An Educational Option Program Crossroads Center “To inspire students who are at a crossroads in their educational experience to overcome academic and social/emotional challenges through alternative teaching and learning.” An Educational Option Program

Who we are… Click here for an introduction to the Crossroads Center

Goals Understand the purpose of the academic intervention model. Understand the student qualifications for the Crossroads Center. Understand how students are recommended and enrolled at the Crossroads Center. Understand what a day in the life of a Crossroads Center is like. Understand the parent’s role in the enrollment process and intervention program at Crossroads Center. Understand the logistics of the Crossroads Center: Transportation, Meals, School Hours, Course Offerings, Support Services, Recreational Opportunities.

Goal : Academics Academic Intervention for identified students that are “in danger” on the comprehensive home school THRIVE report. Intervention focus: reading, writing, and mathematics skill development provided in a small learning community with small class sizes. Intervention strategies address: academic obstacles including poor attendance, social/emotional needs, functional family support, and medical intervention needs. Improvement targets: academic skills, grades, performance on state assessments, credit acquisition, and Thrive report status. Class sizes range from 15-18 students. All classes focus on reading, writing and mathematics skill development Identifying and providing support to fill learning gaps is a key strategy to helping students get back on track academically. While we are not a behavior intervention program, we work to identify the root causes of academic failure for each student. We then put plans in place that will help students overcome these challenges so that school success can be more easily obtained. The Crossroads academic intervention model works to improve students’ reading, writing, and mathematics skills by at least two grade levels. We expect to improve student performance on all state and county assessments and we expect to see students’ GPA rise. For all high school students we expect them to recover all lost credits and obtain an “on time” to graduate status before they leave Crossroads Center.

Middle School Course offerings include: ELA 7 and 8 Pre-Algebra and Math 8 Science 7 and 8 Social Studies 7 and 8 AVID Practices Grade 8 Physical Education, Art, Technology Education, Interest Based Clubs Crossroads serves Grades 7 and 8 at the Middle School Level. Special area offerings are limited but may include some time in physical education, art and technology. We continue to add diversity to the middle school program through interest based clubs and field experiences.

AVID Helps students prepare for- and participate in –a rigorous college- preparatory curriculum

High School Course Offerings ELA 9 and 10 Algebra 1, 2, and Geometry Earth Systems, Life Systems, and a Science Elective American Government, World History, US History Spanish SPARC (Blended Learning Credit Recovery and Advancement) Physical Education, Art, Technology Education, Interest Based Clubs The Crossroads Center high school program enrolls students in grades 9 and 10. Some availability exists for students with mixed credit needs above the tenth grade level, if they have the ability to achieve in a blended learning model. First year high school students will have a traditional schedule with classes in English, mathematics , social studies, science, health, physical education, art, and creative writing. High school students beyond their first year will take most of their core subjects in traditional classroom settings but will have time in their schedule for blended learning which gives them the opportunity to recover and advance their credits. Crossroads Center does not offer extracurricular activities at this time. High school students beyond their first year will be enrolled last as transcripts need to be reviewed individually to assure that scheduling needs can be met.

Goal : Student Qualifications “In Danger” on the Thrive report. In danger due to academic concerns. Is a diploma candidate. Ability to work in an inclusive environment with a regular content based teacher. Crossroads Center is designed to intervene with students in academic distress due to gaps in their education. Students who are within two years of grade level and perform at a basic level on standardized tests respond well to the Crossroads Center intervention model. Students whose learning gaps may be due to poor attendance, multiple changes in schools, academic frustration or other causes not related to conduct tend to show significant improvement when enrolled at the Crossroads Center. Students with special needs must be screened to assure that all their accommodations can be met in a classroom with a general education teacher.

Myth: Crossroads Center is a behavior modification or therapeutic program. Crossroads Center is an academic program that focuses on improving student disposition and attitude towards learning and academics through positive interventions involving a community approach and fostering a growth mindset. While Crossroads Center is not a behavior modification program, we provide support for students who have experienced anxiety, frustration, or disengagement because of poor academic progress. We also support students whose personal circumstances have made it difficult for them to be successful in traditional classroom settings. Positive, caring relationships encourage renewed engagement with education and improves student dispositions and attitudes toward learning and academic achievement.

Goal: How are students recommended and enrolled? School administrators, counselors, and special educators from the students current school identify students they think will benefit from the Crossroads Center Program and invite them to an orientation meeting. Students and parents who have heard about the program attend an orientation and request to be transferred to the program. Families sign a commitment form agreeing to a one year enrollment to Crossroads Center. All qualified student commitment forms are placed in a lottery for available seats. The first 45 students at each grade level whose names are drawn are enrolled and the remainder are placed on a wait list in the order that their name is drawn. In May, area schools are given a list of all students who meet Crossroads qualifications and are asked to make recommendations and invite families to an orientation meeting. Sometimes families and students come to orientations without their school’s invitation. If the student qualifies and the family turns in a commitment form, the student enters the lottery for a seat just like any other student. After the last day of school and before July 4th the lottery will be held. Parents will receive an automated call that tells them if their child will be enrolled, is on the wait list, or did not qualify for enrollment. This call usually is made in July. Students on the wait list will be enrolled up to September 30th if seats become available.

GOAL: What is it like at the Crossroads Center A Day in the Life of a Crossroads Student Play video

Goal : What is the parent’s role in enrollment and as part of the intervention team? Parents must understand and want intervention to assure their child’s academic success. The program is voluntary… NOT PUNISHMENT FOR FAILURE. Enrollment in the program demonstrates a positive desire to be academically successful. Parents are an active part of our intervention team and will be in close contact with the teaching team to develop intervention strategies that will help their child be successful. Parents must commit to a one year enrollment. Parents are the driving force for their child’s success. Crossroads will provide creative and innovative approaches to support the students’ academic success, but parents must be willing partners in the effort. The Crossroads Center is a positive program designed to help students achieve their dreams. Speakers should reference athletic, college, and career aspirations. The small learning community model allows the child’s teachers and support staff to work more closely with parents to identify obstacles to academic success and develop strategies to overcome them. Students who enroll at Crossroads Center must remain there for one full school year. They may not transfer to another school in the county once enrolled. Crossroads Center is different and teenagers can be reluctant to leave their neighborhood schools and friends to attend a program that is unknown to them. Assure parents that students quickly learn to love the Crossroads Center and the support that they receive as well as the success they experience. Let parents know that a large number of students who attend Crossroads for a year and return to their home school, request a return to the Crossroads Center because of the success and support that they received.

Logistics and commonly asked Questions Hours 9:30-4:00, Wednesday dismissal 1:00, closed the first Friday of each month Transportation provided Small learning communities, Small class size Standard curriculum, same behavior code as all BCPS schools Focus on reading, mathematics, and writing Gap learning, credit recovery, and credit advancement opportunities Free meals Incentives, field trips and clubs One to one computers ONE YEAR ENROLLMENT   Logistics and commonly asked Questions Review school hours Transportation is provided based on home addresses Review community model and class sizes of approximately 15 students Emphasize that we follow the same curriculum and behavior code as all other schools in the county. Remind them that we are an academic intervention program working to improve students reading, writing and mathematics skills so that their grades improve, their state test scores improve and that they are on track to graduate on time. Assure them that we have a variety of programs that will help all students to catch up if they have gaps in their learning and we also have a program to help high school students recover and sometimes advance their credits to assure that they can graduate on time or even early. Meals are free- breakfast and lunch – snack machines are available Describe the club day, incentive programs, field trips, and experiential learning program. Let parents know that all students will have a computer for their use and that technology plays a large role in the instruction of Crossroads students. Finally remind parents that the program is a one year commitment. Be prepared for questions related to longer than one year stays Transition meetings with the home school to prepare them to support the students return Occasionally the staff will recommend that a student be allowed to stay for an additional year because they are making progress and could benefit from additional support.

Q&A What our students say… Click here for student testimonials! Click on link and respond to questions