Student Handbook Home

• STRIDE Fit: Zach Shipley / Geneva Cecil - Students have the opportunity to participate in a program designed to promote strength development and general fitness led by several of the teachers that also participate.
• Town Hall Meetings: Entire Staff - Students and staff will meet as a group to discuss issues, solve problems, and celebrate successes. Students may be asked to present information during these meetings.
• Civic Engagement: Students may be asked to participate in community activities that could include the following: USD 443 school board meetings, school site council meetings, breakfast club, and others that come about.
  • This could include speakers from outside agencies as well
• Yearbook Project: Geneva Cecil - Students will have the opportunity to create a scrapbook style or video yearbook under the guidance of a certified teacher.
• Work Experience: Students have the opportunity to earn elective credits for successfully maintaining a job. This will be built into the student’s individual plan of study.
• Learn to Serve: Brandon Webster - One day per month students will have the opportunity to complete a service project. There will be several service projects per day, and students will choose which to participate in.
• Internships: Jade Schaffer / Geneva Cecil - These are non-paid positions that allow students the opportunity to job shadow and learn about different careers.
• Kidwind Challenge: - This is an opportunity for students to develop wind generators and compete against other schools at the local, state, and national level.
• Robotics Challenge: - This is an opportunity for students to utilize customized robotics kits to build robots and compete on specialized courses completing specific tasks.
• Literacy Time: Entire Staff - Literacy is defined as the ability to read and write, but in today’s society, it can also represent a person’s understanding of a particular subject or field. At STRIDE, we understand the importance of increasing the overall understanding of 21st century skills and providing learning experiences for our students, so our students will be required to participate in Daily Literacy Activities that are developed and implemented to increase literacy in all of the following areas:
  • Reading and Writing skills, including different types of communication mediums and collaboration
  • Understanding Information and Media
  • Self-Efficacy, Self-Regulation, Initiative, and Self-Direction
  • Social Skills and Cross Cultural Skills
  • Productivity and Accountability
  • Leadership and Responsibility
  • Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
  • Financial, Economic, and Entrepreneurial skills
    • This includes budgeting
    • This includes understanding taxes at the personal, local, state, and federal level
    • This includes the opportunity to operate 3D printers, t-shirt design software and printing tools, and vinyl sign making equipment
  • Civic Engagement
  • Health and the Health Care System
• Classes outside of the STRIDE campus
  • College Courses / Dual Credit Enrollment
  • Courses and Extracurricular Activities on the DCHS campus
    • Students attending STRIDE and in good standing with DCHS are still allowed the opportunity to participate in possible classes or extracurricular activities which could include but are not limited to music, cheer, sports, clubs, etc…..
      • However, DCHS reserves the right to make the final determination on participation
  • When allowed the privilege to take courses or participate in extracurricular activities outside the STRIDE campus, students must understand that those classes are a priority. Proper documentation must be provided by the student to show that the student is in good standing with attendance and grades.
  • When attending these classes or extracurricular activities, STRIDE students are also subject to the guidelines and expectations provided by the school of study.
  • Students attending classes and activities outside of STRIDE are responsible for their own transportation
  • Students that choose to attend classes or extracurricular activities outside of the STRIDE campus will complete an alternative attendance plan as part of their IPS.
    • Students are expected to attend the STRIDE campus at the times dictated by the attendance plan.
    • Students are also expected to attend off campus classes even if we don’t have school at STRIDE on a particular day when the off campus class is meeting.

All personal digital, electronic, and recording devices (and/or other items determined by an administrator) are to be powered off and concealed during the school day. (NOTE: Smart Watches may be used only as a watch during the school day.)

Inappropriate use of a personal digital, electronic, and or recording device is subject to possible confiscation and/or appropriate disciplinary actions.

The school is not responsible for the theft of personal electronic devices brought to school.

Students may be responsible for lost or damaged technology provided by the district.

All students grade 9-11 will be required to give an End of The Year Presentation. This presentation will consist of speaking in front of 3 staff members about their school year at STRIDE. The components of the presentation will be attendance, credits earned, and discipline. After the presentation the staff will determine if the student will be asked to return the following school year. Students will also be asked to present to staff something they have accomplished in regards to school work or that they have improved on throughout the year at STRIDE. With very limited spots, and an increasing number of students seeking admission to our program, it is vital that students utilize and take advantage of the opportunity that has been given them. If a student isn’t meeting our basic schoolwide expectations of coming to school regularly, earning credit in teacher led courses and on Edgenuity, or are a discipline problem then their ability to remain with our program will be in question. If a student is asked to not return they will be expected to return to DCHS the following school year. Parents will be made aware of this procedure when their student has been accepted into STRIDE and will be updated regularly throughout the year of their progress.

Progress is tracked and reported in Edgenuity as well as on school developed Google Sheets. We will provide all students with weekly target goals based upon the number of credits remaining and the time the student has left in school. Students that meet these goals weekly show their intent to graduate. Grades are also tracked in Odysseyware, but at the end of each quarter, teachers will provide school issued grade cards showing the courses completed and grades earned by a student during that quarter. These grade cards will be mailed home the week after the quarter ends.

The current USD 443 required courses for graduation are also in effect for STRIDE students. In addition, STRIDE students will also be required to participate in additional learning experiences that will provide the opportunity to develop health fitness, civic engagement, career education, and community service / service learning. Students will also be required to complete an exit interview. Many of these activities are listed in the “Active Learning Opportunities” section of this handbook.

STRIDE students will also participate in Kansas State Assessments, district screeners, and other surveys needed for data collection so we can continue to assess our ability to serve our students.

Students will receive a high school diploma from Dodge City High School. The diploma will be issued at the end of the school year. Students will also be permitted to participate in the graduation ceremony at the end of the year in which credits are completed. The following links are to board policies governing graduation ceremonies and early graduation.

• JFC Graduation Exercises
• JFCA Early Graduation
• Link to Graduation Supplies (Cap / Gown / Tassel etc.)
  • These items are purchased by students and not supplied by the school.

• STRIDE Excellence: (Certificate) - Presented to any STRIDE student at any time appropriate by any staff member! - Shout Outs!
• STRIDE Student of the Month: (Certificate) - Given monthly after staff nominate and vote. The student of the month will receive preferential parking and a lunch with the Principal.
• Birthday Celebration: (DA) (Cards) - Celebrated the last Thursday of each month
• STRIDE Attendance Excellence: (Certificate and the opportunity to win prizes)
  • Awarded each 9 weeks
  • At least 85% attendance required
• STRIDE Progress Towards a Diploma: (Certificate and the opportunity to win prizes)
  • Awarded each 9 weeks
  • Achieve adequate weekly progress goals at least 70% of the time
• STRIDE High Achiever: (Awarded each 9 weeks)
  • No major behavior issues or referrals
  • At least 85% attendance
  • Achieve adequate weekly progress at least 80% of the time
  • These students will receive lunch with the principal and earn the opportunity to negotiate for a special privilege. The privilege will last through the following 9 weeks. The student must make an appointment to negotiate the privilege during a staff meeting.
• STRIDE Attendance Incentives: (Awarded Weekly)
  • Only eligible after completing 1 quarter at STRIDE
  • No major or minor behavior issues during the week
  • All missed time is appropriately made up during the week
  • Weekly progress goal is achieved
  • Principal makes the final call on any questionable situations
• STRIDE High Achieving Campus Award
  • If 80% of the student population achieves at least adequate weekly progress, the student body will earn 1 item towards a banana split. If the student body earns all five items in consecutive weeks, there will be a banana split party.
  • The incentive starts over after any week that 80% adequate progress is not achieved.
• Graduation Celebrations
  • At the end of each semester
  • Students and families are invited to share a special moment as we celebrate the successes and future endeavors of our students.

At STRIDE, we understand that continual, effective, two-way communication is vital to student success. The following are ways parents/guardians can stay in touch and up to date with what is occurring at STRIDE. We will also use these communication avenues as ways to celebrate and promote student and program successes. Furthermore, we will use some of these avenues to push out important information regarding graduation, extra curricular, job opportunities, etc….

• Website: Alternative Campus - Home
• Student Gmail Accounts
  • The school provides every student with a Gmail account, and it is expected that the student checks this email for school related information at least daily.
• Please also keep your contact information current with us. In cases where we need to make direct contact with important information, we need to have a reliable way of doing so. If your number or email changes, please contact us at (620) 371-1275 to update your information.
• Twitter: @DCAltEd1

• The Laptop is school property that you are being allowed to use. Any action that violates existing Board policy or public law will be reported to proper authorities.
• If the student is using an app or website inappropriately, it may result in consequences or loss of privileges. 
• Student laptops will be filtered through the district’s technology department.
• School staff members have the right to check any material stored on a student’s laptop.

Student Responsibilities – Chromebook Care
The student will:

• Use their laptop in a responsible and ethical manner,
• Be responsible for keeping their laptop in good working order, 
• Report any laptop damage to their Family teacher,
• Use only a soft cloth to clean the screen, no cleaners of any kind,
• Not have any writing or stickers on the laptop.

Student Responsibilities – Chromebook Usage
The student will: 

• Will not deter from Teacher’s Go Guardian restrictions 
• Not access games unless directed by a teacher. 
• Not take photos or videos unless it is being used in a project assigned by a teacher, 
• Not use any social media sites during school 
• Will not use laptops in restrooms 
• Use the school approved passwords and screensavers. 
• Keep the originally installed apps on the laptop in usable condition and be easily accessible at all times, 
• Be responsible for making sure their laptop is charged and ready for the next day.

In addition to Edgenuity classes students will be in some teacher-led courses with direct instruction. The classes students take will be dependent on where each individual student is currently at in their academics. The goal is for most Core Classes ( Math, ELA, Social Studies, and Science) to be teacher-led and taken by students so they get more focused instruction on the content and standards that USD 443 provides. In these teacher-led courses students will earn points toward completion of credits.