Board approves pilot program for alternative high school

The Oxford Community Schools Board of Education March 8 voted unanimously to approve the Crossroads for Youth Crossing Bridges Alternative School experimental pilot program.
‘We are delighted to be offering an alternative high school program to serve those children who just are not finding success within the traditional high school environment,? said James Schwarz, the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum.
President of Crossroads for Youth Janet McPeek is excited for the opportunity Crossroads has been given.
‘To collaborate on an innovative new program is extremely exciting as we can customize what we do best as an agency to support the educational program,? she said.
Under the program, a small alternative high school would be established on the grounds of Crossroads for Youth. The school would be operated by the district, under the supervision of Marty Johnson, Principal of Crossroads Secondary School.
McPeek said that they have been talking about this project for years after hearing request after request from parents and school personnel throughout Oakland County about services for students who have potential but are not achieving in the traditional school settings.
The program would take students at Oxford High School who are considered at-risk for not completing high school and provide a solid education for those students who do not learn effectively in the traditional classroom setting.
‘With increasing demands of rigor coming from the state for eligibility for graduation, many students have difficulty accomplishing those standards in the traditional high school environment,? Schwarz said. ‘The Crossing Bridges Program offers a way for children to accomplish those standards and earn a diploma through a concentrated array of hands-on application based instruction.?
25 current ninth grade students at OHS and other resident students ages 15 and 16 would be targeted for potential enrollment for Fall 2010.
If enough interest is shown, enrollment is anticipated to increase to 50 students in Fall 2011 and 70 students in Fall 2012.
According to Johnson, Crossing Bridges would cost the school district $35,000 the first year, but would become self -supporting in years two and three when the enrollment reaches 50-70 students.
Students who have a history of excessive absenteeism, not due to medical reasons, and have failed one or more freshman classes will be considered for Crossing Bridges.
Johnson is proposing a flexible instructional program where class work and course expectations would be driven by a commitment to mastery learning designed to avoid student failure.
Students and teachers would persist in learning until the mastery of a subject matter and course objectives are met.
The program becomes flexible when each student would meet with staff after each trimester to determine courses to be addressed, the type of learning environment and how progress will be assessed for the proceeding semester.
‘It is difficult to ask kids to learn at the same speed,? said Johnson. ‘We want to identify the learning styles of each student and try to teach the content through their preferred learning strengths.?
In order for this to happen, each student and a parent or guardian, along with a Crossing Bridges staff member would develop a Education Flight Plan (EFP).
An EFP will specify one or more employment sectors for the student and detail a personal curriculum that will lead to graduation. Included in the EFP will be a sequence of courses, both required and elective, to be completed and a tentative timeline would be established.
‘We need for the student to let us understand how they learn best and we can then try to deliver the curriculum towards that strength,? Johnson added.
According to Schwarz, curriculum from core content classes would be integrated around real world investigations that are mostly environmental and vocational. Students would also study issues and problems through a mixture of online teaching and real-time learning.
Crossing Bridges will also feature a pro-social curriculum component in order to develop self-esteem, group cohesiveness and personal responsibility.
All the students and staff would regularly participate in the Adventure Program offered at Crossroads for Youth
Students would attend Crossing Bridges approximately 35 hours per week, with the school operating on an extended school calender of 180 days because of the nature and pace of instruction.
Three semesters are built in, with an optional summer term.
Conducted in two classrooms in Chamberlin Hall on the grounds at Crossroads, Crossing Bridges would employee two half-time secondary teachers with two core curricular certifications, one full-time teacher assistant, and one part-time counselor, social worker or teacher consultant.
If the student population grows, additional employees would be added.
Johnson stated that even though the students will be on Crossroads grounds, they would have no interaction with the residents who currently reside there.
Students in the program would not be allowed to attend classes at OHS. However, students would be eligible to re-enroll at OHS at a trimester break with a recommendation by Johnson.
‘Our goal is to get them reengaged and back on track. We would like for them to work on the goal of graduating on time,? Johnson said.
Students who are in good standing would also be allowed to participate in extracurricular activities as long as they do not interfere with class time.
A total of 28 credits are needed for a student to be eligible for graduation from Crossing Bridges, but previously received credits might not count.
‘This kind of pilot has the potential, particularly as we collect data on student achievement and isolate the components that are most contributing to success,? said McPeek.
Johnson stated that there will an information day within the next month for the students to come and tour the entire program.

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