Mission Statement | Programs | Partnerships | Brochures | Accreditation | Student Success | Extracurricular Activities | Job and Volunteer Opportunities

The mission of Howard Area Alternative High School is to provide positive opportunities for students who have had limited success in traditional high school to gain the skills needed to transition to employment and college or other forms of higher learning.

Our school operates under three guiding principles:

1. Higher Learning —All HAAHS students will be prepared for college, regardless of whether they intend to attend college upon graduation or pursue employment or other forms of higher learning such as skilled trades, Job Corps, vocational education, etc.
2. No Excuses —It does not matter where a person has been or why they are here; our focus is where they are headed and what they are willing to do to get there. We make improvements, not excuses.
3. See it Through —We make a commitment to ourselves, our families and our communities to complete what we've started here at HAAHS and elsewhere in our lives. We will work hard. We will do our best. We will see it through.

To read more about our Mission Statement and our Guiding Principles, please click here.

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Youth Skills Development and Training Program (YSDTP)

In collaboration with the Department of Children and Family Services, the YSDTP program is designed for DCFS youth who reside in foster care, home of relative, independent living or group homes who are between the ages of 16 and 20. In addition to intensive computer-assisted instruction, this program offers the following services:

• Year-round academic programs
• After-school enrichment programs
• Full-time school-based mentor
• Student savings and scholarship program

Compass Counseling Program

The goal of the Compass Counseling Program is to keep alternative high school students in school until their educational goals are met and to prepare them for the work world. This is to be accomplished through counseling and advocacy with students, including:

• Academic counseling
• Career counseling
• Job search counseling
• Positive, preventive personal counseling
• Problem-solving counseling

Eligibility requirements for this program include public aid recipients or family income below 80% medial income level.

Youth Enhancement Services Program (YES)

The Mayor's Office of Workforce Development Youth Enhancement Services Program is a school-based, active and intensive case management program designed to engage and build relationships with students through formal and informal mentoring activities during and outside of school hours. Services include:

• Case management
• Community outreach
• Job development
• Mentoring and advocacy

Eligibility requirements are based on family income, residency, age, and other factors.

Re-Enrolled Student Program (RSP)

The Alternative Schools Network (ASN) with the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has developed a project to expand services for re-enrolled students. This project is called the Re-Enrolled Student Project (RSP) and is implemented as a partnership between the ISBE and ASN together with its member schools. The general idea is to expand services given to the students.

Project New Futures (PNF)
More info soon!

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Howard Area Community Center
Our parent organization, Howard Area Community Center, is located directly across the street.

The Howard Area community Center was established in 1967 as an outreach initiative of St. Jerome 's Church. Its primary mission was to provide for the emergency needs of local residents, by serving as a distribution center for food and clothing. It also served as a meeting center for neighborhood block clubs and as a welcoming center for immigrants who used the area as a port of entry to America .

In the ensuing years the once volunteer-staffed storefront operation grew larger and provided more services, including case management by trained social service staff , adult education, and a summer camp for youth. In the 1970's the agency became an independent, community based not-for-profit corporation which successfully sought funding from individuals, corporations, foundations, United Way and governmental sources.

In the 1980's the agency expanded into its current headquarters on Paulina Street , doubled in staff and funding and opened both a dental clinic and an early childhood center on site. In the 1990's continued growth led to the opening of an Alternative High School , and a Head Start Center , a teen-parent initiative, after-school programs located in nearby Rogers Park public school, and special programs designed to prevent domestic violence and assist victims of HIV/AIDS. Since the start of the 21st century HACC has further expanded with family literacy, employment programs and the completion of a capital campaign which resulted in the purchase and development of a new $5 million Family Center Campus at Ashland and Rogers, serving over 200 families with children ages 0 to 5. A Youth center/computer clubhouse on Morse Avenue and an employment center on Howard Street complete the five major locations now serving as sites for HACC programs.

HACCs future plans anticipate a continuity of service to the community maintaining its focus on helping people to help themselves.

Please click here to visit the HACC website.

Youth Connection Charter School
More info soon!
Please click here to visit the YCCS website.

Alternative Schools Network
More info soon!
Please click here to visit the ASN website.

First Slice Pie Café
More info soon!
Please click here to visit the First Slice website.

Good News Community Kitchen
More info soon!

Institute for Therapy Through the Arts / Music Institute of Chicago
More info soon!
Please click here to visit the ITA website.

North Central Association
More info soon!
Please click here to visit the NCA website.

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To view our color brochure, please click here.

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Accreditation

Howard Area Alternative High School is fully accredited by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI). To earn accreditation, schools must meet NCA CASI's high standards, be evaluated by a team of professionals from outside the school, and implement a continuous school improvement plan focused on increasing student performance. The accreditation process is voluntary and requires annual review.

To view a press release describing our accreditation, please click here.

To visit the NCA CASI website, please click here.

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Last year, 95% of all seniors at Howard Area Alternative High School completed the graduation requirements set forth by the Illinois State Board of Education. After receiving an ISBE recognized and NCA accredited High School Diploma issued by our chartering agency, Youth Connection Charter School , our graduates achieved the following successes:

• 40% enrolled in college, university, or vocational training programs.
• 30% gained full-time employment.
• 20% gained part-time employment.
• 5% enlisted in the US Armed Forces.

Recent graduates have successfully enrolled at the following colleges and universities:

• Central State University
• Fisk University
• DePaul University
• Southern Illinois University
• Grambling State University
• Western Illinois University
• Malcolm X College
• Robert Morris College
• Truman College

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Students at Howard Area Alternative High School participate in the following extracurricular activities:

• Career Planning
  and Job Fairs
• Student Council
• College Tours
• Technical and Trade
  School Speakers
• HIV/AIDS Awareness
  Classes
• Theater Workshops
• Summer School
• Field Trips
• Part-time Job
  Opportunities
• Domestic Violence Workshops
• Internet Training
• Yoga
• TaeKwonDo
• Basketball League
• ACT Tutoring

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Currently, we have no job openings.

If you are interested in volunteering at Howard Area Alternative High School ,
please contact:

Benjamin Churchill
Co-Principal for Administrative Services
bchurchill@howardarea.org

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