Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Saturday, September 20, 2008
OASIS program gives kids another chance to succeed
ONALASKA — Matt Yeager was a square peg struggling to fit in high school’s round holes. The Onalaska High School senior is one of many students who don’t like school, who do not do well in school and who might not graduate from high school.
Yeager’s solution to his struggles was skipping classes. He skipped and skipped and skipped, leaving his junior year in tatters. He earned only a small fraction of the credits required, making a senior year dubious and graduation practically impossible.
But today Yeager remains a student at OHS, his attendance is perfect, and he is making up those crucial classes he dodged earlier. He is one of eight students in the OASIS — Onalaska Alternative Services And Instruction School.
On a recent morning, one OASIS student was working with instructor Darwin Greschner on a physical science lesson, a class she had blown off while hanging out with a bad crowd. She says she ditched the group and is buckling down in hopes of an eventual career working with animals. Her after-school job is working at Horse and Hound.
OASIS is meant to be a different environment within the high school. The students in OASIS are kids who otherwise might drop out or barely make it through school.
OASIS school days are flexible. Morning sessions start from 7:35 to 7:50 a.m., a 15-minute break comes when a student needs it and students do school work at their own pace and when they choose. The morning group leaves at 11:35 and the afternoon group is expected to arrive between noon and 12:15 p.m. for a session that lasts until 4 p.m.
Much of the instruction is online. Students make up missed work in algebra, history, English and other subjects. They might focus on one subject or skip from one to the next. Computer software tracks their progress and reports to the teacher. The students also attend some regular classes.
Part of being in OASIS is working at least 20 hours a week outside school. “A job looks toward a career, and it develops skills needed in the work force,” said high school activities director Ryan Vogler.
Acceptance in the school within a school must be earned, Greschner said. Participants had to apply and be interviewed — 22 applied for the eight slots — and all eight must toe the mark.
“This is very much a privilege-based program,” Greschner said.
The flexibility they gain means no absences or tardiness and behavior that is checked. Slip up, and it is back to the regular classroom.
OASIS is doing so well in its opening weeks that another four students will be admitted. “I would like to serve at least 20 students — there’s that need,” Greschner said. He works with guidance counselors, the associate principal and others to identify students who could use a different approach in school.
The state Department of Public Instruction awarded Onalaska $75,000 for the program. The DPI insists the program last at least five years and the state money will diminish each year.
All stories copyright 2000 - 2006 La Crosse Tribune and other attributed sources.