About
Mission
Gateway High School
The Gateway School is an alternative educational setting designed to assist high school students to
have successful
school experiences. Students who are enrolled at the Gateway School are eligible to earn credits
that apply toward promotion and graduation. Classrooms are staffed by certified teachers who
develop specific assignments, assistance, and requirements for the students. Instructional
assistants and other support staff are also on duty and may be assigned to assist students on
specific lessons or to help manage and improve behavior. While many subjects available at the home
high schools are taught at the Gateway School, some courses may not be offered due to the limited
facilities or specialization of the course. Gateway students follow the regular school calendar.
During a required orientation/registration meeting, Gateway School students and their parents/legal
guardians will be expected to sign a contract ensuring their understanding and agreement of the
behavioral management system and other rules and regulations. Such expectations will provide the
base for a structured program and a wholesome learning environment.
Students may be admitted to the Gateway School/Crossroads Middle in many ways. They are as follows:
1. Extended Suspension
When student’s exhibit continued disciplinary issues and are placed on Extended Suspension from
their home school, Gateway/Crossroads Middle may be offered as an educational option. The student
and family choosing this option would contact the School after the Extended Suspension conference
to set up an orientation/registration meeting.
2. Voluntary Placements
Students failing to succeed in their regular school setting for a variety of reasons may be
considered for voluntary admission into the Gateway/Crossroads Middle Schools. Voluntary placements
are requested by the student, and the student’s parent(s)/legal guardian(s), after school-based
interventions have not been successful. When the request is appropriate, the Pupil Personnel Worker
will, facilitate this placement by talking with the student and parents/legal guardians, collecting
information, and make an application to the alternative school. The alternative school will
accept/deny student requests based on a variety of factors. If a student who receives special
education services is provisionally accepted into a CCPS alternative program, the student's home
school will hold an IEP team meeting, to include the parent(s),
the student (if appropriate), and representation from the proposed alternative program, to
determine
if the student's current IEP can be implemented at the proposed alterntive program or if the
current IEP needs to be revised. This IEP meeting will be held Prior to the student's enrollment
into the proposed
alternative program. The student's voluntary placement will not be considered a placement decision
of the IEP team. If the IEP team determines that the IEP cannot be implemented at the proposed
alternative program, the voluntary placement will not be approved. The IEP team should consider if
the student requires additional services and/or supports at the student's home school.
3. Administrative Placements
Students returning to CCPS from hospitalizations, institutional placements, or incarceration may be
placed at the Gateway/Crossroads Middle Schools if there is a documented need for a small,
structured environment and these needs cannot be met at the student’s home school. Administrative
Placements are facilitated through either the Director of Student Services or the appropriate
school Director. The appropriateness of the placement is discussed with the Alternative School
Principal, the home school Pupil Personnel Worker, and the Director of Student Services.
4. The Collaborative IEP Process
Students needing special education services beyond those available in their home school may be
placed at the Gateway/Crossroads Middle School. This is always the determination of the
Collaborative IEP team, which includes a representative of the alternative school. This placement
attempts to provide suitable services in the least restrictive environment consistent with special
education practices, policies, and laws.
5. Students returning from withdrawn status
A student who wishes to return to CCPS after having withdrawn from school shall be referred to the
Pupil Personnel Worker. Generally, students returning to CCPS enter one of the Flexible Student
Support programs for a probationary period. If these programs are deemed inappropriate, a student
may re-enter and conduct their probationary period at the Gateway School. This process is
facilitated by the student’s home school Pupil Personnel Worker.
6. Transfer
Students enrolled and attending alternative programs out of the county and moving into Carroll
County may transfer into the Gateway School/Crossroads Middle School. As students attempt to enroll
at their home school, they will be directed to contact their Pupil Personnel Worker.
The “Alternative Program Referral” form and supporting documentation will be used for students to
be referred for Voluntary Placements, Extended Suspension Placements, and Administrative
Placements.
INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION PROGRAM – In certain, limited situations, a student may need
an individualized instruction program at home or in the community. In such cases the following
guidelines will be followed:
• the student must have an opportunity to participate in the general curriculum.
• the program shall be short term.
• if anything longer than a short term program is needed, an alternative educational
placement will be considered.
• the parent/legal guardian must consent to the program.
• if the parent/legal guardian does not consent to the program and the student poses a threat to
himself or others, a change in educational placement shall be considered. In some cases the school
system may request a due process shearing or injunctive relief.
• if the student received special education/504 services the student will receive those services
and modifications as described in the IEP/504 plan. An IEP team meeting must be held prior to
implementing the program as well as upon the student’s return to school
Crossroads Middle
Crossroads Middle is an alternative educational setting designed to assist middle school students to have successful
school experiences. Students receive academic instruction and counseling services to improve school achievement.
Classrooms are staffed by certified teachers and instructional assistants, who deliver CCPS curriculum and provide
academic assistance to the students. School counselors, a school psychologist, a school social worker, and other
support staff are available and may be assigned to assist students on specific lessons or to help manage and improve
behavior. A daily behavior management system and school counseling are required. While many subjects
available at the home middle school are taught at Crossroads Middle, some courses may not be offered due to the
limited facilities or specialization of the course. Crossroads students follow the regular school calendar.
During a required orientation/registration meeting, Crossroads students and their parents/legal guardians will be
expected to sign a contract ensuring their understanding and agreement of the behavioral management system and
other rules and regulations. Such expectations will provide the base for a structured program and a wholesome
learning environment.
When a student demonstrates consistent appropriate behavior, the staff will contact the parent/legal guardian and
home school staff to develop a transition plan for the student to return to his home school. Some students will
enter Crossroad Middle via the collaborative IEP process. In such cases the following procedures will be
followed:
A collaborative IEP meeting is required for a student to be considered for Crossroads Middle School. The
Crossroads Middle Principal or Designee will attend all collaborative/IEP meetings where Crossroads is a
consideration. Students transitioning out of Crossroads prior to entering the ninth grade are required to have a
transition meeting. The purpose of the meeting will be to determine IEP services/accommodations and identify
the student’s LRE (i.e. school placement) for the ninth grade. Representatives from Crossroads Middle, the
students’ home high school and the Gateway School shall be included in the IEP meeting.
Flexible Student Support
Programs are designed to serve both in-school youth who have not been successful in the
regular high school program and out-of-school youth who desire to return to CCPS and complete the requirements for
their high school diploma. Students and parents/legal guardians are required to sign a contract which outlines attendance,
academic and behavioral expectations for the program.
The program targets primarily the following populations:
• Students at risk of dropping out of school
• Students placed on extended suspension or removed from a comprehensive school due to
reportable offense changes.
• Students who have fallen behind in credits and are in danger of not graduating.
• Students with medical or emotional issues that prevent consistent attendance at a comprehensive
high school.
• Students who desire to return to CCPS to complete the requirements for their high school diploma
and need to meet the probationary requirement prior to re-admittance to a comprehensive high
school.
FLEXIBLE STUDENT SUPPORT is comprised of three major components: the Student Support Center (SSC),
the Distance Learning Lab (DLL), and Career Research & Development.
The Student Support Center serves students who need a small structured setting with direct instruction in
order to complete their course work. Classes run on the traditional semester schedule.
Distance Learning Lab serves students who can work independently through an online educational
program. Students may be admitted, as space is available, throughout the year and progress at their own
pace. Students must complete the entire course. No transfer grade is accepted for partial credit.
Career Research and Development serves students who need to meet the program “completer”
graduation requirement. This program allows students to earn 2.0 credits for classroom instruction and 2.0
credits for supervised work experience. Work/internship hours are accrued for each student as their
employer schedules them and as approved by Carroll County Public School staff.
Students interested in applying to one of the programs should contact the Pupil Personnel Worker for the
school to which the student is assigned.
Attendance
To report a student absence for GATEWAY/CROSSROADS
you may call
410-751-3691 or e-mail to
Attendance for FSS/only please
Call 410-751-3685 or e-mail to
Vacations:
It is strongly recommended that parents plan vacation for times when school is not in regular session. It is recognized, however, that occasionally students are absent for necessary or important family activities. When this occurs, prior written notification from a parent is to be provided to the attendance secretary for approval by an administrator. The student will then take a Vacation Notification Form around to each of their teachers to be signed and then returned to the Main Office prior to the vacation for the administrator to sign. Even though the absence may be excused, students are required to make up work missed during that time. Some school work missed, such as class participation or laboratory experiments, does not lend itself to make up. Missing such assignments may also affect a student’s grades. All absences will apply to the school’s attendance policy and may result in the denial of course credit.
School Hours: 7:35am to 2:00pm