Dear Students, Parents and Guardians, August 5, 2021
I hope that everyone is enjoying a restful and pleasant summer. It is important for each of us to take some time when we can, to relax and to enjoy a slower pace for a while. I hope that you have had an opportunity to do that this summer. It is my honor to welcome each of you to the Crossroads Center and the 2021-2022 school year! Our school is truly a place where students are inspired to succeed.
The start of a brand-new school year is always an exciting time. This time around we are making a new beginning after the experience of remote and hybrid learning. Virtual school was something new to all of us 19 months ago. Despite its ”newness,” I am proud of the way that our teachers adapted, and our students learned in different ways. Still, Crossroads Center is a unique place in that we can consistently build trusting and positive relationships with our students. That consistency was often challenged by virtual instruction. That is why it is so important that students and families take advantage of our resources from the first day of school.
I have always believed that students need to feel an immediate connection when they arrive at school for a new year. New clothing and school supplies are good to have, but students truly need to be welcomed when they walk through our doors. This year, as in the past, students will experience positive relationships with the adults that they encounter on the first day.
Because of our unique mission in Baltimore County, we place high value on positive relationships. Our students come to us from all over Baltimore County. They may not know anyone at our school when they arrive. How we make them feel when they arrive is extremely important to me. Our students will feel welcomed and cared for from the first day of school, until the last day in June.
As you may know, we are made up of small learning communities at Crossroads Center. We believe that this allows us to know each student’s strengths, needs and personality, and to quickly help them to feel cared for. From there we devise a personalized instructional experience to maximize their achievement. Our focus is closing gaps in learning and recovering any missing skills and credits. When students arrive on August 30th, they will each be welcomed by teachers, para-educators and counselors in our small learning communities. Our communities, named for oceans and regions, are arranged by grade level as follows:
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Antarctic Community – Grade 7 (Ms. Sizer, leader)
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Indian Community – Grade 8 (Ms. Perdikakis, leader)
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Atlantic Community – World Language, PE and Technology Education (Ms. Russell, leader)
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Pacific Community – Grade 9 (Ms. Glover, leader)
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Arctic Community – Grades 10-12 (Ms. Ryder, leader)
As we get into the school year, we will expect that our students take advantage of what we offer. We will make sure that each one gets instruction that is personalized for their individual success. It is more effective to help each of our students overcome their own unique challenges, than it is to require them to conform to the constraints of any one school.
I am immensely proud of the progress that Crossroads has made with AVID over the last several years. AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination. The stated mission of AVID is to “close the achievement gap by preparing all students for college (and career) readiness.” AVID is a great way to use what we teach to model intentional, purposeful and repeatable student successes. AVID is actively taught in two grades, but it is a part of our daily operations in all grades.
Crossroads will not be participating in the Early Entry Day for 6th and 9th graders on August 27. That’s because we enroll students in grades 7-12, and most of our students are new to our school. Instead, we will begin the week of August 30th with many community-based activities that are designed to acculturate all students to how we do things at Crossroads Center.
The challenges posed by COVID seem to be changing and evolving almost every day. As of this writing, students, visitors, and staff will be expected to wear masks each day at school, and on the school bus. A suggested list of other school supplies for the first day might include:
These are exciting times at Crossroads, and I would like to extend to each of you, an invitation to visit us for our Back-to-School Night on Thursday, September 9th from 6:00-8:00 PM. This is your opportunity to meet us all and hear about the great things that are happening at our school. Additionally, we will be holding periodic town hall meetings through the year. Most of these will be virtual, but please stay tuned for dates and details! You can also stay current with what is going on by visiting our website at: http://crossroadscenter.bcps.org.
As August 30th approaches, you will receive notifications from the BCPS Department of Transportation about bus stops and pickup times for your student. Each student is assigned a specific stop by that office. Please call us if you have any questions.
I also welcome your input and feedback. Please participate in parent surveys and join us for our town halls and other events through the year. We will do our part each day with each student to help them succeed. We need you to help make sure that your child takes full advantage of what we offer at Crossroads. By partnering, we will make 2021-2022 an amazing year for our students!