Visit one of our Special Projects Divisions for more information!

Volunteer Opportunities
Do The Right Thing - Coming Soon!
Early College High School- Coming Soon!—>Saturday Academies
Physician Pipeline Preparatory Program (P⁴)

Special Projects is a new division within the school district. Its purposes include the following:

� Develop Saturday Academies with business and community partners; these learning experiences, facilitated by Springfield business leaders supported by district staff, provide students with unique hands-on experiences. Students explore various careers, increase leadership skills and develop a practical understanding of how to set and reach career goals.

� Develop Parent Academies in partnership with the district's Family and Community Engagement Team (FACE). Research strongly suggests that parental involvement positively impacts student achievement. The district is investigating ways to include ALL parents in their children's education.

� Develop a continuum of Alternative Education Programs and Alternatives to Suspension. In an effort to better meet the needs of individuals, the district has created three smaller alternative learning environments for students in grades 6 through 12 where they will remain for the entire school year. The sites include smaller student/teacher ratios, support services, an emphasis on the development of reading and mathematics skills and behavioral skills. The goal of each program is to provide students with the opportunity to complete grade level academic requirements, improve behavioral and coping skills and develop necessary self-management tools for life after graduation.

The district is also creating programs to provide alternatives to suspension. When it is necessary to suspend students for inappropriate behavior, they can now attend an off-site program, staffed by district teachers and support staff, continue with their academic work in a safe environment and receive assistance in making wise behavioral choices. A similar option is now available at each high school on Saturday mornings.

� Development of an extensive student mentoring program is also underway. Understanding that mentors can be an important component in improving a child's self-esteem, attitude toward school, attendance and achievement, the district is making a concerted effort to increase the number of mentors available to students. On-going recruitment, training and support of mentors is underway. Presently, the district has approximately 500 mentors with the goal of increasing these numbers to adequately meet the needs of our students.

Outstanding result

While Special Projects is still in its infancy, this fall the district partnered with the Illinois Department of Transportation to sponsor an Engineering Academy. Approximately forty high school students participated in the four-week program, designed to explore science and raise interest in the field of civil engineering. Under the supervision of IDOT engineers, teams of students constructed bridges and participated in a culminating competition. Students were recognized at an awards luncheon attended by both IDOT and district officials as well as students' families.