Metro-Boulevard Alternative High School

At Metro-Boulevard, we embrace all types of students. A curriculum based on standards and skills is taught through small group and individualized instruction. These methods allow the teacher and students to identify individual student ability level, student learning style, teacher and student goals for academic achievement, and allows the teacher to adapt course work accordingly.

Our focus upon individual student growth will result in students becoming successful learners and using whatever avenue the student chooses after completing the requirements for the Wichita Public Schools high school diploma to become productive citizens (possible avenues after high school: vocational training, four-year college program, two-year college program, career track, etc.) Our staff is committed to helping each student look at opportunities available after receiving their high school diploma.

• For more than 15 years running, Metro-Boulevard's Literary magazine has continued to win top honors in the literary magazine competition judged by the National Council of Teachers of English.
• In Spring of 2009, Metro-Boulevard was awarded an Education EDGE Mini-Grant for $5,000 supported by the Koch Foundation called, "History, Do We Learn from it? Or Repeat its Mistakes."
• At the end of the 2008-2009 school year, Metro-Boulevard was awarded "Accredited Status" by the North Central Association.
• Metro-Boulevard made annual yearly progress (AYP) in both math and reading for the state of Kansas in the spring of 2009.

The mission of Metro-Boulevard is to cultivate a personalized environment that empowers every student to achieve growth (academic growth as determined by state, district, and site assessments, and personal growth as measured by anecdotal evidence) while incorporating adaptive methods of measurement. We commit to a comprehensively adaptive system of support to assure this opportunity to learn and grow for all students (last revised October 2008).

Vision

A staff which will demonstrate a personal commitment to the academic success and general well being of all students (last revised October 2008).

Values/Beliefs

We will utilize a variety of instructional strategies to promote success for all students while improving AYP scores.

We believe all students have the opportunity to learn, can learn, and will learn with support from staff adapting to individual student needs.

We believe that by working collaboratively with colleagues, students and parents, we will achieve this shared educational purpose in our alternative setting.

Goals

We believe all students can learn if they take advantage of the opportunity to learn. We are prepared to work collaboratively with colleagues, students and parents to achieve this shared educational purpose by providing an alternative environment.

• All students will improve their reading comprehension and vocabulary. 
• All students will be able to communicate effectively through the writing. Writing will center around the writing process and writing to learn.
• All students will demonstrate their ability to solve problems using the problems solving process and be able to analyze mathematical data efficiently.

• Students may earn a community service credit for their involvement in an organization.
• Students may participate in Metro Blvd's Project Based Education Across the Curriculum (PBEAC) Technology Grant Project for 2004-05.
• Students may participate in an intervention program for mathematics and reading.
• Teachers participate in a Professional Learning Community (PLC).

The building which now houses Metro-Boulevard Alternative High School was used as an elementary school for 44 years. With the construction of the Canal Route (I-135), the Willard area became smaller, and at the close of the 1970-71 school year the use of the building as an elementary attendance center was discontinued.

The Metropolitan Secondary Program Center, an alternative high school for youth aged 16 to 21, opened October 26, 1970 in the auditorium and conference room at the Central Vocational School (now Wichita Area Technical College Central Campus). The original enrollment was 27 students served by a staff of two and one-half teachers and a director, M. Claradine Johnson. In November the school was moved to rented facilities on South Topeka. By the end of the 1970-71 school year, enrollment was 111 students. Metro moved to permanent quarters in the remodeled Willard building at 751 George Washington Boulevard in August of 1971.

Metro was established by the Board of Education to meet the special educational needs of students who have not remained in the comprehensive high school or are transferred by the sending high school to Metro. Credits earned apply toward a high school diploma and the school is fully accredited by the Kansas Board of Education and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

The facility was remodeled and the Metropolitan Secondary Program Center moved into the Willard building in August 1971. It then became known as Metro Boulevard Alternative High School.

Since the 1971-72 school year, Metro has operated with a capacity enrollment of approximately 200 students. The professional staff is comprised of 11 teachers, a counselor, a part-time librarian, a part-time nurse and an administrator. Classified employees assigned to the school include a secretery, a clerk, a math aide and a custodian.

Metro classes housed in the permanent building include language arts, math and home economics plus the general office and counselor and principal offices on the first floor. The library, nurse's office, two social studies and business education classrooms, an art lab and two language arts classrooms are on the second floor. A single portable annex is used for science, and industrial technology classes are offered in a triple portable annex. A child care learning center was added in the fall of 1991. It is able to care for 16 infants and toddlers. Between 1991 and 1994 the entire building was wired for computer networking and each classroom has cable television.

As a result of the acquisition of the parking area by the Highway Commission and the close proximity of the four-lane Canal Route highway (I-135), the building was air conditioned by the state to meet federal noise and air pollution standards.

From A History of Wichita Public School Buildings, c 1997