Mission Statement

The Waterville Alternative Senior High School community believes that education enriches people’s lives. We promote personal improvement and excellence in academics, the arts, athletics, and extracurricular activities in a safe, respectful environment. Our mission is to provide opportunities for students to acquire knowledge, to develop skills, and to foster attitudes necessary for learning. Our programs and services assist students in becoming lifelong learners, ethical and responsible citizens, and productive workers. We strive to help students foster skills where they are able to think critically and independently, adapt to new situations, to make responsible choices and to show respect for all. 

Philosophy of Waterville Alternative Senior High School

We feel that in order for our students to be truly successful, we must address not only students’ academic needs, but also the social and emotional challenges they face in their lives in order for them to become productive learners, workers, and citizens. Our emphasis is to provide students with a caring learning environment that builds students’ self esteem and personal qualities of respect and responsible behavior. 

• Caring Atmosphere- Our students know that we care about them as individuals, as well as students. 

• Self Esteem- We feel that we must do everything in our power to build a student’s self-esteem. When students respect themselves, they will respect others. Without self-esteem, there is no courage and confidence to face and conquer life’s unending challenges. 

• Respect- Everyone here deserves dignity and consideration. In many cases, as we work together, respect will grow. However, everyone deserves recognition for his or her unique strengths. 

• Responsibility- Students must be responsible for themselves and their actions. They must learn to choose and live appropriately with those choices. 

The Alternative Difference :

The Waterville Alternative High School (WAHS)  provides an option for those students who are motivated to earn their high school diploma and may have tried attending high school but  haven't had a good experience. There are many factors that may contribute to this lack of success. Maybe class sizes were too big and there was not enough individual attention, maybe the mass of people moving about and the noise caused anxiety to flare, maybe students felt like they were outcast and stigmatized, maybe there was the incessant problem of bullying and social intimidation. 

At the WAHS, class sizes are smaller allowing students to receive more individual attention from their teachers. Learning is personalized with personal learning plans created to increase students' success. Additional emphasis is placed on creating an atmosphere where individual differences are celebrated and accepted, instead of being targeted. Academic standards remain the same as those at the high school, students are required to meet the same course requirements to graduate with their high school diploma, and each teacher at the Alternative High School is state certified. 

Additionally, the Alternative High School has a unique partnership with the Sharon Abrams Teen Parent School Program (SATPP), a part of the Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers. The SATPP provides teen parents with many essential supports including pre-natal and parenting classes. This partnership provides valuable resources for all students which enable them to acquire their high school diploma as well as very important life skills that assist them to become life-long learners, ethical and responsible citizens and productive workers. 

Interested students should contact their Waterville or Winslow Senior High School guidance counselor, or the lead teacher, Earl Watts (ewatts@aos92.org) for more information. We look forward to meeting you.