Creation of an “alternative school” for dropouts is being seriously considered by the New Ulm School Board.

A proposal that such a school-geared with “high-interest” courses to the specific needs of the student-be established next fall was made to the school board Thursday by Todd Wennerstrom, director of the River Bend Special Education Cooperative.

“We’re talking about the kids in school who just don’t make it for a variety of reasons,” he told the board.

IN MAKING the appeal to the board, Wennerstrom justified the proposal as a possible cost-saving program for the school district.

With 18 dropouts in the 1974-75 school year, the district lost $9,324 in state foundation aid, which funded the district about $370 per student in school that year. In this school year, the total lost increased to $14,670,according to Wennerstrom’s calculations.

,”The district does not save money when a student drops out because educational programming, such as teachers, material, etc., has remained the same,” he said.

UNDER THE program he is recommending, the district would save -after costs-$4,212 through foundation aid and special education reimbursement if the alternative school is able to coax 20 students into the program.

If 15 students take part, Wennerstrom said, the district would break even. Total district cost of the program-which would include two full-time learning disability teachers, one graduate intern, one instructional aid and materials – would add up to $10,788, the maximum loss to the district if no students attended the school.

The state, under its formula to special education, would share in the cost, paying $19,392.

“An alternative program is proposed to meet the needs of the alienated student,” Wennerstrom said in his written proposal, adding later that “this program would provide instruction in the skill areas where each student has a deficit and attempt to develop a feeling of self-worth in each student. This will be done by programming success for the students.”

IN FIGURES he showed the board, Wennerstrom indicated that the most common cause for students dropping out of school is lack of interest.

Often, he said, this lack of interest comes about because the student is not succeeding in school. Many times, drop outs demonstrate low reading levels; many have learning disabilities, he said.

School in general has taught most of them little but “very poor self-images,” he said.

According to the proposal, the academic day would consist of skill development of a half day and a work sequence for the last half of the day.

If a student is already working, he’ll be able to continue working. If the student is not working, the other half of the day would be spent in teaching employability skills.

Wennerstrom emphasized that the program would follow in sequential steps, depending on what the particular students needs are as far as skills lacked and job goal.

“WE’RE GOING to educate these students to function in New Ulm – what do they need to know in New Ulm.” Wennerstrom said. “We do not see these people moving out of the community.”

The alternative school, under the program, would be located at the Viking Cooperative Center in Hanska. Students would be informed about the program after they indicate they’ve dropped out, although for the first year, social workers, probation department personnel and others in the area would be used to invite students to the school.

The main problem, Wennerstrom said, is getting the first students to attend the school. After that, the school must prove itself. If it does, he predicted, those at-tending the school would in many ways recruit other students.

He left the door open for inviting students having extreme trouble or being on the verge of dropping out of the school in the future.

WHILE THE school board took no action on the proposal Thursday, Supt. T.R. Olson seemed to endorse the proposal.

“We have traditionally in New Ulm never worried too much about the dropouts. Once they drop out, we do nothing about it,” he said. “We feel very, very strongly we are doing an injustice to the kids and an injustice to society.”

His main concern, he said, is whether the school can entice any students to it.

If that obstacle can be overcome, however, he said, the alternative school could be the answer.

“I am sold on this idea 100 per cent, completely,” Olson said. “If we think of kids-and that’s the name of the ball game-then we should be thinking of kids completely.”

New Ulm Daily Journal

April 2, 1976