Another Crane School site transformation is under way. Crane has already been through three conversions, targeting a wide-range of students from Head Start preschool students to elementary school students to only focusing on kindergartners.
Now Crane School will be open for all students — from kindergarten up seniors in high school — to provide them with more opportunities to keep up on their school work.
“The bottom line is that we really want to provide an environment for students, especially nontraditional students, to succeed and reach their highest potential and individual achievements,” said Turlock Unified School District Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services Lacrisha Ferriera at the TUSD Board of Trustees meeting on May 18.
The goal behind this transformation is to focus on more non-traditional students who need a new school experience, she said.
Crane School will now become the Turlock eCademy where students who are home schooled, on independent study, working on credit recovery, working through online distance learning and those interested in occupational classes can take charge of their education.
District staff found that a lot of students were leaving the TUSD to go to other schools that offer more programs to help keep their students up to speed with the standards, Ferriera said.
In the 2009/2010 school year, TUSD lost 234 students in elementary school grades, 64 students in middle school grades and 146 students at the high school level, according to district staff reports.
“We want to create a program that will have substance to keep our students,” she said.
The Turlock eCademy will offer independent study courses for seventh graders up to 12th graders with course offerings in the core academics, physical education and electives. The school will also offer home schooling for kindergartners up to the sixth grade in English language awareness, math, history, science, physical education, music and art. The high school e2020 program will also be available for credit recovery and distance learning. The school will also offer occupational classes for juniors and seniors in high school.
The first phase of the transformation will begin in January 2011 with the implementation of the independent study program expansion and the e2020 credit recovery program with online distance learning.
The second phase will begin in August 2011 with the independent study program starting up for students in kindergarten up to the sixth grade.
The last phase will begin in August 2012 with the implementation of the occupational courses for juniors and seniors in high school.
To begin the fourth transformation of the Crane school site, funding will be provided through the Measure Z bonds that can only be used for school sites. The total amount for the Crane School conversion is estimated at about $1.3 million. The total amount of money available through Measure Z bonds is about $1.9 million, which will cover the cost of the project.
The TUSD Board of Trustees approved this project at their May 18 meeting giving district staff the go ahead to start the transformation.
To contact Maegan Martens, e-mail mmartens@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2015.
