SL Alternatives provides students a place to go during short-term suspensions

KIMBERLY BELLAMY

Rather than a student staying at home, with a relative or friend, or finding something to do on their own during a short-term suspension, SL Alternatives would like students to utilize their program.

“If a child is suspended, it doesn’t matter if it’s for one day, they can come and continue learning,” said Angela Jones, director of SL Alternatives.

The program provides tutoring, counseling, and service learning opportunities for students while they’re receiving disciplinary action from the school, specifically short-term suspensions which are between 1-10 days.

During the program’s first semester of operation, services were only provided to Pattillo A+, Martin Middle, Stocks Elementary and Princeville Montessori schools. Now all schools that educate students in grades 3-8 are open to referring students to the program.

The schools present parents and students with information on the program when a student is suspended.

“We don’t want to leave no child left behind, and we know suspensions were going on in these other schools as well so we reached out to those other schools,” Jones said.

There are two tutors, Alisha Battle and Marthiah Powell, who provide assistance to students from 7:30 a.m.-2:45 p.m. Monday through Friday. Jones also serves as the programs counselor.

Transportation is provided to students within the town limits to and from the site at 100 Neville St. in Princeville.

The program is funded by $71,508 from the North Carolina General Assembly’s Dropout Prevention Committee. Funding was allotted in enough time to allow the program to open its doors in January, and help students during the Spring semester of 2009.

During that time, the program served 56 students, and provided Jones with some insight on whether the program was working.

Not only does the program help students during their suspension, but it continues to track student progress after they have completed their suspension. In both circumstances, the counseling services give students visualization, anger management, peer pressure, and conflict resolution strategies to improve their behavior.

Jones recalled one student in the third grade that she worked with who was having a bad day at school, and wanted to avoid getting in trouble again. The student asked his teacher for someone from SL Alternatives to help him.

“It showed me how much he was listening, and respected the information he received,” Jones said.

“I reinforced to him that anger is a choice. A lot of times students need to hear encouraging words.”

The program was started under the direction of St. Luke’s Total Community Outreach Ministries (T-COM) to meet a need to help students with disciplinary problems.

“We saw a growing need to have an alternative placement site for students who have been assigned to short-term suspension for 1-10 days,” Jones said.

This is one of two programs that provide educational support to students that T-COM governs. St. Luke 21st Century Community Learning Center, which provides after school tutoring to Title 1 Schools, is under the direction of T-COM.

Both were created under the vision of Rev. James Brown, and former director of both programs, Yolanda Thigpen.

“Part of the pastor’s vision is to empower the community,” Jones said.

The program is adding new components this year by trying to start a media center and is seeking book donations that are appropriate of children in grades 3-8.

Jones is also seeking interested community members to join an advisory board that will meet once a month to offer input on how to improve the program.

The service learning initiative kicked-off on Oct. 22 with a Community Fun, Health and Safety Day and Open House at St. Luke Church of Christ. There was representation by the Tarboro Police Department, and Princeville Mayor Delia Perkins as well as many businesses that provided sponsorship.

The event was in conjunction with the annual Light on Afterschool events that are held nationally.

More service learning will be provided as Jones strengthens partnerships with Edgecombe Community College, Nash Community College, and N.C. Wesleyan College to provide interns to provide support.

“Everyone has been very supportive in getting what we need to get and having what we need to have for everyone that comes through those doors,” Jones said.

For those who would like to find out more about SL Alternative, call 823-0218.

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