources. Many students struggle with options to obtain access for employment, higher education and training. The first step for us is help these students obtain a high school diploma and engage them in a future beyond their time at Pleasant Creek.