We are a small school with a staff that is highly trained and highly committed to the success of all students. We take pride in our school and the fact that we are a diverse learning community. We are a Safe and Civil school where students are provided every opportunity to be valued in a learning environment that is highly personalized based on individual student needs and circumstances. At GATES, we want to keep students in school where they can continue to progress in their learning and prefer to teach appropriate school behaviors rather than punish inappropriate school behaviors. This is accomplished by building strong and trusting relationships with students, staff, parents, guardians, and the community at large. Students are held to high standards for attendance and academic progress and have multiple opportunities to demonstrate progress in a non-traditional, competency based learning environment. Many of our students have experienced life circumstances that have created barriers to school success. We work closely with students and parents/guardians to provide support through outside community resources, a strong comprehensive guidance program, and on site case management services. GATES students are successful students who graduate with a strong post-secondary plan. We commit 20 minutes of every school day for students to work on their High School and Beyond Plan with an assigned teacher/mentor. This time is called Check and Connect and is as important as any other academic course a student takes. Whether a student wants to go to a four year university, attend a technical college, or enter directly into the workplace, we will work with every student to ensure that they have a viable post-secondary plan that will lead them towards financial security and being a contributing member of their community.
