New program off to a "great start"

A new Alternative Learning director at Nespelem School told its board of directors Aug. 26 he was excited for the program.

“I just wanted to thank you all for the opportunity of bringing an alternative program to Nespelem,” said Mark Herndon, who made the move to Nespelem this fall after heading the ALE program at Grand Coulee Dam for several years.

Nespelem’s program is integral to the startup last year of its emerging high school offerings, designed to develop a Career and Technical Education component, working with the Colville Tribes.

The school had been pre-kindergarten-8, then added a 9th grade last year. This year it added a 10th grade, will add 11th, then 12th in the next two years.

Instruction is geared to students more likely to succeed in a guided but self-directed process online and in person, with real-world work experiences a significant part of the process.

“We are off to a great start, and I’m very excited about the direction we’re going and the number of students we’ve got coming to us,” Herndon said.

He acknowledged the people at Youth Development at the Colville Tribes “who have provided us with technology for our students. We received 28 Chromebooks, new in the box, ready for our students,” Herndon said. “And we really appreciate the partnership that the Colville Tribe is joining us in.”