November 22, 2017
Bridging the gap
Around Town Operation Food Search awarded $10,000 grant. P.3
Community Voices By Dr. Gloria J. Johnson. P.2
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Check out this years 30 Leaders in Their Thirties. P.6 Happy Thanksgiving. P.5 Holiday Shopping Guide. P. 8
Food Photos courtesy Normandy Schools Collaborative (From left) Seniors Devin Deshay and Magdalene Ivory work with Social Studies/Missouri Options teacher Crystal Church on an assignment. The C.A.S.A. program is the new education program for Normandy students needing to recover to graduate from high school.
Normandy schools’ C.A.S.A program helps students in need to stay on track for graduation By Charlotte Beard At the beginning of the school year, Normandy High School’s North Hall became the home of the Center for Academic and Social Advancement (C.A.S.A.). Located in North St. Louis County, the C.A.S.A. program addresses the educational as well as the social and emotional learning aspects of ninth through 12th grade Normandy students who meet the requirements of the program. Denitria Neil, Coordinator of Alternative Learning for Normandy Schools Collaborative (NSC), explained that the previous outside service that NSC was using for its students was not addressing the social and external concerns that contributed to students not doing well in school. “We set down as a district and [discussed] what we could do to bridge the gap of what our students are needing,” she said. C.A.S.A. is geared towards students who have various needs not limited to needing to recover class credits, having problems with school phobias, needing a smaller class setting due to anxiety, or needing one-on-one assistance. Neil shared that a student is only allowed into the program if they are referred by the
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Movie
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Weather Marlexus Davis, a student in the C.A.S.A. program, speaks with Denitria Neil, coordinator of alternative learning for the Normandy Schools Collaborative.
school’s counselor. The student would begin the process by completing an application with the counselor which includes approval from the parent. After the counselor makes an assessment that determines a need for C.A.S.A., the application gets passed on to the NSC. This phase involves a review of the student’s transcript, academics and disciplinary history, and an intake interview to ensure the right fit for both the student and C.A.S.A.
The classroom experience for a student in the C.A.S.A. program is smaller than regular Normandy classes which can range from 15 to 20 students in a room. C.A.S.A. classes are kept at 10 students to every one educator to best accommodate the needs of all students. “We use what is called an upside down or a flexible seating classroom,” shared Neil. “Where we don’t have traditional desks. We See ‘GAP’ page 2
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