Dream Academy

Dream Academy Program Descriptions

The DREAM Academy is an alternative high school for School District U46.  DREAM academy strictly follows ALOP (Alternative Learning Opportunities Program) and RSSP (Regional Safe Schools Program) guidelines and supports students from the five comprehensive high schools who did not succeed in a school environment despite attempted tiered interventions available.  The purpose of the new setting is to give students an educational opportunity that maximizes their individual potential.

We provide a small school environment featuring smaller class sizes in a structured setting with a curriculum focus on social, academic, and intervention lessons. The average class size will range between 15 to 18 students per class. Our curriculum includes blended learning -  integrating small groups and in-person/online instruction.

Students must be referred to the DREAM Academy from the five comprehensive high schools in the district by an application process. Selection is determined based on circumstances such as social, emotional, and academic needs that have made it difficult for them to learn in the traditional school environment.

Students admitted to DREAM Academy create SSP Goals (Student Success Plan) and progress is monitored and shared with parents/guardians quarterly.  Student services team monitor progress and transition plans (back to home school or to a less restrictive environment) on an individual basis. DREAM Academy is a choice program unless administratively.

DREAM (ALOP)

Dream High School

• Has not benefited from Tiered interventions at the comprehensive schools

• May be identified as internalizers

• Multiple attempts in passing core subjects

• Overwhelming evidence of disengagement due to outside factors

• APEX period for credit recovery

Dream Day Program

• All of the above

• APEX based instruction

• Attendance affected by school anxiety

• Identified for increased mental health supports

• Social-emotional deficits negatively impact the ability to participate in DHS

• Transition to Dream High School depending on progress

• Weekly social-emotional group facilitated by SSW

New Beginnings (RSSP)

New Beginnings High School

• Apex based instruction

• Students who have been suspended at least twice for misconduct can be demonstrated as serious, repetitive, and/or cumulative.

• Students demonstrating behaviors that warrant a more restrictive learning environment

• Pregnant and/or parenting teens

• Weekly social-skills group facilitated by SSW

New Beginnings Evening

• Same as above but with later hours Monday through Thursday

• Typically for students 16 and older

• Weekly social-skills group facilitated by SSW

Phoenix

• Apex based instruction

• Provides in-district credit recovery with access to school supports

• Students 17-20 years old

• Drop-out prevention/Students returning from dropping out of school

• Pregnant and/or parenting teens

• Social/emotional issues that have affected school success.

DREAM/NB COOP

Dream/New Beginnings Co-Op AM & PM

• Apex based classroom

• Designed for students with 30+ credits currently working

• Students develop soft skills, learn about future college and career opportunities, 

• Earn two elective credits a semester by participating in CWT and employment credit

• Students identified to need increased social-emotional support due to life circumstances

• Pregnant and/or parenting teens

Evening Co-Op 

• Same as above but with evening hours Monday-Thursday

• Meets the needs of student work hours

COOP Extension Programs

Larkin High School COOP Extension AM/PM

Elgin High School COOP Extension AM/PM

Streamwood High School COOP Extension Evening

• Same as other Co-Op programs but in home school locations.

• Identified as students without increased social-emotional support