- From the Post Standard on 1/30/14 in an article outlining programs that SCSD has put into place to "attack" discipline problems:
ATLAS: Middle-school students who have been assigned through a superintendent's hearing attend the ATLAS program -- Achieving through Learning in an Alternative Setting -- at Lincoln, Clary and Grant middle schools. They receive a full academic program as well as social-emotional support and programs including aggression replacement training and moral reasoning from the Center for Community Alternatives. The program serves a total of 75 children at the three schools, and has a waiting list.
Before this year, the district's alternative program for disruptive middle-schoolers were "BEST" classrooms -- for Better Expectations Start Today. They were in each middle school, but did not offer students a full academic experience with specialty teachers in each core subject. Cost to the district: $1,082,853.
Post Standard 1/30/14
- From the Post Standard on 11/13/13:The Syracuse school board tonight approved the establishment of a "student advocacy program" that will provide information and advice to students and families of students who are facing suspensions.
The board gave approval to a $279,847 contract with the Center for Community Alternatives to create and operate the program.
Post Standard 11/13/13
Given their level of involvement in facilitating the district's "alternative programs," Ms. Weissman should leave the commentary to others who are not making money by promoting those same programs.
And again, to stress, no one denies that these students need help and that in the long-term we ALL benefit from programs that nurture and support them so that they are able to be responsible citizens in their home school communities.
What we want is equal consideration for the
90% of students who come to school every day ready to learn.
90% of students who come to school every day ready to learn.
In a district with as few resources as Syracuse City School District, there needs to be a focus on the majority of the students and programs need to be put into place that - first and foremost - provide the majority of our students with a sound basic education.
If we have students who cannot succeed in a traditional classroom, they need to be removed... Removed to an alternative setting where they can receive the supports they need, but where they are not able to disrupt learning or injure their fellow students or teachers... Not a suspension - because we all know that they don't work - but a meaningful and valuable educational and social skills training experience that will set them up for success in the classroom and success in life.
My question is why did the district contract with CCA to do a program they also contracted with Contact to train the social workers and school counselors to do? Many of us were trained in aggression replacement therapy and moral reasoning. Of course it did not help that she has laid off many social workers and counselors and they now do not have the time to do this therapy. I am sure hiring them back would not cost the millions spent per year for CCA and will benefit more students. When I ran groups I had about 30 kids per year (in addition to my other responsibilities and other groups that I ran) and it was effective with at least 50 % of the students having less or no more referrals. My groups did not cost the district a penny. Cannot say the 5-15 they have per year have returned to their schools any better at controlling their anger with many either returning to the program or being moved around from school to school
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