Application Information

Frequently Asked Questions about

Crossroads Middle School

• Is transportation provided? Yes!  Neighborhood routes run for students in the Lake Hazel areas and bring students directly to CMS.  Meridian, Victory and Lewis & Clark Middle School students ride their neighborhood bus to their home middle school (or walk to their home middle school) and ride a shuttle bus to Crossroads.

• Are there sports at Crossroads? Unfortunately, Crossroads Middle does not have any sports teams; however, students are more than welcome to participate in sports at their home/neighborhood middle school.

• What electives are offered for students?  Currently, 6th graders have the following electives: PE, Art 6, Study Skills and Digital Tools/Keyboarding.  7th grade electives are: Beginning Art 7, Introduction to Coding, Pre-Engineering, Drama, Stagecraft, and Photography. 7th grade Exploratory classes include Lifetime Sports and Health.  8th graders have the following electives: Publications, Film Making, Photography, Beginning Art 8, Drawing & Painting, 3-D Art, Drama 8, Stagecraft, Discovering Languages & Cultures, Pre-Engineering Tech, Office Aide, and Teacher’s Aide.  All students are placed in a Math Skills Lab; some students will also receive a Reading Support Class.  All electives are based on teacher and class availability and may change each semester.

• Is the work at Crossroads easier?  Our teachers are required to cover the same curriculum as other 6th, 7th and 8th grade teachers in the West Ada School District.  Crossroads students must also take the same district and state tests, and we are held accountable for their performance.  Perhaps some students say that CMS is easier because of the smaller atmosphere, structure, block schedule, lesson delivery and no daily assigned homework.  The extreme pressures that these students felt at a traditional school are lessened at CMS due to the difference in format and school structure.  Parents can be assured that we hold high expectations for our students and make them work hard to achieve those expectations.

• How do students learn with no homework?  Our students come to Crossroads because they have struggled in a traditional middle school.  Often many of these struggles are related to homework issues.  Teachers traditionally give homework to help students practice and master the learning that takes place within the school day.  Unfortunately, students who arrive at Crossroads have usually had many negative experiences with homework.  The homework they are avoiding, failing or forgetting to turn in is not a learning experience for them—it is seen as yet another negative educational experience.  At Crossroads we provide opportunities within the school day for students to learn content and practice skills.  When students need additional help, the teacher may have them come in at break or lunchtime, during school activities (all students are required to have a “C” minimum on assignments to participate in dances and other school activities), after school, or Study Lab (after school once weekly until 4:00 pm).  Even with the removal of homework our students see tremendous academic growth which often exceeds the district average.

• Is Crossroads just a school for kids with behavior problems?   No. CMS is an intervention school specializing in providing individual support and help for students. Many families are surprised to learn that the majority of our students do not have discipline problems.  All of our students are at CMS because they are struggling in a traditional middle school; however, their failure is generally not due to behavior problems.  Like all middle schools, we do have students with behavior problems.  All students are interviewed before being considered for CMS.  If a student does have behavior problems these issues will be addressed at the interview.  With the small school population and small class sizes at Crossroads, behavior issues can be dealt with quickly and consistently.

• Where do Crossroads students attend high school?  Are they successful?  Crossroads graduates can choose from several options for high school: traditional, alternative, magnet or charter high schools.  Due to their success at CMS many of our students choose to continue their education in an alternative high school setting which provides them with a smaller setting and more attention than a large traditional high school.  However, a good number of students transition to a traditional high school setting.  While each student's success depends on their individual situation and challenges, Crossroads staff works extremely hard to help families and students find the right educational fit to ensure high school and post-secondary success.  It is our goal to help students develop the mindset and skills to be successful at CMS and beyond.