What is PASS?

The Positive Alternatives to Student Suspension (PASS) program offers families the opportunity to enroll their students in programming during the day to address the concerning behaviors that led to the out of school suspension. Participation is voluntary and available on a first come first serve basis.

Students will have access to their academic content through Canvas. The program is staffed by a learning facilitator, who will offer relevant prevention education and will foster academic engagement.

Who is able to participate in PASS?

PASS is for middle and high school students who are suspended for indicated high risk behaviors that directly impact the safety and well-being of the student or peers and for whom this is the first offense.

Offenses include but are not limited to:

• Possession or use of vape, alcohol, marijuana or other unauthorized drugs
• Mutually consensual sexual contact
• The use of technology to share sexually explicit images for any purpose including the coordination of social media that is offensive and/or meant to inflict harm on another student

Students will return to their school after their final day of out of school suspension/PASS participation (up to 10-days).

When and where is PASS offered?

PASS program hours are Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. held at The CCS Opportunity School. CCS Opportunity School is located at 120 Marsh Ave NW, Concord, NC 28025. Please arrive by 8:15 a.m.

*Please note: ‘Opportunity School’ may not show up if searched on your GPS. If searching on your GPS, the address is named ‘Glenn Center.’

The dates of PASS participation are not negotiable. Students are able to participate during their 10-days of out of school suspension. Parents will sign up on the CCS website by filling out the Google Form (Departments  Student Services  PASS Program  Click Referral Link).

What are the expectations of the student and parent?

Class begins at 8:30 a.m. at the CCS Opportunity School, there is no late admittance. Parents will be required to drop-off and pick-up their students. Please arrive by 8:15 a.m.

• Students will be subject to search upon entering the building daily.
• If your student arrives smelling like an illegal substance, the parent/guardian will be contacted and your student’s spot within the PASS Program will be in jeopardy.

• Your student is ONLY allowed to bring their CCS issued laptop/chrome book.

• We do not allow bookbags, headphones, chapstick, make-up, shoulder bags, water bottles and/or other beverages and snacks, etc.

• Cell phones will be given to the facilitator at the door and given back at the end of the day. 

What are the expectations when PASS is completed?

Students who successfully complete PASS will receive a certificate of completion, including the dates that they attended. 

PASS will follow Cabarrus County Schools calendar and inclement weather policies.

Listed below are the processes and procedures for your child’s enrollment in the PASS Restorative Center: 

• Students who have not been referred by their school administration will not be able to attend until the referral has been completed. 
• Students whose parents have not completed the program enrollment form will not be able to attend until that document has been completed. 
• The PASS Center will follow the traditional CCS school calendar operating daily from 8:00-2:30 PM
• Students must arrive no later than 8:15 AM and cannot be dropped off prior to 8:00 AM 
• Students will not be admitted if arriving after 8:20 AM.
• Students must be present until 2:00 PM to get attendance credit for the day. 
• Enrollment is on a first come, first served basis. Once maximum capacity is reached, students will be placed on a waiting list and will be notified when space is available.  
• As enrollment is voluntary, transportation will NOT be provided. 
• Breakfast and Lunch will be served daily on site. Meals are provided by our school nutrition program. No outside food or drinks allowed.
• Your child’s school should provide class/homework to your student upon suspension (hardcopy and/or electronic), and students should attempt to have this work with them before attending. 
• Students will receive on-site support for their academic work as well as social-emotional and prevention-focused learning opportunities. 
• Students are permitted to bring CCS issued technology that may only be used for academic purposes. 
• Please note that cell phones will be collected at the start of the school day and returned by the end of the day. 
• Restorative center staff will not be responsible for facilitating end of year state or teacher-made class tests. 
• Each center is staffed by CCS personnel. 
• Students are expected to follow all CCS rules and policies including but not limited to dress code and responsible technology use. Students are not allowed to wear jackets, hoodies, pajamas, etc.
• Learning facilitators will inform parents of upcoming family engagement activities to promote healthy decision making, effective communication, and positive coping skills. 
• Your child’s time in the Restorative Center will be credited as “in school suspension” after their completion of the program for those days she or he was in attendance.

The Positive Alternatives to Student Suspension Restorative Center is an option exclusively for students found in violation of the district’s substance misuse (alcohol, marijuana, vaping products, etc.) policy or inappropriate sexual conduct. As a result, the content delivered to students in the program includes adaptive coping strategies, refusal skills, developing increased self-awareness, etc. The program requires candid discussions of decision making that resulted in disciplinary infraction which can include direct communication about human sexuality, substance misuse, and maladaptive coping strategies. 

Parents who do not want their children to engage in this type of programming should not opt-in to the PASS Restorative Center. Parental completion of the application to opt into PASS is understood to be informed consent to engage in the program and its curricula.

The primary resources for the delivery of prevention and social emotional content are available for parental review by request and can more broadly be accessed through independent study of the curricula listed below:

• Project Towards No Drug Abuse, from The University of Southern California’s Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention 
• DBT Skills in Schools: Skills Training for Emotional Problem Solving for Adolescents (DBT STEPS-A), by James J. Mazza, Elizabeth T. Dexter-Mazza, Alec L. Miller, Jill H. Rathus, and Heather E. Murphy

Students found using or in possession of banned substances will be immediately excluded from the PASS Program with a recommendation for long term suspension from the program director.

If you are interested in review hard copies of the content please contact the PASS staff.