CrossRoads Intermediate School (CRIS) is home to sixth-grade students where they emphasize the importance of supporting students both academically and socially as they transition between elementary and middle school.
The structure of serving only 6th-grade students allows the school to focus on helping them transition to a secondary education setting. The School specializes in helping students adjust to new settings in a safe and nurturing environment.
Students at CrossRoads are part of small learning communities that consist of teams of teachers and a designated RISE time. RISE stands for Respect, Integrity, Service, and Excellence; these characteristics are the foundation of school-wide expectations. RISE time is a time of day set aside for team building, academic reinforcement, social and emotional skill building, and support to students.
CrossRoads has started this school year with the implementation of a new way to help connect students, teachers, and staff across the school through a school-wide reading of the book, Connect the Dots by Keith Calabrese.
During RISE time on Fridays during the first semester, all students and teachers are reading and discussing the young adult novel that tells the story of sixth graders, Oliver and Frankie, who work together to solve a mystery as they also experience the typical ups and downs of starting middle school. The story takes readers through their journey while focusing on the power of friendship and human connection.
Through the novel, RISE time, and classroom instruction, students are able to build meaningful connections with their peers and teachers. The relationships that bloom from these efforts are evident throughout the school year.
