Fayetteville also is addressing the needs of younger children through its Re-Entry School for children in kindergarten through 12th grade, Jared said. It's the only program in this part of the country that he knows of that includes elementary children. Older students in this program are on the verge of expulsion, he said. Those in elementary schools have been identified as needing extra help although they aren't necessarily set for expulsion. A central component is teaching students to control their anger, Jared said.
Anger is a huge problem with some kids.
Students in the re-entry school learn at their own pace and are required to stay a minimum of nine weeks before they return to their regular classrooms. The state recognizes the value of having alternative programs for kids, especially during their high school years, Lumpkin said. They eventually need to get back in high school so they can graduate. Lumpkin's comments sounded much like the thoughts of those who brought alternative education to Arkansas in the first place at Uptown School. We wanted them to get back in school.