Crossing News: Frontier vote needed for new school

The Crossing was featured in a newspaper article in the Monticello Herald Journal.  The article is reproduced below with permission: Frontier vote needed for new school

By Gwen Rodenberger | grodenberger@thehj.com

With backing from three of the four white county school corporations secured, a local group trying to bring a new alternative school turns its attention to the upcoming Frontier School Board meeting to see if support can be secured there. The board will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Frontier School Corp. Office, 126 E. Main St., Chalmers. Tri-County School Board was the first to approve a plan to support The Crossings, said Tri-County Supt. Gib Crimmons. The Crossing is an accredited, faith-based alternative school program based in Elkhart. North White School Board also agreed to one year of support, said Shannon Mattix, board President. “It’s important to get them a GED and get them back into the workforce,” he said. “Not every kid we graduate has to be college bound.” Twin Lakes on Tuesday approved supporting The Crossing, with board members noting that while the school is only committed to pay for “seats” at the alternative school for a year, the commitment should be for a long year – Supt. Dr. Tom Fletcher said it may be a few years before everyone starts seeing results. The Crossing’s representatives have said the program will need a minimum of 35 students for the program to be viable. If all four schools back the program, Twin Lakes will guarantee 18 seats. Mattis said the Crossing’s break down of seat commitments from the other three schools is 5.5 for North White, 5.5 for Tri-County and six for Fontier, if all four schools participate. Click to visit the Monticello Herald Journal website:  www.thehj.com]]>