Cape School Board changes name of alternative school

The Cape Girardeau School Board on Tuesday unanimously approved changing the name of the Alternative Education Center to Central Academy.

Superintendent Jim Welker said the school had been working for some time to change its name and image. A past article in the Southeast Missourian indicates a name change failed in 2008.

Welker said the campus wanted to get the name change approved so it would be ready for the first day of school today. The moniker would stay with the theme of many of Cape Girardeau's campuses -- Central High School, Central Junior High and Central Middle School, Welker said. Board member Lynn Ware made the motion and it was seconded by Adrian Toole. Board member Tony Smee and president Kyle McDonald joined Ware and Toole in voting for it.

At the time the vote was taken, Phil Moore, Don Call and vice president Jeff Glenn were absent. Moore joined the meeting afterward when members had gone into closed session to discuss personnel.

Students attend Central Academy for many reasons, but mainly because of attendance, behavior and academic performance issues. About 170 students are enrolled at the school, according to previous reporting. Smaller class sizes and more individual attention are meant to help them get their grades up and start experiencing success.

Negative impressions

In fall 2013, 25 juniors and seniors at Central Academy took part in a survey on the negative impressions and stigma associated with the school's former name. Results showed more than 70 percent thought the Alternative Education Center had a negative perception, according to information provided at a July board planning meeting.

Most students surveyed said when they told people they attended the alternative school, they were often told they must be "dumb," a bad person or a juvenile delinquent.

Scott McMullen, principal of the alternative school, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

McMullen wrote in a recent letter that implementing professional learning communities -- meant to foster collaborative learning among educators, and Positive Behavior Intervention Support among students -- have changed the "culture of the school's learning environment." PBIS uses positive reinforcement to get students back on track, or keep them there, by laying out expectations and offering rewards.

The majority of students, he wrote, now seek recognition in academics and many have done well at regional art competitions.

However, he wrote, students have told him several times they'd been on job interviews where things would be going well until they were asked what school they attended. "When they informed the interviewer that they attended the Cape Alternative School, the dynamic of the conversations immediately changed from being friendly to impersonal and abruptly ending," McMullen said.

"Needless to say, they were not extended a second interview or offered a job. Many have also voiced concerns that the school's current designation would hinder their chances of being accepted into the military or post-secondary institutions," he added.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

388-3639

Pertinent address:

301 N. Clark Ave., Cape Girardeau, MO