ABOUT CROSSROADS

Hempfield Area School District
Mt. Pleasant Area School District

Jeannette City School District

ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION
Crossroads is an alternative education consortium. The member districts are: Hempfield Area School District, Mt. Pleasant Area School District and Jeannette City Schools.  Each school district has students who are removed from their home school because of either parent request, discipline infractions or truancy violations. Historically these students were placed at privately operated alternative educational schools that specialized in educating disruptive youths but now have the opportunity to be in a public school system using the Hempfield Area School Distric’s curriuclum and teachers. The students also have the opportunity to attend the Westmoreland Career and Technology Center.

The member school districts heard concerns from parents about the privately operated schools.  One concern was the amount of time the students traveled on the school bus to these schools which were located outside either district or outside Westmoreland County.  They expressed concerns for their children as well as how difficult it was for them as parents to attend parent conferences at those schools.  The second issue was that our students were not being afforded the same quality of education that they received at their home school district. The private schools had to offer a general type of curriculum that would enable the student to blend back into a variety of school districts throughout Allegheny and Westmoreland County.

The member school districts decided that the best way to address these concerns were to provide a district operated alternative education program.  The travel time is reduced by having the program located in Hempfield Area School District.  The districts can assure a qualified staff, instruction and curriculum by providing district staff and curriculum.

CROSSROADS STAFF
Hempfield Area, Jeannette City and Mt. Pleasant Area School Districts believe that a quality educational program can be offered to our students by jointly operating this alternative education school. Crossroads uses the same high quality curriculum offered at Hempfield Area School District.  The staff at Crossroads are employees of either Hempfield Area or Mt. Pleasant Area School Districts. The student's guidance counselor from the home advises students in course selection for the next school year so that the student is meeting the qualifications for graduation at his/her high school.  In addition Crossroads has a guidance counselor that is involved in behavior management, counseling and parent communications.

The secondary principals from each school district are activity involved in Crossroads.  The principals visit the school and keep in contact with the students.  The principals facilitate the transition back to the home school so that the student has support when he/she returns. 

The staff at Crossroads are:

CURRICULUM
Crossroads uses the curriculum and materials of Hempfield Area School District. Each student takes an English, mathematics, social studies, science and physical education  course each year. 

Field trips are sponsored twice a month and are career or curriculum related.  There is a wireless laptop lab  as well as a computer lab for student use.  A special education teacher provides special education services based on the student's IEP.  The counselor at Crossroads provides individual and/or small group counseling, social skills training, anger management etc.

OVERVIEW
The academic calendar includes thirty six-day cycles. One credit is based on 120 clock hours of planned work in the classroom. Twenty-two credits are required for graduation from Hempfield Area High School. Grades in each subject are based on percentages.

A =	93	-	100
B =	86	-	92
C =	78	-	85
D =	70	-	77
F =	00	-	69

EXIT CRITERIA FROM CROSSROADS
Each semester students are evaluated on whether they can return to their home school. The three requirements for exiting Crossroads are: academic improvement, behavior improvement and 90% attendance.

WESTMORELAND CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER
High School Students at Crossroads can attend the Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center (CWCTC).  Placement at CWCTC is made through a meeting with the Director of Crossroads, the parents, the student's guidance counselor and a representative at CWCTC. 

ATHLETICS AND ACTIVITIES
Students cannot attend activities at their home school. This includes school dances. Sometimes a student may participate in athletics. Athletic participation is a joint decision made by the home school principal and the director of Crossroads. The decision is based upon the student's behavior, academic performance and attendance.  Factors such as the time of practices and games are also considered.