Superintendent's Message

Covenant House Academies are committed to providing a clean, safe and healthy environment for students, staff and visitors. In October, the Southwest Academy entered into a cost-sharing agreement with Cristo Rey High School at Holy Redeemer to provide private parking lot security. This had been a growing safety concern. Purses had been snatched from several females and half a dozen car break-ins had been reported since the start of the school year, involving victims from both schools. Since hiring the new security firm to watch the lot, no incidents have been reported.

I am pleased to report that staff at all three academies have now been trained to administer the Northwest Education Assessment (NWEA) instrument to test student reading and math levels. Testing is now scheduled for about 80% of CHA students. This new test will allow us to track improvement in reading and math levels as they progress through the year. In addition, Saturday School has now begun at all three academies. The Saturday sessions will help all students who need extra support services, particularly seniors as they attempt to complete all required classes in time for graduation.

CHA - East is participating in the National Longitudinal Transition Study, a long-term study of special education students sponsored by the federal government. The aim of the study is to see how special education students do over time, given certain support interventions. The study will last for three years. We are excited to be part of this national study that should lead to better academic support for our special education population.

In the media, please stay tuned for an upcoming article in the Detroit Free Press by Jeff Seidel on homeless students attending our schools. The broader article looks at the homelessness issue among young adults in the Detroit area, but will also feature high school dropouts who are now residents at the Covenant House shelter who are determined to improve their life prospects by going back to earn their high school diplomas at CHAs. - Stan Childress

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