Suspension bridge Four Oaks program works to keep troubled kids afloat

CEDAR RAPIDS - A teenage girl walks into the classroom and surrenders her backpack to Terry Becker.

Becker gives her a list of expectations. She reads the list aloud.

“Any questions?” Becker asks.

She wants to know if she will return to school when her suspension is finished. Becker says that's not his concern or hers; the school will decide. What she needs to do is evaluate her behavior.

“You made mistakes,” he said. “Ask yourself what you need to do to not make those same mistakes.”

Becker supervises the school suspension program at the Four Oaks Smith Center campus. The program, now in its 11th year, serves Four Oaks and College Community School District secondary students. It is a result of administrator concerns about suspended students.

“Students would spend their suspension at home or hanging out with friends,” says Kathy Miller, Prairie Edge School principal. “As a district, that doesn't help kids.”

College Community's partnership with Four Oaks is one of several between the two organizations. Prairie Edge, College Community's K-12 school for students struggling with behavior problems, is located at the Four Oaks Smith Center campus, as is the district's alternative high school.

Becker's classroom is in the middle of campus but is completely isolated. The blinds over the window are never open. Sheets of paper cover the sidelight on the door.

“When you are in here, you're here for a reason,” Becker says. “The fun and games of school are taken away.”

Instead, students document why they are in suspension. They record what they did to be suspended, the thinking behind their behavior and the excuses they made to justify their actions. Becker uses the information to facilitate a discussion on changed behavior.

“This is more than ‘Do your time,' ” Miller says. “This is ‘Learn from your mistakes.' ”

Several suspension options exist in the Cedar Rapids district, with choices depending on what the student did, the length of the suspension and parental input. The Iowa City district's short-term suspension program incorporates class assignments with discussions on behavior.

What makes College Community different is that suspended students automatically attend. There is no at-home option.

Support from College Community administration and the school board make this possible.

“We see this as a benefit, because the program is tailored to our district, our students,” Miller says. “It's part of our culture.”

Because of student confidentiality, Becker can't discuss why students are in the program. On days that Becker has more than one student in the classroom, he talks with them alone. Together, they design a school re-entry plan. Becker will follow up to ensure students are following the plan.

“My goal is to get them graduated, to get them out of there,” Becker says. “I want them to know that they can make mistakes, but still go on to be what they want to be. One incident doesn't dictate their life.”

For some students, one day is all they need. For others, it's longer - sometimes longer than the original suspension.

“If students aren't actively participating in the program, I keep them until they do,” Becker says. “I love when I run into a student, and they say I won't see them this year. That's what I want.”