Sisters alternative school offers programs

Sisters students are manufacturing flags.

The Sisters Alternative School (now called the Sisters Education Workplace) is "an ever-changing beast," according to director Dan Saraceno.

The alternative school began the same year the high school opened its doors.

Initially, the alternative school, then called Flex, offered high school credit classes taught in a less-structured environment. Saraceno joined the program full-time in 1999 and immediately began to implement his vision of providing job training for the students.

When Desertronics, the company that made circuit boards and other electronic components for Weitech, filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Saraceno saw the failed business as a perfect school-to-work opportunity for his students.

With an Oregon Economic Development grant and help from Weitech, the school district purchased the facility --which already shared a building with the Flex school --and Sisters Technologies, Inc. was born.

"The whole purpose of Sisters Technologies is to help kids learn job skills," said Rhonda Sadler, floor manager for the school-operated business. "They just don't work on the boards -- we teach them to fill out job applications, how to behave at the workplace. They can use us as a reference, too."

Sisters Technologies employs students from the high school, the alternative school, and special education students from Redmond.

Some of the students receive a stipend, while others earn class credits.

According to Saraceno, with the assistance of grant money and product revenue, Sisters Technologies is nearly self-sustaining after two-and-a-half years.

Other vocational programs Saraceno has added to the school include Sisters Quilts, the Outlaw Cafe, and a greenhouse.

"We teach the students basic quilting skills," said Cindy Summerfield, who oversees Sisters Quilts.

Summerfield has been an avid quilter since she moved to Sisters in 1973.

"I went to work at The Stitchin' Post in '76," said Summerfield. "I taught quilting classes there until we moved to Japan. I had the opportunity to teach the local women over there how to quilt. There was definitely a language barrier, but because quilting is so visual, we overcame it."

Through a variety of quilting projects, Summerfield helps the students overcome their disabilities.

She starts with basics, such as how to use an olfa cutter and the sewing machines. The students start out making a simple checkerboard quilt, and then move on to more complicated designs.

"I love working with the kids," said Summerfield, "just watching them discover what they can do. My goal is to teach the kids that quilting is not just a way to make money, but it's a life skill."

In December, Sisters Quilts donated 30 quilts to the neo-natal intensive care unit at St. Charles Medical Center.

They are currently making American flag quilts, which can be purchased at the Sisters Habitat for Humanity Thrift Store for $3.

Last summer, Sisters Quilts received a $10,000 grant from the Heart of Oregon Corp which enabled them to purchase new sewing machines.

The greenhouse is the newest addition to the Sisters Education Workplace. It was donated last spring by Ray Kirkpatrick from Lark Gardens along with start-up funds from the Sisters Garden Club.

"With the greenhouse, which is located behind the high school, we plan to provide landscaping for the new school," said Saraceno. "We will be growing plants for the 160 acres in accordance with the Forest Management plan.

"Eventually, it will tie in with the high school's Natural Resource program. With the help of grants from the Youth Conservation Corps, we will get our students working along with the Forest Service. They will learn trail building and will help with the fuel reduction project on the 160 acres of the new high school.

"The kids will then turn the wood into firewood for the elderly."

Kathy Mahn oversees the educational piece of the alternative school puzzle.

Mahn has worked with the alternative school for the past three years, teaching Math, English, Social Science, and Science. Besides the traditional curriculum, students can use on-line classes such as NovaNet and Plato to earn credits.

"I also try to bring in various community members to speak to the students," said Mahn. "We've had artists, musicians, people who speak on a variety of subjects that would be of interest to the students."

This past week, local artist Pam Bird spoke to the alternative school students about the basics of design.

She will return the following two weeks to help the students further explore the realm of art.

Saraceno is pleased with the progress of the Sisters Education Workplace, but is hoping to see the work opportunities for the students continue to expand.

"Our goal is for the school to become a regional program," said Saraceno. "We want to be able to serve multiple youth and become somewhat independent financially. I also hope to develop our afternoon program and offer an evening school."

Evening school is critical to many students' success.

"There are kids who have to work in order to survive," Saraceno added. "If we can offer them job training and evening school, then I think we can help them make it."

For more information about Sisters Education Workplace, contact Dan Saraceno at 549-4036.