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District officials have set "reasonable" goals for improving student academic performance and discipline at three alternative schools in Guilford County.

Is this a good approach to discipline and performance at the same time in the schools? Join the discussion at the Debatables blog.

They hope to receive approval of the plans for a new High School Ahead Academy and two existing Scale sites by the Board of Education at its meeting Tuesday.

The school board approved High School Ahead in July to help about 100 overage middle school students catch up on math and reading credits in order to graduate on time. Students 14 to 16 years old will attend the school in the former primary building of Guilford Middle School for one semester during the pilot year before going to their assigned high schools.

Goals for the academy include reducing out-of-school suspensions and absences among students by 10 percent by the end of the semester and increasing the percentage of students with a grade point average of 2.0 by 10 percent.

"The difficulty with setting goals with High School Ahead is it's a brand new program," said David Roper, the school's executive director. "The

10 percent seemed like a reasonable first-year goal considering the kind of goals that are typically set for educational programs."

Roper said smaller classes should lead to better classroom management and fewer discipline problems. Parents and students, whose attendance is mandatory, support the program, he said.

"We've gotten a number of positive comments from parents and students so far about their experience," Roper said.

The Scale sites in Greensboro and High Point — they educate students recommended for long-term suspensions — will also work to keep students in class and increase the percentage passing state exams.

Kenneth Wheat, principal of the High Point campus, said he rebuilt his staff, added more structure and reduced out-of-school suspensions since arriving three years ago. The school had

16 suspensions last school year compared with 274 suspensions in 2004-05, according to district figures.

Wheat said his staff tried to be more patient with misbehaving students.

"Mainly it was long-suffering," Wheat said. "We understand that they are difficult. We understand that they are troubled."

Russell Woodward, principal of the Greensboro campus, said his staff will try to increase the percentage of students scoring better on exams from 15 percent to

20 percent. He attributed a slide in performance last year to poor attendance and a lack of communication with teachers at home schools.

"You can talk about other things all you want, but until the attendance is better, you're not going to make the strides you're trying to make," Woodward said.

Contact Morgan Josey Glover at 373-7078 or mjosey@news-record.com