Promoting Healthy Alternative Schools and Community Partnerships Initiative

Yaakoosge Daakahidi Alternative High School

Yaakoosge Daakahidi completed its first year of participation in the initiative during the 2010-2011 school year. Yaakoosge reported instituting a community partnership with the Juneau Police Department to obtain bikes for student use to increase student physical activity, provision of professional development to 4 teachers and the principal in which the team conducted site visits and program reviews at other alternative schools, and implementation of BrainPaint, a neurofeedback system. Students participating in BrainPaint have experienced increase attendance rates, increases in credits earned and in course completion, and declines in student disruptive and discipline behaviors. In the 2011-2012 school year Yaakoosge launched an activities program providing students after school activities four days a week. Examples of these enrichment activities include Culture Club, Student Leadership (community service projects), Healthy Activity Day, and Cooking Club. Finally, Yaakoosge began a comprehensive initiative to curb student suicide, and provided the research-based Signs of Suicide programming to all of its 70 students.