The Crossing will host an informational event tonight at the Neighborhood Center in Frankfort for families interested in learning more about the school’s work with high school students who may need a different educational setting.
The event is scheduled for tonight (Thursday May 14th) from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Frankfort Neighborhood Center 259 S. Third Street in Frankfort and will include free food and ice cream. Cole Wolford, regional director for The Crossing campuses that include Frankfort and Lafayette, discussed the program Thursday morning on WILO’s “Party Line,” highlighting the school’s focus on academics, job training, faith-based character education and community service. WILO’s Cindy Loveless will host a LIVE remote broadcast during the event.
School Focuses On Relationships
Wolford described The Crossing as “a private high school that really focuses on empowering struggling students” and helping them “become contributing members of their community.”
He said the word “struggling” can mean many things for students, including academic challenges, difficult home situations or personal issues that affect their ability to succeed in a traditional school setting.
The Crossing uses a smaller classroom model, with about a 10-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio, allowing staff to work closely with students and build individual plans based on their needs.
“It allows for instructors, the teachers, to really be intentional with each and every individual student,” Wolford said.
Host Shan Sheridan, who serves on The Crossing board, said the school should not be viewed simply as an “alternative school,” but as a place focused on relationships, student potential and long-term transformation.
Support For Students And Families
Wolford said families who visit The Crossing or attend tonight’s event can expect a welcoming environment. “I would say as soon as you walk in the doors, whether it’s tonight at the Neighborhood Center or you’re coming into The Crossing school, you can just feel this realness, this authenticity and genuine kindness and love,” Wolford said.
Wolford said the school takes a “wraparound approach” that includes not only the student, but parents, guardians and siblings. Family nights are held quarterly, giving Crossing students and relatives a chance to share meals, play games and build stronger connections with staff.
Parents also have direct contact with teachers and site leaders, including the ability to text staff when a student is having a difficult morning or when something is happening at home.
“I don’t think you get that everywhere,” Wolford said.
Community Service Effort Begins
Wolford also discussed a new student service program called the Crossing Community Crew, or C3. The program began in late April and gives students opportunities to serve in Frankfort and Clinton County through local improvement projects.
Students have already worked at the zoo fence line and completed a beautification project near a concession stand area in the park. Wolford said the effort has been supported by city and parks officials. “I have not heard one complaint, not one, from a student,” Wolford said.
He said students have responded positively to the opportunity to serve, including asking why a service day had been canceled when he was unavailable. The goal, he said, is to help students experience the value of contributing to their community without expecting anything in return.
Former Students Now Serving Others
Wolford said one of the strongest examples of The Crossing’s impact is that two former students now work on the school’s staff. A former Crossing student also works at the WILO/Kaspar Media radio station. He pointed to one staff member, Ms. Sharp, who had gone through a difficult period years after graduation and reached back out to former Crossing leader Marissa Mills for help.
“The Crossing had such an impact on their lives that they wanted to come back and invest in students that were just like them when they were in high school,” Wolford said.
Families interested in learning more may attend tonight’s event at the Neighborhood Center, contact The Crossing by phone or website, or visit the school in person.
For more information about the Crossing, check out: Crossingeducation.com.