June 28, 2000
Second chance schooling
Program brings expelled students back to the classroom
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
When a student is expelled from school, the time out of the classroom is time lost from their education. Unless a family members steps in to home school, the student misses out on academic instruction for the duration of the expulsion. A lengthy expulsion such as 180 days may mean the student is held back a grade.
This set back, in addition to the behavioral problems that led to the expulsion, gives a young person already in trouble another hurdle to overcome in keeping their lives on track.
In the Traverse City Area Public Schools, a new program for expelled students brings these students back into the classroom. But it is a special classroom located at the Family Independence Agency, with one-on-one attention, strict behavior standards and academics coursework similar to a student's regular classes.
"Without this program these students would just be at home, doing nothing for a year," said Mike Shockley, the teacher for the expelled students program. "A lot of the times the kids just make a few dumb choices. Others are beyond even an alternative high school program and need somewhere to go."
For the three young men who have been in the program since it began in February, it has provided a chance to keep up with their peers.
Dan, a ninth-grader at one of the junior highs, was expelled earlier this year for having a knife with a blade longer than seven inches and possession of narcotics. He has been attending the expelled students program since February, studying math, English, social studies and science, just as he would in school.
"Compared to regular school, this is better," Dan said. "If they didn't have this program, I would be at home with no chance to learn anything for the year. The one-on-one attention is helpful academically."
R.T. is another student in the program with Dan, expelled from his regular school for 180 days because of a narcotics charge. Completing the expelled students program will allow him to keep up with his eighth-grade classmates and not be held back a year when he is eligible to return to school.
"It's all right here, but it is kind of quite," R.T. said. "I don't like the small amount of people here."
The expelled students program is voluntary for the participants, who must provide their own transportation. They follow a schedule similar to regular schools, attending five full days a week. Students receive classroom instruction in all subjects from Shockley, who coordinates with their teachers to keep up with the curriculum required for their grade level.
An integral component of the program is community service and Shockley takes his students to volunteer at the Father Fred Foundation every week to meet that requirement.
"The community service works out good because all three boys are assigned community service by the Probate Court," Shockley said. "This way they can kill two birds with one stone."
Another arrangement with Ultimate Fitness has the students cleaning the gymnasium an hour a week in exchange for workout time, allowing them to complete their physical education requirement. Students must also progress through a series of behavior standards that guide them in appropriate school behavior.
The expelled students' program was the brainchild of Dr. Jayne Mohr, the assistant superintendent for Traverse City Area Public Schools, who asked the Family Independence Agency to provide space. Bob Porter, director of the Family Independence Agency, agreed to host the program, finding that it was consistent with his agency's mission to be more community oriented.
"Jayne Mohr approached me after I told the Human Services Coordinating Council that one of my missions was to reach out to the community," Porter noted. "She followed up on that and the idea shifted from suspended students to expelled students."