School Abstract

The Alliance High School of Milwaukee will serve the needs of students who are not succeeding in the traditional high school environment due to harassment, intimidation, physical and/or emotional abuse.

It will be a safe place, where students will be treated fairly at all times, regardless of sexuality, appearance, ability, or beliefs.

The Alliance School’s philosophy starts with Abraham Maslow’s assertion that students must first have their needs for safety, security, food and shelter met before they can focus on pursuing educational objectives (http://web.utk.edu/~gwynne/maslow.HTM).

The Alliance School will use strong connections with community agencies, a caring and enthusiastic staff, and peer support groups to ensure that students’ needs are met so that the classroom focus will be on learning. Academic excellence and the pursuit of higher education will be expectations for all students at the school, and the atmosphere will be one of creative energy, personal accomplishment and activism.

The curriculum will use a combination of service learning and expeditionary learning pedagogies, where students will be involved in community improvement projects and personal growth activities. There will be a strong focus on changing the attitudes and systems that drove them from the traditional high school setting, through performances, speeches and other activities that will connect them to the public schools in advocacy work.

The school will use a year round schedule to ensure the continuity of services and to maintain the personal relationships built between students and teachers, peers and support agencies. There will also be a flexible block schedule that will allow for students to take the courses they need to fulfill graduation requirements.