The Administrative Offices are located at:

Government Center, 3rd Floor North
888 Washington Boulevard
Stamford, CT 06901
Phone:  (203) 977- 4119  
Fax:  (203) 977- 4678
Office Hours: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

The ARTS Program currently operates alternative community-learning centers and home instruction tutorial programs. The ARTS Program makes the necessary accommodations to address both students’ academic and emotional success. Students are provided structured direction for improving academic, social and behavioral achievement goals through a team approach.

Students are place in the ARTS Program through a standardized intake process. Staff, students and families work together to establish a set of goals which result in signing a contract. Parents/guardians are recognized as crucial members of the school team. Student academic growth is addressed through a diagnostic prescriptive approach that individualizes the student’s educational program. The ultimate goal is to return many students to their district schools, although some students may achieve success by graduating from the ARTS Program. Some students continue on to post secondary education.

Frequent communication between the school and the home, as well as ongoing contract with district schools and outside agencies is a key component of the ARTS Program.

The following alternative learning centers and home instruction programs include teachers, tutors, support staff and student advocates:

•  ARTS I: This program currently serves 25-30 students all of whom have experienced significant school failure due to mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, trauma and loss. Many of these students have been hospitalized or are under psychiatric care. The program provides the students with therapeutic transitional supports that bridge the gap between out/placement and in-district educational provisions. The staff works closely with mental health service providers, outside agencies and families to maintain a continuum of support. These students have needs that are too pervasive to be adequately met in a comprehensive high school.
•  ARTS II: This program currently serves 25-30 students all of whom have experienced significant school failure due to mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, trauma and loss that manifest themselves in a host of ways. These problems result in truancy, repeated failing of classes and the like.
•  ARTS III: This program currently serves 25-35 students who have had repeated school difficulties, including discipline problems, academic failure, repeated suspension, expulsion, and court involvement.
•  Alternatives to Incarceration Program (AIC): This program is a joint effort between the Superior Court and the Stamford Public Schools. These students are mandated by the court to attend AIC as an alternative to incarceration. Students are either in the diploma track or GED track.
•  Home Instruction: Tutors and teachers see students during the school day and/or after school either at a tutoring site or home. Currently students there are two categories of students in need of home instruction:
  
  • Medical issues. This program is for students who are out of school for medical reasons. A physician must indicate that the student needs to be out of school for three weeks or more and provides an estimated date for the student to return to school.
  • Behavior issues. Placements are made as a result of suspensions or expulsions from district schools because their behavior makes it prohibitive for them to be in their school at this time.
•  Teen Parent Program: This program was initiated in December 2009 as a drop-out intervention program for students who were not attending school due to a lack of child care for their children. The students and their children attend this unique program offering an educational opportunity for both. The class meets for four hours daily. Students are instructed in the four core academic areas (English, math, science and social studies) aligned with the school district curricula. In addition, they receive instruction in parenting skills, child development and counseling for teen parenthood. A partnership has been established with Family Centers. Weekly services are received from the Nurturing Families Network, counseling by Family Centers staff and collaboration with the Stamford Health Department for a variety of health issues facing babies and adolescents. Weekly yoga classes by the Greenwich 1ON 1 for the students and their babies was added to the program in May 2010.
•  The Middle School Program at the Boys & Girls Club: The Middle School Program was established in April 2010 to meet the needs of middle school students who have been not been successful in their district middle schools. The program was designed to facilitate middle school students who had been receiving two hours of daily individualized tutoring in an effort to lengthen their school day. Students are engaged in an academic middle school curriculum in a smaller group setting as well as a structured social emotional program that includes non academic classes designed to improve self discipline and self esteem. In addition to the four and one half hour school day, the students have an extended (two hours) component twice weekly off site at Scalzi Park facilitated by the Student Youth Services Bureau. The Stamford Youth Services Bureau provides a ROPES course where students explore “Education through Adventure.” Services are also provided by the Lower Fairfield County Regional Action Council meeting twice weekly utilizing the “Taking Charge: A Path To Healthy Choices” curriculum designed to help at-risk teens make positive decisions.
  
  The Stamford Public Schools has a referral process for students to appropriately access the Alternate Routes To Success Program.