Thursday, February 10, 2000
Schools review revamp of Project Succeed
School's aim: Help misbehavers
BY MARIE McCAIN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Hoping to prevail where the previous alternative school failed, Cincinnati Public Schools officials reviewed a redesign plan Wednesday for Project Succeed Academy.
The proposal includes a one-stop shopping approach that blends the district's academic goals with training designed to stop further misbehavior.
The North Fairmount school was started three years ago as an alternative facility to educate children removed from mainstream schools because of recurring discipline problems.
The district opted to revamp the program after it was deemed unsuccessful.
Officials now hope to influence teacher and parent behavior in addition to the child's. Teachers will be trained to reinforce behavior management skills taught to the children, while parents — if they wish it — will be offered parenting skills.
All of this will supplement the education process.
“In the past we failed to build a support system for the student. They regressed back to their old behavior (once they returned to their old schools),” said Deputy Superintendent Rosa Blackwell.
“We are obligated to provide parent training. It's a big piece of the issue. Parents love their children and they may be doing the best they can, and they need help. We are going to provide that help,” Ms. Blackwell said.
She added that the new school will not become a “catch-all” for problematic students, as the old one did.
“Now, we will clearly identify the kinds of students we want to service. Before it was like bull's-eyes all over a barn — we were shooting and missing.”
According to proposed “intake criteria,” students must have multiple suspensions and expulsions and must exhibit at least one warning sign, including poor grades, below-average math or reading proficiency scores, a history of truancy, repeated juvenile court contact, or behavior issues that interfere with learning.
The proposal also makes room for a panel of educators and social service experts who will determine whether a student should enter the program and when that student should leave.
At the very least, problematic students could spend a semester at the alternative school. And despite past criticism that the old project failed to expedite a return to the mainstream system, officials do not limit the length of stay under the revamped approach.
The school will consist of two separate sites: one for fourth- through sixth-graders, another for seventh- through ninth-graders.
Six teachers will be at each facili ty, with a total of 10 professional social workers divided between the schools. Each would have 90 students.
Instead of a principal, the sites would be run by an executive director with grant-writing capabilities.
District officials have not acquired any agencies willing to provide necessary social services, although talks are under way, officials said.
The district wants to have the program running by next school year, but for now the redesign still has to be approved by the school board. A final board vote should be taken Feb. 28.
Once the board signs off, the district will begin looking for buildings to locate the facilities.
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