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Staff writer

With the economy in shambles, many local high school students have dropped out of school in order to go to work and help support the family.

Northwest Passage High School (NWPHS) administrators and teachers endeavor to ensure those young men and women can earn a high school diploma.

Beginning in January, NWPHS began offering a night school alternative for 19- and 20-year-old students who did not graduate with their high school class.

“We’ve noticed an increase in the number of students who are working and our day school program doesn’t meet their needs, the result is they drop out and find it difficult to further their education,” said NWPHS Director James Steckart.

Students enrolled at NWPHS develop self-confidence and academic skills through participation in a small learning community, where instructors are lifelong learners who model integrity, responsibility and respect.

Varied projects, field studies and inquiry-based methods give students the opportunity to develop a greater sense of the world by engaging in challenging academics, structured work experience and service learning.

At NWPHS, students take responsibility for their own educational plans and graduate with the tools to make informed decisions about their future, said Steckart.

The public charter school offers a free education to its students and Steckart is thrilled to offer night classes.

“We’re always looking at innovative ways to provide choice to kids so they can get their education needs met,” he said.

“We have the flexibility to provide a quality education to those students who cannot attend day school. We’re glad to do it.”

At NWPHS (where the student-to-staff ratio is about 15-to-one), each night school student is given use of a computer and completes project-based learning requirements.

Those requirements have students designing projects that meet state high school standards in math, science, English and social studies.

Meeting those requirements leads to achieving a high school diploma.

“The advantage to project-based learning is that students work at their own pace on projects they are passionate about with the guidance of licensed teachers,” Steckart said.

As described on its Web site, NWPHS utilizes progressive learning models and experiential learning based on the teachings of John Dewey. Those strategies allow students to develop critical thinking skills.

“We believe students learn best when they are allowed to be instrumental in the development of the project they complete,” Steckart said.

Half the NWPHS learning time is spent in instructor-led courses. During the other half, students meet in a structured advisory program where they are coached to create meaning in the world through the development of student-designed projects.

On completion of their projects, students must defend their learning in front of a panel of three judges.

Before graduating seniors must present a project in a public exposition setting.

“Our students not only complete the necessary curriculum, they also get hands-on experience to support their education,” Steckart said.

NWPHS is located at 11345 Robinson Drive N.W., Coon Rapids.

For more information, call in the school at 763-862-9223 or visit www.crlc.charter.k12.mn.us.

Sue Austreng is at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it