The CrossingEducationalCenter is an Indiana state accredited, faith-based alternative school serving as a “second chance” educational program for students who have not been successful in the traditional school setting.Students may be enrolled through paying private tuition or through a sub-contract agreement between the Crossing and local school districts or government agencies. There are six Crossing schools in northern Indiana. Four main components
Academics
Character
Leadership
Careers
Curriculum (Physical, Mental, Social, Spiritual)
Driven by Indiana Academic Standards
Students may graduate with a Core 40 diploma.
Computer curriculum software - 80% mastery is required in all subjects.
Additional courses developed:
Sean Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens
Dave Ramsey’s – FinancialPeaceUniversity
Art
Music
Character Development
Begin class daily with Family Time addressing life skills and character development based on Biblical concepts.
Leadership Development
LeadershipAcademy- students attend 6 half-day training sessions off campus. Additional leadership activities are planned throughout the year.
Career Program (Life Mapping)
Require a post-secondary education plan prior to graduation.
Work Study (Students earn credit for working on a job)
Auto Tech – Build street rods
Building Trades – Flipping homes in S. Bend area.
DualCollege Credit offered through Ivy Tech and VincennesUniversity.
Instruction
Staff members employed includes certified school administrators, certified teachers, professionals without a certified teaching license, and para-professionals.
1 to 8 staff to student ratio – provided for immediate assistance
Most assistance provided one-on-one with student
Self paced with 70 % of curriculum on the computer
Social Activities
Athletics
Basketball team.Other club sport teams are being developed.
Some students participate in public school sports if sub-contracted with school district.
Christmas Dance
Prom – Spirit of Chicago, Chicago, IL.
Team volunteer service (Feed the poor, clothing & food for the homeless, raking leaves, shoveling snow, etc.
Weekend activities including Bon-fires, bowling, football games, concerts, dirt bike riding, spending individual time with staff.
Community Engagement
On service learning project required per quarter.
Students speak regularly at community events
Enrollment
Special education students
Expelled from public and private schools
Returning from Department of Corrections
Referred through Probation, Department of Children & Family Services and other government agencies.
Beat the Back to School Power Struggle
I've worked with many parents and children caught up in power struggles in the home—they argued over bedtime, homework, curfew, video game time—you name it, they fought over it. And the more these parents fought with their children, the better at arguing and manipulating situations their children seemed to get. Mothers and fathers came to me exhausted, frustrated and desperate to stop the constant tug-of-war going on in their homes. Toward the end of every summer, I could be sure to hear from parents who were worried about getting their children back into the school routine, and many were anxious that any ground they'd gained the year before had been lost over summer break—which I believe is a very valid concern.
It's a big waste of time and energy to spend September working out the problems you've already solved last year.
"There are discipline problems everywhere. Where you have people you have problems," says Rob Staley, former Concord High School principal.
After serving for 10 years as Concord High School principal Rob Staley has seen his share of situations where educators held back from using discipline.
