School districts focus on borderline students

Walking into the dean's office for the 15th time in two months, the freshman looked as if he didn't care.

He was, after all, only late to class. So what? Yet another detention.

It's not like that hadn't happened before. And it's not as if he was doing so hot in that class: one C, some D's and a few F's. Big deal.

That student, or rather, one fitting a similar profile, is who three districts are hoping to capture in a new program designed to save faltering freshman and sophomores.

It will take those who are struggling from their home high school to an alternate site and give them much more time with teachers and lessons along with additional structure.

"Our real goal is to hit them young, with a comprehensive program with different strategies that helps them return to the home high school and be successful," said Lynne Matczak, director of special education for Glenbard High School District 87.

District 87 is teaming up with DuPage High School District 88 and Downers Grove High School District 99 in the creation of the new alternative school, called Directions.

The school, which will be housed in leased space in Addison, will take up to 80 students -- 25 from Districts 88 and 88 and 30 from District 87.

Though there are other alternative programs for high school students in DuPage County, none fit this particular niche.

Directions is designed to corral students who are on the bubble of struggling before they descend into full-fledged problems.

Matczak said they're targeting "kids who are standing on the line, and we don't want them to have two feet on the other side."

It made sense for the districts, who were all looking at the same issue, to pool their resources, said Jean Barbanente, director of learning services for District 88.

Teachers and counselors will look at four essential criteria.

They will explore whether the students' behavior has interfered with their academic success. Are they falling behind state standards early in the semester? Are they behind in course credits?

Students with frequent visits to deans, or who have numerous detentions for relatively minor infractions, will raise alert flags, as will those who are often absent or truant.

Those chosen for Directions are in danger of perpetuating those actions and eventually "could find themselves in a behavior that's much harder to break," Barbanente said.

The curriculum for each student will match that taught in their home district, Matczak said.

Classes will include only 15 students with one teacher and a teaching assistant. Additionally, all the students will take a counseling class that helps with ways to positively interact with authority figures and other students.

Though they'd like students to enroll in Directions for only one semester before returning to their own school, some may need to remain for an extra session, officials said. The program is set to start in January.

All three districts will share the cost: estimated at $9,500 per student. Next year, they are expecting -- with help from the Regional Office of Education -- to receive a grant that will provide $5,700 per student of that amount.