Malcolm Shabazz City High School is a Madison Metropolitan School District high school alternative open to all high school students in the district. The school offers a full high school program, leading to a MMSD diploma. The mission of Malcolm Shabazz City High School is to create an harassment free learning environment where all people, regardless of previous academic performance, family background, socioeconomic status, beliefs, abilities, appearance, race, gender or sexual orientation are respected. It is a school where all students are able to feel safe and are encouraged to take academic and social risks. Expectations for achievement are high and learning is viewed as life long. Curriculum and personalized instruction are multicultural. A strong sense of community exists in which students are asked to participate in school decision-making and Service Learning. Fundamental to the school's philosophy are viewing the student as a whole person and strengthening the connection between the student, family and community.

Description:
"Malcolm Shabazz City School is an alternative school, not an alternative to school."

The following is a statement of our present policies.

Malcolm Shabazz City High School is an alternative to the traditional high school setting. Shabazz, as it is informally called, is located at 1601 N. Sherman Ave., Madison, WI. It is designed to accommodate 140 students, grades 9 through 12. The requirements for graduation from Malcolm Shabazz are the same as those for all the other Madison public high schools.

STUDENTS
The school has an extremely diverse population of students, who come from any of the four high school attendance areas and on occasion from areas outside of the district. Typically, 15-20 percent of the population represents students of color. More than two-thirds of our graduates choose to continue their education after high school. A good percentage of our students are considered "At Risk" having had some difficulties in the traditional high school environment.

The reason students attend Malcolm Shabazz are quite varied. A number of students do so because of the smaller physical environment. Our population is held between 150 and 160 students and we maintain a waiting list. Others attend because of the strong support for sobriety that is provided. Some students come for a challenging, different, creative and alternative academic setting, often looking for a place to become engaged and involved in decisions about how and what they learn. Still others are at Shabazz because of the comfortable academic setting, the possibility of a caring education and the need for a fresh start.

CURRICULUM
There is a wide variety of social studies, English and science classes. The math curriculum has been individualized and students progress at their own rate from general math to trigonometry. Other classes include art, computer science, physical education, Spanish, and support groups centered on a variety of student issues. Specific titles include: Drawing and Painting, Earth Science, Beginning Photography, Exploring the Internet, Acting Workshop, Video Production, Death and Dying, A Women's Place, First Amendment, Images, Vietnam Experience, Geometry, New Visions, Jazz and Writing Without Fear.

In addition, students can arrange to do an independent study and can sign up to earn work credit. Extended field trips such as biking and hiking in the Rocky Mountains, studying wolves in Yellowstone, visiting the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., studying water issues in The Everglades, experiencing culture and music of New Orleans, living and working in Northern Mississippi and studying Indian reservations in South Dakota and Northern Wisconsin provide enrichment experiences for students. There are also local field trips offered on a regular basis which include attending plays, visiting art museums and exploring natural areas.

ADMISSIONS

Malcolm Shabazz is a Madison Metropolitan School District program and is free to all students who reside in the district. All prospective students and their parents must participate in an interview. The interview is seen as a time to evaluate student needs and to determine if Malcolm Shabazz City High School can match those needs.

Once accepted, students are still eligible to participate in extracurricular activities at their home high school, and with special permission, attend some classes not offered at Malcolm Shabazz City High School. Upon graduation, students receive a diploma from their home high school as well as a certificate from Malcolm Shabazz City High School.

REQUIREMENTS

Malcolm Shabazz has a number of policies designed to create a healthy school climate. Since Shabazz is an alternative high school program that students and their families choose to attend and they agree to follow the policies. Some of these policies include:

Students are required to take 6 classes. They must earn one credit (three-quarters of that credit must earned in academic classes) per quarter to stay off academic probation.
The non-harassment policy must be respected by all students. It helps students and staff confront harassment, provides for mediation and conflict resolution and if not respected may lead to a student being dropped from the program.
Students in violation of the alcohol and other drug policy are required to complete a drug and alcohol assessment and follow-through with recommendations. If a student violates this policy a second time, he/she will be dropped from the program. A staff appeal process is also written into the policy.
All new students are required to take two courses: "Shabazz Experience " and "Mirriors of Discrimination". These courses are designed to help students become involved in the Shabazz program and focus on fighting discrimination and recognizing cultural diversity.
Students participate in community groups and many special community group activities.
Student who are receiving services in the community, such as individual or family therapy, alcohol or other drug treatment or aftercare and/or who have court orders, will be required to continue those services.

NON-HARASSMENT POLICY

Malcolm Shabazz City High School was founded on the belief that the atmosphere in which you learn is as important as what you learn. To promote a productive learning environment we must encourage an atmosphere which is respectful of individual differences, so that people can learn in a functional and non-threatening atmosphere. We insist that disagreements be dealt with in a civil and respectful manner. Therefore, the following three actions are grounds upon which harassment may be filled.

A. Physical harassment or the threat of harm against individuals or their property.

B. Verbal abuse, whether it attacks an individual personality or on the grounds of race, sex, sexual orientation, background, political or religious beliefs.

C. Graffiti of the above nature.

Harassment is defined by the feelings of the listener/receiver of a message, not the intent of the sender. It is important that the listener respectfully notify the sender when they feel harassed.

History:
AN INTRODUCTION TO MALCOLM SHABAZZ
This is our 30th year, making us one of the three or four oldest public alternative high schools in the United States. In these 30 years over one thousand young men and women have graduated from Malcolm Shabazz City High School. The students of our last 30 years has seen many changes in our policies and our procedures. We continue to evolve - maintaining policies that fill the needs of our community, searching for better ways of meeting those needs and changing and refining the policies that no longer support our goals. This evolution continues to be the responsibility of the community - students, staff and parents. We have never found it necessary to have a lot of "rules" at our school, preferring to work with individuals in informal ways. However, we do recognize the need for mutually shared expectations. As the great Steve Stuckert has remarked on more than one occasion;

Contact people:

Susan Kaye, Social Worker, (608) 204-2470, (email) Erin Wearing, Social Work Intern, (608) 204-2449, (email) Amber Becker, Social Work Intern, (608) 204-2449, (email)

Office fax number: (608) 204-0503

Address:

1601 N Sherman Ave Madison, WI 53704 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.madison.k12.wi.us/shabazz/

Directions:

Aberg Ave to N Sherman. Right on N Sherman to 1601. Shabazz is on your right.   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: 22,   Walk distance (in minutes): 1   Nearest Bus Stop: North Transfer Point, 7 minute walk