Learning Center gives students hope

By HEIDI DESCH / Hungry Horse News

For Courtney Probert and Emily Nelson, the Learning Center provided a place for a second chance.

A place where they could sucessfully earn their high school diplomas.

The Learning Center is an extension of Columbia Falls High School. Students come to the center for a number of reasons. Some might have previously dropped out of high school or come to the center directly form the high school.

Probert, 18, graduated last month, a year later than she would have if she'd remained with her class at the high school.

"If I had stayed at the high school I wouldn't have graduated," Probert said recently.

Nelson, 18, also graduated last month. She was also set to graduate from CFHS in 2007, but dropped out in the middle of her senior year.

STUDENTS COME TO the Learning Center for a variety of reasons.

Beverly Kahn, a teacher at the Center, said students might be behind in credits, have a medical condition or even behavioral reasons for attending the Center.

Students attend the Center daily for at least two-and-a-half hours and a minimum of 10 hours per week. Generally they work on two courses at a time. Work is completed through a combination of assignments and computer work at the center and homework.

"They work independently and are self-directed," Kahn said. "We help guide them, but they work on their own as much as possible."

Most complete a half credit every three weeks, and a total of 20 credits is needed to graduate. Students receive the same high school diploma as those at CFHS. The state requires at least 20 credits for a diploma and then districts are given discretion to increase the requirement. Students at CFHS must complete 22 credits to graduate.

"We've streamlined it to give them the necessary skills to make them productive members of society," Kahn said. "We make sure they have the writing skills to fill out a job application."

PROBERT WILL LIKELY never forget the day she graduated — April 7. It came the same day her son, Issac Nelson, was celebrating his first birthday. She handed in her last assignment and then stuck around while it was graded.

"I was really excited," she said in an interview last week.

Kahn praises Probert for the work she did.

"Courtney really blossomed here. It was fun watching her push herself to earn her diploma," Kahn said. "She turned in her last papers and graduated on her son's first birthday. It will be amazing for him to someday know that."

Probert couldn't agree more.

"I did give him a gift," she said. "A diploma is something really good. I hope it gives him inspiration."

For Probert, it was the challenge of raising her son and attending school that brought her to the Learning Center. She knew she didn't want to earn a GED, but she also knew that attending the high school would be almost impossible while raising her son.

"I decided I wanted to go to the Learning Center because I didn't' think I could handle the high school," she said. "It was a better opportunity."

Probert earned her credits by taking them at both the high school and Learning Center.

When she began at the Learning Center she was working two jobs — at the Nite Owl and Taco John's.

She said the flexible schedule of the Center allowed her to do her school work around everything else.

"I was able to come in for a couple of hours a day and find someone to watch (Issac) while I was at school or I could bring him with me," she said.

She also noted that the structure of the Learning Center and its teachers helped her finish.

"The teachers helped push me a little bit," she said. "They set up a schedule and then said, 'Here's what you have to do on the computer and outside.' That really seemed to help."

Right now, Probert is looking for a job and hopes to eventually attend Flathead Valley Community College.

IN HER SENIOR year at CFHS, Nelson got some shocking news. She was told she wasn't going to be allowed to graduate.

After moving out of her parent's house at 14, Nelson had spent her high school years working two jobs at a time to support herself while still attending school. She has worked a host of jobs, including six summers at Big Sky Waterslides, Smith's and Meadow Lake Resort.

Then in her senior year it became too much. She had accrued too many absences.

"I decided to drop out," she said. "Later I realized I wasn't going to go far without a diploma."

She dropped out in March, but by the fall of 2007 she says she was feeling guilty about the decision.

Nelson knew she wanted to finish her education, but she still had financial obligations. She also knew that a diploma would be necessary to get better paying jobs.

"You learn that making a living is hard without a diploma. That gave me the incentive to finish," she said. "(The Learning Center) worked with me."

Nelson only had three courses to complete, which she did primarily independently. She spent minimal amounts of time at the Center because she preferred to work solo and also because her work schedule demanded it.

She works at Glacier Bank as a teller during the days and at Tien's Place in the evenings.

"You have to have self motivation. There's no body else to push you," she said. "It's difficult for a person to learn everything on their own. You're not depending on others, you're depending on yourself."

Kahn praised Nelson for returning after dropping out.

"She worked hard to work around her work schedule," she said.

Nelson said she started and stopped the program more than once. Finally, someone told her if she was really going to earn her diploma she needed to just finish.

"I think it's important to do what you say you're going to do," she said. "I realized I'm not a quitter and I don't know why I would start now."

In two months she was able to complete her courses and earn her diploma.

She plans to continue working her current jobs, but says she would still like to eventually attend college.

IN ITS SECOND year, the Center graduated 13 students last year. The same number have already graduated this year and more will likely finish this summer and fall.

Previously, District 6 operated the EAGLE high school, which was an alternative high school rather than being connected with CFHS like the Learning Center. The District closed EAGLE in 2002.

There are currently about 45 students attending school through the Center. The maximum capacity is 55 students. Enrollment fluctuates frequently as students graduate and enroll often. Students graduate whenever they complete their work.

John Cooper, CFHS assistant principal, said students are admitted to the Learning Center based on individaul circumstances.

"First and foremost we want them to get a diploma at the high school, but the Learning Center is a safety net," he said.

Prefernce is given to junior and senior students who wish to attend the Learning Center. Freshman and sophmore students are encouraged to continue with high school at CFHS.

"We try to help each and every student graduate with the best possible experience. We want to push them towards getting a diploma and prepare them for life and future success," Cooper added.