South Bend South Campus Update

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RiverParkDaysWhat a fun, summery week we have had at South Bend South. It has been beautiful outside, and inside, the students are making things look great, too. This time of year tends to bring out a pleasant, joyful side in people, and we have seen that in the classroom atmosphere. Though schoolwork is definitely getting done, we are also really enjoying the Crossing family.

On Thursday, all four of the South Bend campuses met at a local field to play kickball. The sun was hot, but we enjoyed the afternoon of home runs, skipping/galloping to bases, and the occasional, harmless banter between teams. Students were able to earn PE hours, and we simply had a good time. We love these gorgeous, sunny days!

Over the weekend, we had another opportunity to come together in South Bend. We joined the South Bend East campus for River Park Days, a day of fun and fellowship for the surrounding community. We took the opportunity to meet people and introduce the Crossing to local families who might benefit from our program. Students joined with teachers to walk the streets, passing out fliers and sharing about the Crossing. We also helped run inflatable games for the kids, and we had the chance to enjoy some great hot dogs and other treats together.

It has been a really enjoyable week – not only because of the fun we have had, but also because of the students’ positive attitudes. We have had students step up and speak to others about getting to work. Many have joined us outside of school for these great events, and they have been excited to tell others about the Crossing. We love seeing their enthusiasm and energy – it is simply infectious.

With only about three weeks left, a focus on academics is extremely important. We have been excited to see students finishing credits and working steadily to wrap up the year well. It will feel like a whirlwind in the next few weeks as we have more events and more opportunities, but we are thankful for the energy that the students bring. We are ready to make these next three weeks count, and we are excited to see the success ahead.

Butler Student Competes in Leadership Competition

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The Butler Crossing had great reason to celebrate with one of our students recently. Cody Black, a soon to be graduating senior, won second place at the SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Competition held in Indianapolis this past April. Cody is currently a vocational student enrolled at 4 County Area Vocational Co-op in the Marine Mechanics program. Cody received an $8000 scholarship and two sets of tools provided by Cobalt and Dewalt. Cody plans on pursuing higher education this fall at a technical school in Chicago. We are very proud of Cody’s accomplishments.

butlerleadership

Region 4 Serves at Local Campground

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Friday morning a number of the students from The Grant County Crossing campus headed out to Wesleyan Fairmount Campground. As we arrived, Mr. Landis, the campground’s owner, showed us the job we would be doing for that day. Our job was to clean up logs that needed to be split then stacked. We worked from 9:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. After we had our one hour lunch break, we quickly got back to work. We took another break at 2:30 p.m. We then worked from 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Finally, wrapping up the work part of our day, we started having a good time playing sports and getting to know the other Crossing students from Kokomo and Frankfort. We enjoyed getting to know them more and more as we played basketball, football, and volleyball together. The last thing we did to wrap up the night was Family Time. Family Time can be described as a time where we all get together and express our own opinions on a subject. In this case our group was all males. So our topic was “What makes you a man emotionally and physically?” Our group had only a few different views on the topic, otherwise our views were the same. The best part of family time was getting to hear all the different stories of all these other people. Overall our trip was a really great time and the satisfaction of helping one in need, well, there is no better feeling.

By James H.

Intramural Basketball in Clinton County

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We had 13 students participating in the game, while two ran the concession stand, and one ran the scoreboard.  Mr. Jameson coached, Mr. Wiltse refereed, and Ms. Mills cheered from the sidelines.  Around twenty fans came to support the teams.  The game was a little lopsided in the first half, but the blue team got within three points with two minutes remaining.  The final score was 39-33 white team.

“At first I didn’t think I would want to play.  I am not really that good, but it was fun and I enjoyed the exercise.  I am still pretty new to this school so it gave me a chance to make new friends.  I look forward to the next game.  My parents may even both come!”  Chris Schutte

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Variety in Community

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Variety in Community

- From the Crossing at SB South

The Crossing’s South Bend south campus has an incredible group of students. Some students are talented artists, while others excel in writing music. A number of students are great basketball players, and they get to show off their skills every Monday night. We see students who love math, some who dominate science and many who enjoy reading much more than they will admit. When we step back and think about it, it is clear we have a diverse and special campus.

In the past two weeks, our campus has had great opportunity to display these different personalities. For those who love basketball, Monday nights are always something to enjoy. Staff and students gather together for some friendly competition, and a light-hearted banter usually accompanies each game.

Staff and students playing basketball

Many of our girls skip out on basketball, but they do not shy away from other activities. This past week, we had one female student, Kenzie, step up in leadership and take a group into the community for a service project. She called the organization, set up the dates and gathered a small team for the day of service.  Kenzie did an awesome job, and she effectively showed off some of her leadership skills.

At times, we also get to see students display their skills and talents in Family Time. We recently played a game where students had to throw goldfish onto shaving cream-filled plates on their partners’ heads. It was ridiculous and goofy, but we loved watching our students enjoy a simple game. Aside from the silliness of games, we have seen students share thoughtful, genuine insights in these family discussions. This short pause in our day is always a neat time to see personalities and passions revealed.

Student activity during family time

In the midst of great fun and camaraderie, we have seen a deeper emphasis in the climate of our campus. As we have entered into this final quarter, there seems to be fervency in the students’ attitudes. There are still daily imperfections and difficulties, but there is an encouraging spirit about our students.

We walked into fourth quarter with Galatians 6:9-10 as our guide: “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone.”

We see this effort to “do good” in many of our students. Kevin, a graduating senior, is pictured next to our quarter’s mission statement because our campus wants to see him reap that harvest. He is working diligently, along with many other students, to reach the goals before him. Students are taking advantage of this last leg, this last quarter, and they are coming together in the process.

Student works toward graduation

The south campus is a special place. We have interesting, vibrant students, yet these same students understand what it means to come together. They are energized, active and determined individuals. We have loved these days of the final quarter, and we are excited about what is ahead. More than anything, though, we are thrilled to see our campus growing in the balance between individuality and community.

Crossing Students Explore Indiana Government

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The Leadership/Ignite groups from the Crossing campuses recently took a trip to the Indiana State House to meet with Senator Carlin Yoder and a couple other government representatives. I was surprised how many other students were actually there since our group with Mr. Bohannon had planned this trip to Indianapolis at the beginning of the Ignite semester. We all loaded up on the same bus and discussed questions we should ask the representatives with our staff.

When we got there, we briefly ate packed lunches then huddled up for directions from Mr. Bohannon and the other staff members who were there. The first thing on the agenda was to meet with Senator Yoder. He gave a small speech about himself then began to talk about what he does and the choices he’s faced with. It was interesting to learn about the things he deals with like how far the public takes situations if they dislike a certain decision that has been made; citizens picketing the State House and/or his own house, is something he described to us. A couple students from the Crossing asked him a few questions along with the staff and I thought it was cool that we got to interact with real governing bodies professionally; it’s not an experience regular students get to have.

After we finished speaking with Senator Yoder, we took some pictures then proceeded to meet with a few other representatives whose names I forget, but one was recently a part of the House across the hall. It reminded me of a history lesson, especially when they “quizzed” us on how many senators there were and how many members of the House there were; now I know there are 50 senators and 100 members in the House. We also met with the chaplain in the State House, who was interesting to learn about as well. It really touched me when he explained that he volunteers to be their chaplain for no pay, but sees it as his calling from God.

When we finished meeting with all of the representatives on our agenda, we took a small tour of the building and learned about its history. After that, we had a little fun and went to the mall then took the entire group to eat at a fancy restaurant named Buca di Beppo.

All in all, I thought the trip was awesome and a seriously cool life experience. It went very well and it made me proud to be a part of the crew since we all behaved very professionally. I think it gives us a good image to do things like this and gives people a different perspective of the Crossing, rather than having people look at us like we’re just a bunch of kids.

- Natalie McKay, Senior @ Elkhart Campus

 

Crossing Featured in Anderson Newspaper

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An ‘alternative program to an alternative program’

By Dani Palmer
The Herald Bulletin

ANDERSON, Ind. — This fall, struggling Anderson students will have yet another option when The Crossing Educational Center opens.

With 16 campuses throughout Indiana, the alternative school targets students under the age of 19 who have either dropped out or are struggling; such as those who are not doing well or not allowed in Anderson Community Schools’ current alternative programs, including students who have been in and out of the Department of Correction.

ACS Superintendent Felix Chow said it would be an “alternative program to an alternative program.”

The school board unanimously voted in favor of a partnership with the state-accredited school on April 9. On Monday afternoon, officials from The Crossing, ACS and Anderson University spoke during an information session at the Flagship.

According to Executive Director Rob Staley, The Crossing has had kids from extremely tough home lives and even, in larger cities, opposing gang members who “shoot at each other on the weekend and sit in the same classroom on Monday.”

Their goal, he said, is to transform the students’ lives through education, job training and placement and a faith-based mission that helps develop character.

“The kids can go out and make things happen, they just need the framework,” he said.

JaQuann Cole, 21, was one of two students from the Marion campus who spoke at the session. He dropped out of school when he was 17 because, he said, he was immature, didn’t have the attention span for school and had a problem with authority.

“I didn’t worry about how I was affecting other people,” he said. “It became just about me.”

Cole added he just needed guidance. He heard about The Crossing shortly after he got out of jail and said his probation officer thought it’d be good for him.

“I needed change,” he said. “She didn’t make me do it. It was something I had to do myself.”

He added he doesn’t feel judged at The Crossing where he receives the support he needs.

At 21 years of age, Cole would have likely been directed to the Excel Center in Anderson. Staley said it targets adults who are seeking a diploma while The Crossing tends to focus on younger students grades 9-12 — Marion just doesn’t have an Excel Center to allow them to do that.

Anderson Excel Director Joe White said he’s glad to see a “more proactive approach to addressing the need” in Anderson and added that The Crossing could be a good partner.

Staley added The Crossing would serve up to 75 students in Anderson.

While the Excel Center is a partner of ACS, it works as a separate entity. At The Crossing, students will still, essentially, be a part of ACS and receive a diploma from the corporation, Chow noted.

“We’re nothing more than a long hallway down the road,” Staley said, adding the goal is to get the students back into Anderson High School.

He added that 89 percent of students who do graduate directly from The Crossing pass the ISTEP and End of Course Assessments.

Anderson University is teaming with the alternative school to assist with its Xtreme Program, where students develop their own small businesses, such as a lumber-cutting service, Staley said.

Terry Truitt, dean of the Falls School of Business, said AU students are already working on entrepreneur ideas to address what’s needed in the area and answer “what can they (Crossing students) do here.” He added it’s a great opportunity for AU students to learn while helping others learn.

The Crossing Educational Center will open its doors Aug. 1.

Staley said a location for the alternative school hasn’t been pinned down yet and that ACS will have to approve any students who attend. An intent-to-enroll form can be found at www.crossingeducation.com along with more information.

View the original article:  The Herald Bulletin

First Week Back at SB South

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SBSouth Group PhotoIt is officially Spring, and South Bend South is off to a great start for this Fourth Quarter. Even with some rainy days and sleepy mornings, our students have jumped right into these last nine weeks. A few students are already on track to finish their first classes by next week! It has been a great first week, and the students have shown us how serious they are about finishing the year well.

Before we headed into the classroom, we had some time to reconnect and regroup. Three weeks can seem like a long time, so we were grateful for this time to come back together before the days got busy again. We played a few games, shared about our breaks and talked about the exciting things to come in this last quarter. It felt good to be back in the same room again.

Once we got down to business, though, our students really encouraged us. We have challenged each student to finish 12 assignments a week and many have already risen to the occasion. A few students even doubled the number of assignments for an extra bit of challenge. It is exciting to see students work hard and see positive results.

Outside the classroom, the Crossing experienced a very special event this week. On Thursday night, mothers of Crossing students gathered together for a meal and discussion. Some incredible volunteers from the community have invited our students’ mothers into these times of fellowship, and we are so thankful for the kindness that has been shared. This week, the group of women talked about the Five Love Languages and how we can best love the people in our lives. The mothers were encouraged, and a few Crossing staff members were very proud and honored to be a part of this community.

As we head into another week, we are very hopeful for the Fourth Quarter. Students seem motivated to make this last leg count, and we are excited to help them along the way. We have much ahead in the next few weeks – events, service opportunities, and graduation. In all the impending busyness though, we are ready for the weeks ahead. We cannot wait to see how our students wrap up this school year.

Region 3 Visits Chicagoland

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On March 23rd, thirty-four individuals from Region 3 comprised of students, staff, parents, etc. headed to Chicago for the day. We travelled in style in Eastside’s big white bus which has more of the comfort features of charter buses. After departing Butler at 7 A.M., we arrived in the Windy City about four hours later. The group dispersed in every direction eager to see all that the city had to offer. Several groups feasted on three inch-thick pizza at Giordano’s, while others found delights at various food courts in town. Others munched their way on Garrett’s world famous Chicago blend popcorn…YUM! Some of the attractions that were visited by various groups were Millennium Park, Navy Pier, Water Tower, The Hershey Store, The Nike Store, Forever 21, the Museum of Science and Industry, etc. There were a few glitches with the time zone difference since everyone’s cell phone automatically switched to Central Time which made our pick-up time interesting. I do believe some members in our group set a land/speed record for distance travelled from the John Hancock Building to the Chicago River(our pick-up location), but no names will be mentioned, right? The day was a great success with lots of new sights, sounds, and tastes experienced by all.

Leadership Retreat in Grant County

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February 8 marked the leadership retreat, headed up by Mr. Binkerd and Miss Mueller. The retreat went from 10 pm to 5:30 am. Ten leadership students attended as well as Mr. Younce. After team building activities that included buying supplies for and making homemade pizza, the group headed to school to watch a comedy video that introduced the topic of vulnerability. Mr. Binkerd presented a section of a log with a dead center (our past and pains), outer alive ring (our current selves), and protective bark (God and Christian community). The Holy Spirit met the discussion that followed in an unfathomable way.

Mr. Binkerd had a log with sections of bark peeled away that the students beat with hatchets and hammers and chisels. They wrote and talked about the pains that made them unique and brought them together. Almost every student and teacher was extremely vulnerable and supportive: they wept and they became a group. Students went home and wrote huge summaries on Facebook about how they were moving towards hope and how they appreciated each other and how thankful they were for each other, the Crossing, and even God.

The leadership students are going to move mountains this semester within the Grant County community. Their desire to protect the community will probably cause conflict and misunderstanding, but God obviously has His hand over each one of those kids as well as our entire campus.

Grant County Marion Leadership Log

Crossing Featured in White County News Story

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The Crossing was featured in a TV news story in White County, Indiana.  An excerpt from the article is below.

Click here to view the video and original article

WHITE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) – In the 19 years Gib Crimmins has been the superintendent of the Tri-County School Corporation he’s collaborated with other White County schools on several things.  ”[We've shared] distance learning, transportation, classes and online classes,” Crimmins said.  Crimmins said the schools’ next venture only made sense. In August Tri-County, Twin Lakes, North White and Frontier schools will be able to send students to The Crossing Education Center. It’s the county’s new alternative high school.

“The schools recognize there is a certain group of students that for whatever reason the traditional school has not worked out,” Crimmins said.  ”Once those students are gone they are really hard to get back in to the school if they dropped out,” North White School Corporation Superintendent Nick Eccles said. “I think [The Crossing] organization raves on being able to beat the bushes and get some of the kids back.”

Crimmins and Eccles said The Crossing’s top priority is getting dropouts back in school…

Quarter 3 Ends at South Bend South

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What a great week we have had at the South Bend south campus! In the last few days before we wrap up the quarter, we have had an exciting, encouraging week. We have been adding credits to the “Wall of Fame,” but the week has held much more than pieces of paper hanging in the hallway. Students have worked diligently, and they have experienced lots of great activities in the midst of their hard work.

Over the past quarter, the girls in our first session had the opportunity to participate in a small group. Volunteers from Vineyard Church came each Wednesday and discussed life with these girls. This past week, the women from Vineyard helped the girls celebrate the end of the quarter with a spa day. They took four girls to an afternoon of lunch, pampering, and relaxation. The girls had a great time, and we are so thankful for people who take time to invest in our students.

At the end of the week, we had a lot going on. On Friday, some students were serving at the Food Bank, while their classmates pushed through the day to earn final credits. One student, Kenzie, was especially excited to earn her Algebra 2A credit. Kenzie has often told us how much she hates math, but this quarter, she actually admitted to enjoying it because of Mr. Hooley’s teaching. She earned an A in the class and had much to celebrate as she stapled her completed syllabus to the wall.

After a full, rewarding week, we ended with a Crossing variation of the “Fear Factor.” The students laughed and jumped up to strange challenges, which included eating cactus and chicken baby food. We gasped in disgust and squealed in surprise as students completed each stage of the mysterious food adventures. Though many refused to swallow the suspicious concoctions, it was a fun time for everyone. We loved the opportunity to let loose and enjoy some unusual competition.

When we come back for one more day on Monday, we will still have a few students pushing to finish credits. This past week felt like a week of celebration, but we realize there is still work to be done. We have had so much fun with our students in the past few days. We are excited to see them head into one last quarter for the year, and we are hopeful about what is ahead for our campus.

Butler 3rd Quarter Spiritual Retreat

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Tuesday night after school, the Butler Crossing held our Spiritual Retreat for the third quarter. Our retreat was led by John Mueller, Associate Pastor from Sonlight Community Church in Angola, IN.  John started the retreat with an ice breaker activity called Two Truths and One Lie. We all had to tell two truths and one lie about ourselves, and then John tried to figure out the lie. The scripture that John based his message on was Philippians 2:3-11, and his message was on servant-hood. Jon’s theme:  Repentance leads to obedience which leads to servant-hood. He tore apart the verses and had the students come up with real life examples that would fit their life. They specifically examined how they could consider others better than themselves and how they could show interest in others. The retreat ended with Colossians 3:24-25. If and when we are treated poorly by others who we are serving, we are not to take vengence on those individuals because we are truly serving the Lord! We finished up with Subway and cookies. Yum! We were definitely fed in multiple ways.

The Crossing Featured in Anderson News

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The Crossing was featured in a Herald Journal article in Anderson, IN.

ACS looking at partnership with new alternative school

By Dani Palmer

ANDERSON, Ind. — The Anderson Community Schools board voted 4-1 Tuesday evening to look into a partnership with The Crossing, an alternative school that would focus on ACS’ most struggling students. The board made its decision after lengthy discussion during its monthly meeting in Anderson High School’s cafeteria. The difference between The Crossing and Anderson’s Excel Center, Crossing Executive Director Rob Staley said, would be the age group. While the Excel Center targets adults who are seeking high school degrees, Staley said The Crossing would focus on students under 19 years of age who have either dropped out, been expelled or just aren’t cutting it in school.

“When they check out, that’s when we step in,” he said, adding the school would be a “tool in (ACS’) educational tool chest.” Students would still, essentially, be a part of ACS and receive a diploma from the corporation, Superintendent Felix Chow added. He said the alternative school would be both complementary and affordable as it would refund 90 percent of a student’s Average Daily Membership (ADM).
Board Vice President Irma Hampton Stewart had concerns about The Crossing siphoning students who still have a chance in the school system. There needs to be a focus on those already in alternative schools like Anderson High’s ACE program and Highland Middle School’s Success Academy, she said, rather than yanking them out. Sometimes, she added, schools “give up on kids too early.”

After giving the Pledge of Allegiance, some of Highland’s Success Academy students gave testimonies that Stewart pointed out as success stories. One student said he raised his GPA from a 1.5 last year to a 3.85 this year. Another said she had gone from having 28 disciplinary referrals to none this year. “Teachers are doing literally whatever it takes to motivate students to succeed,” instructional coach Kristal McCorkle said. The Success Academy contains nearly 200 students and McCorkle said the teachers foresee improvement in ISTEP scores. Out of 12 teams, one, for example, saw 4 percent of its students pass ISTEP last year. This year, on an acuity test, 46 percent passed, she said.

Staley said ACE and the Success Academy are great programs “all about building relationships.” But, he added, The Crossing would focus on those who are not doing well or are not allowed in ACS’s current alternative programs, like some of those who have been in the Department of Correction. Board member Ben Gale said he believes The Crossing would provide an “extra safety net.” Yes, there are kids who are doing better in the new alternative schools, he said, but there are still those dropping out. “They’re failing, we’re failing them,” he said, adding The Crossing would provide another option.

The school board will have to give final approval before The Crossing ever becomes a reality for Anderson. If it does happen, Staley said, the school hopes to enroll 100 to 150 kids…

Click here to read the original article:  Herald Bulletin