White County school corporations join an alternative school program

WHITE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) - The fourth and final school corporation in White County is joining an alternative school program. The program aims to help at-risk students receive credits to get their high school diploma.

It's all an effort to help students enter the workforce with some skills.

The faith-based program is called the Crossing and is slated to open this fall.

Members from the Frontier School Board voted to take part in the program Tuesday night. They joined the Tri-County, North White and Twin Lakes School corporations.

Frontier Superintendent Cathy Rowe said the school will need 35 students total to get the program off the ground. She said each school will see how many students in their system could benefit from the program.
    
Students who are lacking in credits for graduation can attend the alternative school. They will go to class for about three hours a day. They will then either go to an internship or a place where they can job shadow.
    
Rowe said Frontier is committed to the Crossing for a one-year trial run. If it's a success, they would be interested in a long-term commitment.
    
Financially, the way it works is that each school corporation will buy seats at the Crossing for the students who attend. Rowe said Frontier will use economic development and academic funds.

"We've had conversations with the four schools and the four school superintendents, with the community group who's seeking funds as well, to provide our students with the opportunity to recoup their credits that they may have lost during high school," Rowe explained.

In other news from Tuesday night's meeting, school board members heard presentations on bids for various new projects. Those projects include a new baseball field, security systems upgrades, and some building improvements.

The board will have a work session to look at some of the bids before next month's meeting.