Opportunity+Center


 * 2012 Update: **

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 The Opportunity Center is UDHS’s alternative school, located on the High School grounds behind the T building. Our program is currently serving both Upper Darby High School and our two Middle Schools. Due to Pennsylvania State regulations, we have two sessions running from 7:30 AM to 12:00 noon and 1:00PM to 5:30PM ====== ==== The mission statement of the Opportunity Center is to help facilitate students to make proactive changes within themselves, to become positive community members and leaders, and to obtain the necessary life skills. The Opportunity Center will provide educational resources and supports necessary to obtain a high school diploma. ==== ==== The students use PLATO, an Internet based learning system to gain credits in the core subjects, and the individual teachers teach a course called Connections. Connections encompasses multiple areas of the required curriculum including: health, writing, technology, interpersonal relationships, behavior modification, and community outreach. We have added another course, RY or Reconnecting Youth, which each student is required to take each year. This course is providing group guidance in a structured, but relaxed setting. Physical Education is done on a contract basis. ==== ==== We are in our ninth year of existence at our present location. Our staff consists of a lead teacher, three teachers, a social worker, and two teaching assistants. We have welcomed two new members to our staff. Carl Slepetz is our new Social Studies teacher and Laura Schramm is our new English teacher. Over the summer we lost one of our staff, Kathy Antonicello, after a long illness. We all miss her contagious smile and her caring heart. ==== ==== On June 18th, we held our 8th Annual OC BBQ for each individual session. Hamburgers and hot dogs were provided, while students were asked to bring in their favorite soda and chips. ==== ==== On June 18th of last year we graduated 32 students from our program. Of these, twenty-eight are continuing their education at the next level. We are proud of their accomplishments and hope the sixteen students we presently have working toward that same goal will be as successful as their predecessors. ====  The Opportunity Center is UDHS’s alternative school, located on the High School grounds behind the T building. Our program is currently serving both Upper Darby High School and our two Middle Schools. Due to Pennsylvania State regulations, we have two sessions running from 7:30 AM to 12:00 noon and 1:00PM to 5:30PM The mission statement of the Opportunity Center is to help facilitate students to make proactive changes within themselves, to become positive community members and leaders, and to obtain the necessary life skills. The Opportunity Center will provide educational resources and supports necessary to obtain a high school diploma. The students use PLATO, an Internet based learning system to gain credits in the core subjects, and the individual teachers teach a course called Connections. Connections encompasses multiple areas of the required curriculum including: health, writing, technology, interpersonal relationships, behavior modification, and community outreach. We have added another course, RY or Reconnecting Youth, which each student is required to take each year. This course is providing group guidance in a structured, but relaxed setting. Physical Education is done on a contract basis. We are in our eighth year of existence at our present location. Our staff consists of a lead teacher, three teachers, a social worker, a guidance counselor, and two teaching assistants. We have welcomed two new members to our staff. Carl Salerno has joined us as our new Guidance Counselor and Laura Schramm has filled in as a long term sub for one of our ailing teachers. On June 16th, we held our 7th Annual OC BBQ for each individual session. Hamburgers and hot dogs were provided, while students were asked to bring in their favorite soda and chips. On June 17th of last year we graduated 23 students from our program. Of these, twenty-one are continuing their education at the next level. We are proud of their accomplishments and hope the twenty-one students we presently have working toward that same goal this year will achieve it.
 * 2011 Update: **