Walking Through the Door Leads to Walking Across the Stage

Eliminating every possible barrier to school, we recognize that one of the hardest things for our students is walking through the door.

Yet, here we are. Scanning the room, fist bumps, high fives and cheers mixed with the excited conversations of family and friends finding space in standing room only. This is no ordinary day, no ordinary graduation. Standing in front of us, 200 of the 311 graduates (and counting), of the Options Academy class of 2024 showed up to attend their graduation ceremony. The smaller Hoyt Sherman Place, different from the traditional Knapp Center, is indicative of the experience that most of these students have had. Traditional school did not work for them. Each of them needed an individualized pathway to find their footing.

That’s where we come in. Options Academy is a program within the Des Moines Public Schools that serves students aged 17-21. All students are credit deficient and not on track for traditional graduation. As such, they must go through a referral process and are on a waitlist for an average of three months. Currently 150+ students are on that waitlist for a program that we ideally wish could serve everyone.

Located on the south side of Des Moines in the Kurtz building, there is one hallway with an unwavering staff dedicated to ensuring that each student is welcomed, appreciated and has a chance to be their best each day. If there was one way to motivate each student, we’d bottle it up as a remedy for all, though, that’s not the real world. Individualization is how students at Options Academy thrive. They are greeted into the program by a SUCCESS Case Manager who will follow them throughout their time here. In addition to our teaching, counseling and administrative staff, SUCCESS workers help students with their non-academic needs. They make referrals to the Young Women’s Resource Center, they identify transportation support needed, and they provide the loudest cheers when a student makes progress, offering a shoulder or empathetic ear when we hit a roadblock.

Options Academy Makes a Difference

These incredible colleagues’ problem solve, advocate for and support in every possible way. In the same vein, our devoted teachers work with students to set goals, reset goals and celebrate success at every step. Messages and phone calls go out daily to encourage kids to walk through the doors and their responses/replies are answered at all hours of the day. Teachers at Options Academy can easily add social workers, parents, life coaches and advocates to their resume. The relationships they build are the foundation of successful student outcomes. As such, every student can find an adult in this program to connect with. Each student’s experience and story are personal to each member of the staff, and we are all driven to show our students their potential, that they can be more than they give themselves credit for.

Many members of the class of 2024 were in 8th grade during the COVID-19 pandemic. Forty-one of them are 20+ years old. Many are the first of their families to graduate. Many are parents. Anthony works road construction and participates in the night school program. He is a single dad with a daughter who lights up his world. Jack has been with the program since 2022. He’s taken a break five times and every time has come back to find success. Cece is a student who wanted to go to trade school, and she loves getting her hands dirty. Rebie is a single mom who wants to graduate with her class in 2023. The goal did not come to fruition, but the desire did not waver. She took a break. She had a child. She works full-time. Again, we missed the May graduation deadline to walk in the May graduation ceremony. But her persistence would not be denied, and she graduated on May 29, 2024. She will walk the stage with all the summer graduates on Thursday, July 11.

 

Options Academy’s Commitment to Opportunity

I share pieces of their stories because the individualization they receive at Options allows them to share their dreams and burdens with us. Trust is built in the time that is put in, and we are driven to prepare students not just for school but for jobs, internships and opportunities to earn a living wage. Our commitment to them is the opportunity for what they can become after graduation. Mercy College visited multiple times this year to talk to students about health careers and opportunities for employment before they graduate, and we are constantly looking for trade school partners to speak and for volunteers to come in and offer students support with post-secondary planning.

Developments at Options Academy

In the fall, Options Academy will open a second location in partnership with Drake Boys and Girls Club. The goal is to continue to provide individual learning pathways while being able to serve more students. The class of 2024 has set the bar high for our expectations of what students can do. Teachers will continue to build individual plans and pathways that support students’ needs for life after graduation.

Life continues to happen to many students and families in our community, and Des Moines Public Schools are working to identify ways to support our families and students. Options Academy is proud to be an extension of this, working hard to make a difference for everyone who has the courage to walk through our doors.

Learn more about Options Academy at Des Moines Public Schools.

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