The Specialized Academic Vocational Educational (SAVE) High School is an alternative high school in the Anchorage School District that combines academic curriculum and vocational training.
Each school day includes attending three academic classes and either working a job in the community or receiving vocational training at the King Career Center (KCC).
ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS
SAVE is fully accredited by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges. The school accepts students from anywhere in the district, but primarily works with students from Dimond, Service, South Anchorage, and West High Schools. SAVE coursework is tailored to the individual needs of students. Emphasis is place upon student improvement of past deficiencies. Performace standards are set for each student within guidelines of the program. SAVE is designed to admit students throughout the entire school year, and students are enrolled and withdrawn based on individual needs and criterion.
The rating system is a monthly evaluation of the student's academic progress in each class at SAVE. The rating system designates the minimum amount of credit hours of academic work students earn through the individualized contract system. Ninety academic credit hours are required to remain in good standing. Students earning less than the required monthly credit hours are placed on academic probation for the remainder of the school year. A school letter reporting this action is mailed to the parent/guardian.
If a student is placed on academic probation, th student must make a minimum of 120 academic credit hours the following month. If a student fails to meet this requirement, they will conference with the principal about their options. A student not making their second month of ratings may be withdrawn from the SAVE program for 45 school days. They may appeal to a hearing committee, if they would like to stay in the program.
VOCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Students are required to have a job or participate in some type of structured vocational program such as the King Career Center (KCC) when you attend SAVE High School. Work experience is 50% of the SAVE program, with the other 50% being core academic classes. SAVE operates a three-part vocational program, which includes career guidance, job placement, and job evaluation. SAVE Vocational Coordinators act as a liaison between the business community, the King Career Center and the school. SAVE serves the needs of students by utilizing job placement techniques and maintains continuous contact with the student and his/her employer. This is done through regular written job evaluations from employers, telephone calls and personal visits to job sites.
Job coordinators regularly conduct on-site job evaluations for students. The employer completes the evaluation form regarding a student’s progress and returns it to the Job Coordinator. The Job Coordinator and the student discuss the evaluation and it becomes part of the student’s work record. In addition to helping the student find a job, job coordinators spend time and effort to develop new job sites in addition to maintaining current job sites.
Students must be enrolled at King Career Center or work at lest 20 hours per week at a training job site. All job sites must be approved by the job coordinators at SAVE High School. Students may work for family members as a secondary job site only. Verification of hours worked on the job is documented through student pay stubs. A full work experience credit is awarded to the student for every 225 verified hours on the job. A semester at King Career Center is worth 1.5 credits (6 quarter credits) per semester.