By SUE LOWE Tribune Staff Writer MISHAWAKA — As many as 12 Penn-Harris-Madison middle school students will be able to go to The Crossing alternative school in Elkhart this year. Members of the P-H-M board approved the contract Monday night. Under the contract, the 12 students can attend the alternative school for $31 a day. Nancy Nimtz, assistant superintendent for instruction, said the state aid the district gets for the students will cover that cost. The contract was on the board agenda for discussion Monday with a vote schedules for the board’s Aug. 24 meeting. But several board members wanted to approve the contract in time for two students already identified by Nimtz to start school at The Crossing. The Crossing alternative school in South Bend was closed when the South Bend Community School Corp. board voted to discontinue its partnership with the school. The Crossing administrators had asked for more money than the school board was willing to contribute. The Crossing schools in other locations, including Elkhart, remain open. Nimtz told board members the P-H-M district has Pennway alternative high school and spots at Byrkit, another alternative high school. “But we do not have a place to send carefully selected middle school students,” Nimtz said. “We don’t have the funds or the expertise to develop an alternative school for them.” She said she and district principals visited The Crossing schools last year in their search for an alternative school for middle school students. They were pleased with what they saw. P-H-M does have to provide transportation for these students. Nimtz said The Crossing has a bus that will pick up the two students who will start the school year there. If P-H-M eventually sends more students than will fit on the bus, it will work out some other transportation arrangement. Board member Jamie Woods said he would like to see the district ask parents of students to provide transportation. He said maybe that would make them more involved in their children’s educations. Nimtz said the school also has weekend and after-school activities for students but they are paid for by sponsors. She plans to meet with teachers at The Crossing monthly to keep track of the progress of the P-h-M students. Staff writer Sue Lowe: slowe@sbtinfo.com (574) 247-7758 ]]>
