GST BOCES - Instructional Services

Alt Ed Links

Instructional Services

Alternative Education Programs


A. Alternative Education for High School Students, Grades 9-12: GST BOCES provides alternative education for secondary students at risk for failure in a traditional school setting. Certified academic teachers, affective counselors, career coaches and psychologists develop and maintain a unique and positive learning environment that fosters both academic and social/emotional growth. Integrated with Career and Technical Education, this program assures that each student participant will acquire the knowledge, skills and work habits necessary to achieve his or her career goals. Students receive academic report cards, employability profiles and a portfolio to verify completion of their individual instruction plan. The Alternative Secondary Programs are available at all three GST BOCES campuses: Wildwood, Coopers and Bush.

B. Alternative Education for Middle School Students, Grades 6-8: BOCES also provides alternative education for students at risk in grades 6-8. Qualified teachers, counselors, career coaches and psychologists provide an environment that fosters academic success and social/emotional growth. There are three Alternative Middle School Programs, located at Hornell, Bath and the BOCES Bush campus in Elmira.

C. Adventure Based Learning: The ABL program uses adventure initiatives, ropes course elements and field trips to teach character education and inter-intrapersonal skills. The activities are used as an experiential lab where students can learn, develop and practice these skills while meeting many of the NYS Standards.

D. Child Development Unit (CDU): Adolescent parents who are high school students may bring their children to the CDU each day. The infants and toddlers received a developmental program of care from trained child care workers. This program is located in Elmira at the Washington School, site of the Elmira Alternative High School.