SOAR Charter High School (Grades 9-12) - Eagle River, WI
Each student at the School of Options and Applied Research (SOAR) Charter High School utilizes a comprehensive scope & sequence guide to structure student coursework primarily through project based learning without limiting student creativity. This shared document for students, advisors, and parents ensures students are meeting the requirements needed for advancement and holds students to rigorous expectations. Students are able to demonstrate their knowledge in and out of the school building and are expected to maintain an e-portfolio documenting these educational experiences. Advisors also provide multiple opportunities for learning including experiential learning, seminars, field studies, expeditions, guided book studies, job shadows, and traditional high school courses. This allows the students, families and advisors the ability to tailor an educational experience unique to each student.
Students and advisors use the scope and sequence to guide learning. Based on the same Pillars and Essential Learning Targets as the traditional high school, students document their learning quarterly. When they have demonstrated and documented a variety of proficient or advanced pieces of evidence under a standard, ¼ credit is earned for that particular standard. Most projects are interdisciplinary in nature and provide evidence in a variety of subject areas, although they may not meet all aspects of a particular standard. However, seminars and additional projects completed at a later time may help a student meet that standard in a cumulative effect as they build up this additional evidence. Therefore, students can expect to “snowball” their credit acquisition; laying the groundwork and foundation in their 9th and 10th grade years to build up momentum in their 11th and 12th grade years. Furthermore, SOAR High School students are able and encouraged to participate in all district organized sports and extracurricular opportunities, including all WIAA sports.
Determining if SOAR High School is a good fit for your child is a personal and potentially challenging decision to make. It is hard to say what specific type of student would benefit from project based learning the most because kids vary in so many aspects and every child learns differently. We encourage you to take time researching project based education and SOAR HS, attend informational meetings, and ask questions. The reality is that we now have two high quality high schools in our district, and we are confident that your child can be successful in either of these settings. You just need to make the decision that best fits with your values and child’s best interest.
Students at SOAR High School follow the same school calendar as the Northland Pines School District. The school start and end times are the same as the rest of the district, 8:25 - 3:25. The district provides students transportation from within any area of our district. Students may also drive themselves if parents approve.
Current Northland Pines area students, open-enrolled individuals, and home-schooled students are eligible to attend SOAR Charter High School which is located in the same building as the Eagle River Elementary School in what was previously known as the middle school wing.
If you have any questions or want additional information, please contact Ann Perry, Teacher Leader, at (715) 479-5701 or email aperry@npsd.k12.wi.us.
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