About Us and the things we do

SKILLS FOR LIVING AND LEARNING

Skills and reach in Bayfield, Co.

About Us And The Things We Do

Phone: 970-884-3259

Fax: 970-884-2842

E-mail: info@data.skillsandreach.org

is a private, non-profit agency dedicated to helping children succeed at home, school and life.

Welcomes children of all ages, with diverse interests, cultures and abilities to prepare them to be successful and independent.

Creates an environment that is caring, supportive and responsive to the individual child’s needs, strengths and uniqueness.

Provides a stable environment where human, financial and physical resources are sufficient to accomplish set goals and provide for continued growth and development.

Develops innovative and effective educational and therapeutic programs that are designed to identify and address children’s developmental and learning needs and are carried out by qualified professionals.

To contact us:

Mission Statement

Skills for Living & Learning—-

REACH Purposes

1. Provide an accredited K-12 general education program based on Colorado state content standards to build awareness, abilities and interests to empower life long learners as knowledgeable citizens of the global community.

2. Offer students choices of and support in a variety of high school diploma programs, post high school education and career paths.

3. Offer diverse and stimulating K-12 enrichment programs to enhance learning, connection to community and increase awareness of the human and non-human world.

4. Provide individualized, hands-on learning experiences and support services that foster learning in a stimulating, innovative, caring, supportive, learner-centered environment.

5. Provide opportunities for students to discover their individual learning styles and unique personal characteristics.

6. Promote an energizing, competent and innovative learning and working environment by exploring and providing new strategies, methodologies and practices that enhance quality programs and services.

7. Prepare students to provide leadership and services for the employment needs of the area and beyond.

8. Provide a variety of opportunities for families to participate in and support their child’s education.

9. Pursue communication and collaboration with individuals, agencies and schools on a local, regional and national level to provide benefit and support to students and staff.

Skills for Living & Learning was founded in 1995 to respond to the needs of children who were facing struggles in school that were not being addressed by the public school system. As that program grew in scope and size, the Bayfield Public School Superintendent suggested that SL&L could provide some type of educational support program for area students and their families. In 2004 a proposal was written and presented to the Bayfield School Board for REACH, which was designed to be an informal program that would provide support from certified teachers to home schooling families. Beginning with about a dozen families, the program rapidly changed and grew to respond to the needs of area students and their families. The spring of 2007 welcomed our first graduating class of three. In the fall of 2007, we started out with 60 students in grades Kindergarten through 12th grade.

The staff and board of REACH shares a vision of a program that individualizes learning, views education as a lifelong process, believes that the learning process needs to engage the student in hands-on, practical tasks and supports the student in taking responsibility for success.

In the school year 2006-07, the high school students participated in developing the 12 shared mutual values of the REACH High School program. These are:

Vision and History of REACH:

Resource, Enrichment and Academic Choices

Open-mindedness Vitality

Love of Learning Love

Perspective Fairness

Bravery Leadership

Persistence Forgiveness and mercy

Integrity Hope

These values form the foundation of the 10 expectations of REACH high school students:

1. To show respect and kindness to classmates, parents and staff, including demonstrating appropriate behavior and language.

2. To learn about and show respect to other people and cultures who may be different from my own.

3. To serve REACH and other communities through contributions of time, talents and labor.

4. To use all equipment and supplies in a respectful manner in ways that support my learning, including computers.

5. To show responsible care of the Earth through practices such as reducing, reusing and recycling.

6. To keep REACH a clean and safe learning program for myself and my classmates, on and off campus.

7. To make healthy and appropriate life and personal choices.

8. To dress in clothing that is clean, comfortable and appropriate for a learning environment.

9. To be punctual, prepared and ready to participate; ask questions, enter discussions and take responsibility for my academic and personal success.

10. To commit myself to developing my talents and abilities to their fullest.

Embedded in these values and expectations are five non-negotiable actions that are guaranteed to have consequences. They are non-negotiable in that there is no way to argue about whether or not they are allowed at REACH, but the consequences may vary, depending upon the situation and how the student handled committing a non-negotiable. These are:

1) No use of tobacco in any form

2) No use of alcohol

3) No use of drugs in any form

4) No violence (physical, emotional, mental, verbal, including theft)

5) No sexual relation or inappropriate touching of another student