BRIEF SUMMARY OF PROGRAMS AND SCHOOLS

Career Education Center (CEC)

CEC is all about second chances and offering students something different from what they have experienced at traditional high schools. CEC is designed to help students get back on track for graduation. It is a self-paced, independent program for students who have not found success at other schools. Students earn a diploma by meeting the same graduation requirements as all Fairbanks North Star Borough School District students, but they do it independently and at their own pace.

Charter Schools

The Fairbanks North Star Borough School District has 5 public charter schools: Boreal Sun, Chinook, Discovery Peak, Effie Kokrine, and Watershed.  These schools serve many grade levels and each one has a unique school culture and exciting way to meet the needs of students and their families.  

eLearning 

eLearning is available for families with the option to learn from home with district teachers and curriculum. The curriculum at the secondary level is a blend of teacher-created content using adopted district materials and vendor-provided curriculum from APEX Learning. eLearning instruction is facilitated by a teacher but mixed with at-home family support and independent at-home learning. Students are provided the opportunity to have 24/7 access to asynchronous material. Students will engage in learning each school day and will work toward mastery of all standards for their grade level but are free to move ahead and progress on an accelerated timeline if they choose to do so. While students learn at their own pace, due dates and deadlines are provided to help students stay on track and work towards completion by the semester or year-end, depending on grade level.

Fairbanks BEST Homeschool

BEST Homeschool is a school without walls, where parents have the primary responsibility for the management of their children’s education.  It is a nonsectarian partnership between students, parents, professional staff, and community members where families and staff work together to customize an education plan for their children.  Students are assigned a certified teacher-education specialist who is knowledgeable of various curricula, courses, resources, and learning styles as well as BEST policies and FNSBSD requirements. Students in K-12 receive an allotment for purchasing curriculum materials of their choice that align with an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) and Alaska State Standards.  Students may enroll in up to two classes at local district schools. They are also eligible to participate in athletics, music programs, and other extra-curricular activities at their attendance area schools according to district/state guidelines and without withdrawal from their homeschool program.    

Golden Heart Academy

Golden Heart Academy is a school for youth who are in treatment or detention at the Fairbanks Youth Facility.  While institutionalized, students continue working towards earning a high school diploma and, through community partnerships, are also able to take classes in culinary arts, small engine repair, First Aid/CPR, and the Construction Academy. 

Star of the North

Star of the North Secondary School is designed to meet the needs of secondary students. It is located in North Pole and includes grades 7 through 12. Star of the North is focused on reconnecting youth to school and offers a self-contained learning environment staffed by master teachers and staff who have deep knowledge and compassion for early adolescents and teens. Star of the North creates small learning communities of youth that emphasize positive learning experiences without the distractions found in conventional secondary schools. Their focus includes teens who show a need for an alternative setting in a small class/school environment.