HD-CAL Alternative Program Gives Students Second Chance

Many don't know about the alternative program at HD-CAL, but for over 100 graduates of the program since 2009, its existence means everything.

Program Coordinator Alexis Hoegh Vosburg said the alternative school program is for those students who don’t do well in the traditional learning environment. 

"These are not bad kids," Vosburg said. "They all have a story."

Some of the students she works with are young parents. Some are working to help support their families. And some simply need more flexibility. Whatever the case may be, getting them to the finish line requires some more guidance, which Vosburg is happy to offer as Program Coordinator. 

This is Vosburg's fourth year as the coordinator. She works alongside HD-CAL Activities Director Christi Weiser, Principal Matt Trosky, Student Advocate Michelle Spradlin, Counselor Cynthia Krull and Counselor Terry Carr, all of whom make the program possible, said Vosburg. 

The alternative program was first started in the early 2000s and it's been housed in a number of buildings — North Side, Church of the Living Word, Hampton-Dumont-CAL High School and then eventually the school district's bus barn, near the municipal airport, where it's currently stationed. The current space holds five work rooms for students, along with a kitchen stocked with food from the high school’s cafeteria and a local food pantry. 

Last year, staff from the Franklin County ISU Extension and Outreach Office held health/cooking classes for students in the alternative program. Vosburg said the students really enjoyed the classes and learned from them and hopes they can partner with the Extension Office again. 

The mission of the program is to "provide a safe and caring environment where each student can and will learn."

"We like a personal connection," Vosburg said. “We also maintain a lot of communication with the families.” 

The program runs like a well-oiled machine, with some students showing up every day of the week, while others stop by a couple days a week. Vosburg said their goal is 20 hours a week or 20 percent progress each week and that she understands that looks different for every student. She works with teachers at the high school to coordinate assignments, quizzes and tests for the different classes. Some students focus on one class at a time while others juggle up to four at a time. She said they see mostly students from HD-CAL, but have had some open enrolled from West Fork and AGWSR in the past. The goal for each student is for them to graduate with a high school diploma from HD-CAL.

“I’m not as concerned about their hours as I am about their progress,” she said. 

Vosburg said she is happy to help the students in a number of ways — coaching them through assignments, answering questions about their progress, encouraging them to stay on track — but their success depends mostly on them. If they want to complete all of the courses, and obtain their diplomas, they must be willing to put in the work, she said. 

Students in the alternative program use an online resource called “Edgenuity,” which teaches kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of 2019, Edgenuity serves more than four million students in the country. According to Vosburg, most of the students in the alternative program are juniors and seniors, but they take students all the way from freshman year to 21 years of age.

Safety is a big priority for Vosburg and the Student Support Team that she works with when considering students for the program, she added. 

“This has to be a safe place for everybody,” she said. “We want it to feel as safe as the high school or safer.” 

She works closely with the Student Success Center team at the high school, helping transition students into the alternative program as needed. Currently, the program has 20 students. A total of thirteen students graduated from the program last year with a high school diploma from HD-CAL. 

“I feel like this job, in particular, is more rewarding because I see the outcomes,” Vosburg said. “I see the kids that maybe wouldn’t have gotten their high school education but did because of the program — because of the flexibility, because of the relationship-building, because of the opportunities it’s able to provide. To me, that is super rewarding.”

Hampton resident Miranda Guerrero has had two children go through the program, which she called a godsend. 

“She genuinely cares about the students and wants them to succeed,” Guerrero said. “She is absolutely amazing! If it wasn’t for Alexis my older kids would have never finished school.” 

HD-CAL Principal Matthew Trosky said Vosburg has done a “remarkable job” leading the program. 

“She has a unique ability to connect with students and help foster a climate where students want to achieve,” he said.