South Whidbey students showcase Alternative Learning program as district reports a 32-student waiting list

Miss Richards, a presenter for the South Whidbey School District's Alternative Learning (AL) program, opened the district workshop update by thanking families and introducing staff and community partners who support the program.

She said the AL program currently serves 59 students with two certificated teachers, down from 66 students and three teachers last year, and that the program maintains a waiting list of 32 families seeking entry. "We have a waiting list, 32 students on that list right now," Miss Richards said as she described outreach and ongoing communications with interested families.

A sequence of AL students then described hands-on projects that the board called "authentic science in our community." Second-grader Kaya Pittz said her class visited Maxwelton Beach weekly to study local sea life and keep nature journals: "We learned about different sea creatures like fish, barnacles and bivalves...this helps us understand our local ocean food web." Fifth-grader Beloved described her pollinator project, saying students learned where bees live and how to help protect them. Several students also discussed community-action groups that visit the Bayview fire station, engage with The Organic Farm School and present projects to state representatives during a trip to Olympia.

Miss Richards invited the board and community to the AL exhibition night on May 31 from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., where student work will be displayed. "This is a great opportunity for you guys to come and see what they're working on," a student told the board.

The presentations emphasized the AL program's community partnerships and experiential learning model; staff highlighted the program's role in student transitions back into regular programming and the long-term engagement that draws families to the district. The district said it will continue to manage enrollment as capacity allows and to communicate openings to families on the waiting list.

The board moved on to other agenda items after the student presentations; the public meeting adjourned with an announcement that an executive session would follow to discuss personnel, contract negotiations and potential litigation.