sfa.silverfallsschools.orgSequoia Falls Academy – Where every student thrives.

622 North Water St | feedback@silverfalls.k12.or.us Search for: Home Calendar About Sequoia Falls District Website SHS Website Home Calendar About Sequoia Falls District Website SHS Website Search for: Home Communications Team 2024-01-26T22:44:20+00:00 Contact Us Phone: (503) 874-1579 Alternate Phone: (503) 949-4236 Spanish Help Line: (971)707-0302 Hours of Operation Monday- Friday: 7:30AM – 4:00 PM Sat- Sun: CLOSED News & Info What is Sequioa? FAQ Meet Our Team News & Info Welcome back to Sequoia!!! We would like to extend a warm welcome to our students and families. As we begin the 23/24 academic year Sequoia Falls Academy is committed in in the academic and well being of our students and looks forward into seeing each and everyone one of our students. WELCOME BACK!!!! What is Sequioa? Sequoia is a program of Silver Falls School District designed to recover and successfully support students who: Have disengaged from school Are at highest risk of disengaging from school Need an alternative learning experience in order to thrive Sequoia offers mental and behavioral health supports and strategic partnerships to assist students and families in navigating complex systems of transition and support. Sequoia is a three-point program including education , personal health, and mentorship. Education Sequoia Falls Academy is an alternative program of Silver Falls School District located at 622 North Water Street in the city of Silverton. The program serves students in grades 9-12+, offering an alternative learning environment, on-site mental and behavioral health support, and comprehensive case management. Sequoia offers educational opportunities ranging from GED preparation and credit recovery to college prep, tailoring curriculum and learning experiences to what each student needs to complete K-12 education and transition to life beyond. Flexibility is a key aspect of Sequoia. It means designing an education around the needs of the individual students. While our SFSD classrooms very effectively meet the needs of most students, SFSD recognizes that some students require something different. Sequoia offers flexibility in classes offered, class scheduling, accommodation of learning styles, proficiency demonstration, opportunities to create independent study projects, and high school credit for internships, jobs, and volunteer work with high school credit. The Proficiency model utilized at Sequoia is all about demonstrating learning rather than completing tasks. Our teachers give students the tools and opportunities to demonstrate understanding and proficiency through a variety of means and across many modalities. In traditional schools, time is the constant and learning is the variable, at Sequoia learning is the constant and time is the variable. Sequoia offers between 2 and 4 class periods per school day in sessions lasting 3-6 weeks. This schedule allows students to focus their learning in one area reaching deeper levels of engagement and proficiency before moving on to the next study. Personal Health Sequoia offers bilingual on-site mental health treatment for individuals and families as well as a variety of on-site support groups and staff social workers. Sequoia offers acute trauma debriefing as well as ongoing trauma treatment and support. Sequoia students, staff, and families value inclusion, teamwork, compassion, and care. Students and staff work daily toward personal success and success of the learning community. Sequoia is a place for all students to feel safe, to feel valued, and to know that their voice is heard. The staff at Sequoia is uniquely qualified to support the complex needs of young people who find it challenging to thrive in a traditional school setting either short or long term. While each of our students is unique and different from one another in many ways, everyone at Sequoia has at least one thing in common. We all work together to build a welcoming community where every individual can be successful. Mentorship The staff at Sequoia is uniquely qualified with diverse backgrounds and advanced trainings in mental and behavioral health support, trauma informed practices, and effective mentorship. Each of our students are assigned to and work daily with their staff mentor to successfully navigate the work at hand and to prepare for the work to come. Our staff is dedicated to making sure our students leave the academy with a plan for what comes next and the skills they need to successfully navigate it. No two students at Sequoia Falls Academy will have the same education experience. We recognize that our students have different life experiences, needs, skills, interests, and hopes for the future. Our students have flexible schedules, personalized academics, and transition supports that fit their needs and their goals. Throughout our students’ time at Sequoia, they will participate in college and career exploration opportunities and work in partnership with their mentors to formulate a rigorous but attainable plan for their transition between K-12 education and successful independence. FAQ How can a student get into Sequoia? Referrals to Sequoia go through school counselors and administrators in school a student is attending. Can Sequoia students take classes at their home schools? Yes. Both academic and daily schedules are different between schools, but we can accommodate limited class periods at home school sites. Can students at Sequoia participate in sports and activities at their home school? Yes. Sequoia is a program of Silver Falls School District, not a stand-alone institution. Students remain enrolled in and eligible for programs in their home schools while placed at Sequoia. Does flexible scheduling mean that a student can work online or attend only designated days? No. Students are expected to attend every class, every day. In fact, because Sequoia offers fewer classes in shorter sessions, missing any class can create a challenge. Students have the ability to earn credits toward graduation faster in this model, but also risk falling behind faster if they miss class. Sequoia does offers flexible schedules so our students can take advantage of outside learning experiences such as off-site classes, part-time jobs, volunteering, and internships to earn credit. Does Sequoia allow for Independent Study options? Yes. We recognize that many students have interests, talents, and skills beyond what is offered in the master schedule. We also believe they perform better and demonstrate proficiency more quickly and at higher levels when they are engaged and excited about their learning opportunities. Students interested in a special project or independent study work closely with their advisor to design the study plan and define the educational outcomes and measurement tools. What is the culture at Sequoia? Respect, acceptance, growth, and community are key values. Students and staff actively model those values. As a result, students that have struggled with fitting in” at other schools often find a place at Sequoia where they feel safe, comfortable, and appreciated for their unique perspectives and individual contributions. Why does Sequoia focus on proficiency rather than traditional coursework? Using proficiency models creates flexibility for the teachers to teach according to each student’s needs; flexibility for students to demonstrate what they’ve learned in ways that best communicate the skill level they’ve achieved; and flexibility for teachers to evaluate when students have achieved an acceptable level of learning. In traditional educational systems, students have a finite amount of time (generally one term) to achieve the academic standards for a course. Many are able to do so, but many others are unable for a variety of reasons, some related to mastery and some not. At Sequoia, students take as little or as much time as they need to learn and demonstrate mastery of course standards. If students need...