SANDPOINT — Lake Pend Oreille High School students may be “at risk,” but to the school staff, that has a different meaning than the traditional definition.

“Our students are at risk,” said LPO culinary arts teacher Rand Rosecrans. “They are at risk for great success, because they have seen great adversity, and they're in a place like (LPO) where they can grow and be strong.

Several students told their stories to Lake Pend Oreille School District board members during the Dec. 11 meeting, proving Rosecrans' words to be true. Staff members took turns talking about the school as well, including growth, achievements, goals and community connections.

Among efforts to help students academically, Rosecrans said it is important to get students out into the community. His culinary arts students, for example, help plant the garden at the food bank each spring. They also cater events when the opportunity arises.

“Our students are connecting in the community and that is one of the most important things that we can do for our students, is to show them that they are a loving, important part of the community,” Rosecrans said.

Randy Wilhelm, art and CTE graphic design teacher, said LPO staff work hard at getting to know each student, which can be a blessing and a curse for the teens. If a student is absent one day, for example, he said upon their return the student will be questioned first at the office — and then by every other teacher whose class they have that day.

“When you come to LPO, you surrender your anonymity,” Wilhelm said.

It is that “in-your-business” mentality, however, that has kept the school's daily attendance rate at 87 percent for the past three years, Wilhelm said. There are currently 58 students with 90 percent attendance, he added, and 25 students with 100 percent attendance.

In addition, Wilhelm said enrollment is up this year to 110 students from 94 last year. LPO is on track to have the largest graduating class in school history with 48 seniors. The average graduation rate for alternative schools in Idaho is 40 percent, he said. LPO has the third highest alternative high school graduation rate in the state at 67 percent. LPO also has seen “strong” math growth, Wilhelm said, making the 97th percentile on the conditional growth index.

LPO Principal Geoff Penrose outlined some of the goals for this year, which includes ISAT growth — an area the school has never been too strict on.

“If a students comes in with a fifth-grade math ability in the 10th grade, our task is to get them ready to take the ISAT, which is an 11th grade test — that is almost impossible,” Penrose said. “This year, because of the progress we made, we are starting to focus on it.”

Staff set some “reasonable” goals around the ISAT, he said, introducing ISAT interim assessment blocks in math and English Language Arts this month. LPO also added a part-time math teacher to help the students progress, and in ELA, he said, the staff are trying to get “more meaningful” reading in all of the classes.

“In short, we are making a shift this year, because as Randy said, we are consistently well above average in math growth, Penrose said. “And the question is, if we are so far above in math, shouldn't we be able to make some growth in ISAT also?”

Moving forward, said LPO English teacher Jeff Keenan, the staff is working on an “ambitious” five-year plan that includes the support, scaffolding and rigor that will bring the school to the next level as an alternative high school. In the next five years, he said, LPO will be moving toward mastery-based learning, while enhancing its “already rich” programs with experiential learning. There is a plan to integrate physical and mental health supports for students and to further progress as a trauma-sensitive school, which is essential for the success of many of the students, Keenan said. Finally, he said, they plan to initiate a post-graduation planning and tracking program to analyze what the school is doing and what the success is — to ensure LPO is providing those students what they need their whole lives, not just while they are in school.

“As you have already heard, LPO is a wonderful school that provides an essential service to students in need in this area,” Keenan said. “We take pride in what we do.”

Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.