ExploreR3 2013 | Page 16

ALTERNATIVE = OPPORTUNITIES 16 Alternative rock. Alternative medicine. Alternative school. Inserting the word “alternative” before any word can be vague and su?er at the hands of a negative public perception. The dictionary de?nes alternative (noun) as a choice or a possibility. As an adjective, alternative is de?ned as “following nontraditional or unconventional ideas.” New Horizons High School (NHHS) is the district?s “alternative” high school and has been open s i n c e 2006. Unlike the traditional high school, students at New Horizons have to apply and undergo an interview process. New Horizons High School Principal Amy Salvo believes in ?nding the right ?t. “Students apply to attend New Horizons for a variety of reasons. It is my job to make sure they are applying for the right reasons and they are fully informed of the level of rigor that occurs in the classrooms. When I meet with the student and their parent or guardian, I make them aware that the purpose of the interview is to determine what school or program will best meet their child's needs and goals, and that may or may not be NHHS,” Salvo said. "Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest According to the principal, each meeting takes abilities, because in each of us