SHS picked for 'Go On' grant

SANDPOINT — High school officials are enjoying a nice financial boost as they prepare for the coming school year.

J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation administrators selected Sandpoint High School has one of the beneficiaries of the Go On Schools grant, a win that brings with it a bevy of benefits. Not only does the school get a slice of the initiative’s $860,000 pie — officials will also have the foundation backing them with assistance once school is back in session.

“Idaho is ranked among the bottom ten states when it comes to students going on to some sort of post-secondary education after high school,” foundation executive director Jamie MacMillan said. “We’ve learned that schools, students and parents face a lot of barriers when it comes to helping kids go on, so we wanted to give schools and communities the resources they need to support, counsel, guide and mentor all students to go on to education or training beyond high school.”

Sandpoint High School is one of 27 school to receive the honor and will receive $27,766 for the effort. The high school’s Go On team earned their distinction as a beneficiary by completing a plan to encourage students toward college.

Grant administrators selected beneficiaries based on four key areas. First, Go On teams had to articulate how they would set high expectations and encourage students to reach them. They also had to have a fully detailed implementation plan updated every year. The quality of the school’s support and counseling services was another big factor. Finally, the number of advanced placement or dual enrollment opportunities boosted chances of success.

The Sandpoint High School plan didn’t fail to impress. As a result, the local Go On team got to attend a summer institute at Boise State University, where they received advice on ways to better calibrate their efforts and exercise them effectively into the coming school year. The foundation will continue to assist its beneficiaries as the program progresses, and if school representatives can show progress, there’s a chance that the grants could be renewed.