As a Passages student, you’ll work with a teacher in your own home on 24 core skills that will help you earn your high school diploma. Throughout your time at Wayfinder, you will work at your own pace and set your own learning goals. Your work will focus on academics, practical life skills, and in some cases, parenting.
All Passages students will also participate in workshops, volunteer opportunities and a final graduation project known as your “Passage Project”.
More than just a diploma
In addition to graduating with a high school diploma, you will gain the skills and confidence you need to find your way forward after graduation. Whether you go on to college or a new career path, we can’t wait to help you get there!
Ask yourself ahead of time what do you know? What do you want and need to know about each topic?
CHALLENGE/OPPORTUNITY
Challenge yourself to try new things and look deeply into each Core Skill.
RESOURCES
Work with your teacher to access a variety of resources both online, in your community, library and/or experts in field of study.
TRANSCRIPT/PROJECT
After you and your teacher have agreed you met the Core Skill objectives, write or create a reflective piece which captures what you discovered, ideas or questions it raised and includes all the resources you used. Once approved, you have completed the Core Skill.
ALIGNED WITH MAINE LEARNING RESULTS
The Core Skills below are aligned with the Maine Learning Results. Each Maine student must leave school as: a) a clear and effective communicator. b) a self-directed and lifelong learner. c) a creative and practical problem solver. d) a responsible and involved citizen. And e) an integrative and informed thinker.
Broaden and strengthen your community involvement and relationship by researching what resources and opportunities are in your community.
COMPUTER PROFICIENCY
Understand all aspects of computer maintenance, social media pros and cons, online researching, and learning of new computer programs.
CREATIVITY
Become aware through the process of creating something of the energy, time, pain and pleasure involved. Explore the talent, energy, and devotion of artists/craft persons.
CRITICAL THINKING
Develop an awareness of propaganda, fact versus opinion and analyze your beliefs on a specific issue and how they may affect others.
EMPLOYABILITY
Explore your interests, skills, and values as they relate to a career. Practice job-hunting skills (role play a phone inquiry, interview, resume writing) and paycheck computations.
FIRST AID
Gain First-Aid/CPR certification through successful participation in a workshop, create a first aid home kit and health care provider list.
HEALTH AND NUTRITION
Develop a health care plan. Examine how food and exercise affect well-being.
HOME SAFETY AND ORGANIZATION
Evaluate the safety of your home including a fire exit and other emergency plans, and a strategy for cleaning and organizing.
MATH
Demonstrate competence of basic math skills (through algebra and percentages). Apply these skills to real life problems.
READING AND WRITING
Demonstrate your ability to communicate clearly through various genres of writing. Explore how reading generates ideas and how writing frees imagination. Experience reading various genres of fiction and non-fiction in digital and print format.
RELATIONSHIPS & COMMUNICATION
Demonstrate an understanding of various types of conflict resolution. Practice negotiation skills and demonstrate strategies for dealing with issues you often face in relationships.
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
Observe, measure, record, analyze, and define a problem, theorize, make a hypothesis, collect data and form a conclusion. Explain the value or insight you get from closely observing a natural, social, cultural phenomenon.
SELF CARE
What are my emotional, spiritual, physical, social, and intellectual needs? What can I do to meet those needs? How can I communicate my needs to others in a healthy way?
SEXUALITY
Research the sexual changes, physical and emotional, that take place in women and men throughout their lives. Explore your own personal communication skills about your sexual needs, focus on what has worked well and what has not and why. Understand methods of birth control and ways to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.
SHOPPING
Analyze your shopping and money spending patterns. Comparison shop using unit pricing. Identify the psychological needs shopping may fulfill and its effect on your lifestyle. Identify the pros and cons of credit cards and how to establish credit.
TRANSPORTATION
Research and devise a plan for emergency or daily transportation. Pass your driver’s permit test. Demonstrate how to read a map and explore basic geography concepts like latitude and longitude.
UNDERSTANDING ABUSE
Explain and understand the various types of abuse. Research community resources to deal with different types of abuse and study at least two in-depth. Describe ways to address abuse in your life and research a topic of abuse.
U.S. CITIZENSHIP / HISTORY
Demonstrate your knowledge of the structure of our federal and state governments, who your representatives are at the local, state, and federal levels and ways to contact them. Define the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens. Participate in at least one civic event. Select an historic event or era to study and put it in historic context by placing it on a timeline of your own creation.
ELECTIVE - Of your own choice
Parenting students will also study
EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT
Explain the developmental stages of childhood and demonstrate ways to help children grow based on realistic expectations
INFANT CARE
Identify your infant’s needs and explain how you attend to them. Research methods and the effects of bonding with an infant.
PARENTING
Analyze the similarities and differences between your own and other people’s parenting. Choose a parenting skill you’d like to develop; set goals and implement strategies to reach it. Compare and contrast the roles of fathering and mothering in a child’s development.
PREGNANCY
Demonstrate knowledge of the terms/stages of pregnancy. Evaluate birth options, develop a birth plan and demonstrate knowledge of physical and emotional changes in postpartum. Examine the role of diet and exercise on pregnancy, recognizing your own behaviors.
Non-parenting students will also study
CULTURE & LANGUAGE
Define culture and identify elements that create a culture. Explore a language new to you and understand the difference between race and ethnicity.
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Understand the different developmental stages throughout one’s life. Know some strategies for promoting growth and analyze some events that helped make you the person you are today.
PSYCHOLOGY & the BRAIN
Define psychology and brain development and research factors that can affect brain development.
PUBLIC SPEAKING
Research verbal and nonverbal communication. Understand what makes an effective public speaker and use that understanding to present to a person or group.
ALL Students will finish with “The PASSAGE”
Once you complete all your Core Skills, you will begin planning for your “Passage”, your final project. Here is a chance for you to “run with the ball” with your own idea and turn it into a learning experience that carries special meaning for you. You will be thoroughly in charge of the design, implementation and follow-through of your project. You will become the teacher and the teacher becomes your support. The intent is for you to realize your potential.
Passages Program Online Application
Our Residential Program has been suspended. However, Passages is accepting applications for parenting and non-parenting students who are facing challenges that keep them from attending traditional high school. Please complete the application below.
Please complete and submit this online application below. Questions? Contact us at info@wayfinderschools.org.
Wayfinder enrollment is full for Fall of 2024. If you are interested in applying, please do so. We will begin processing applications again in 2025. Thank you for your interest in Wayfinder!
Please complete the form below
Non-Discrimination Policy:
Wayfinder Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, political affiliation, or religious beliefs.
