The Reconnex Program is part of School District No. 42’s Alternative Secondary School and is located at 20575 Thorne Avenue, Maple Ridge, BC.
The Program is staffed with one Youth Worker, one full-time teacher, one part-time teacher, one part-time Art Therapist and one Education Assistant (EA) and is administered by an offsite principal.
Reconnex students typically have undergone very difficult, at times traumatizing, experiences in their personal lives, as well as in their school histories. In the Reconnex program, each student is welcomed, valued, and accepted in a genuinely non-judgmental and safe and caring environment.
The goal in every instance is to support the students through a variety of barriers that have made it difficult or impossible for them to attend at any academic education program, some students not having attended for several years.
Engagement may initially be nonexistent, and the barriers addressed are varied:
- complex mental health issues
- physical health issues
- drug and alcohol issues
- physical, verbal, sexual abuse and exploitation
- family, peer, community conflict
- unsafe, unstable housing conditions
- homelessness
- justice system involvement
Unique social, emotional, and academic programming tailored to the needs of each student is developed, and monitoring and adjusting of each student’s program is ongoing.
Creative scheduling, from one hour per week to up to six hours per week is developed, on and off site, for each student. Connections with appropriate community services and resources are facilitated and promoted as each student is able to become involved. Liaison with a home school is maintained where it may be possible for a student to be cross enrolled with supports. When feasible, students may move to another program and / or return to a regular school.
The Reconnex Program is outcome based and follows the BC High School Graduation Curriculum / Program, and students can graduate with a Dogwood Certificate; older students can graduate with an Adult Dogwood Certificate.
Additional resources: photography, music, film, technology, art: social and emotional learning, equestrian program, arts and crafts, community engagement activities.