Discovery Program

The Discovery Program is a concrete, skills-based curriculum that has the power to create positive change in students. Through Discovery, students learn and master the positive social skills necessary to be successful in school and in life. The Discovery Program was designed in 1990 by Eric Larsen, an alternative high school teacher in Poudre School District in Fort Collins, Colorado. The program teaches positive social skills to students struggling with academic, attendance, and attitude problems. The curriculum includes social skills, management strategies, culture development, and experiential activities. All students who enroll in Vantage Point High School are required to participate and pass the Discovery Program as part of their entry into the Vantage Point High School culture. The objectives of the program are as follows:

• To develop a strong sense of community and a support system for all students.
• To teach, practice, and give feedback on specific positive social skills.
• To reinforce the culture of the classroom/school and ensure that all students realize what is expected of them and what they can expect from the staff.
• To self-explore, self-evaluate and gain insight into one’s choices and outcomes

Through the program, students will earn 2 credits toward graduation (English, Social Studies, Technology, PE and Electives) with an optional .25 credit possible for students whose parents attend all Discover Parent Classes offered on Wednesday evenings through the quarter (additional course work for students required for credit).