Many students at Dohn Community High School were already facing their last chance to earn a diploma. Then, the school for at-risk students abruptly closed.
Now, Cincinnati Public Schools is offering them a lifeline.
Just a day after the Cincinnati charter school announced its abrupt closure, Cincinnati Public Schools said in a release it will accept students and families seeking a “new academic home.”
Ohio’s second-largest district, also known as CPS, will offer special enrollment hours on Sunday, starting at noon. Prospective students will meet at the CPS Education Center at 2651 Burnet Ave. in Corryville.
Dohn Community High School will close its doors Monday due to “insurmountable financial challenges stemming from the previous school year,” the board of directors said in a statement.
Dohn Community High School mostly serves students who have behavioral problems, were expelled from other public schools or are otherwise on their last chance to get a high school diploma.
Some Dohn students were previously expelled from Cincinnati schools. When asked if these students can be re-enrolled in the district, a district spokesperson told The Enquirer, “Expulsion is not forever.”
“Every student belongs at Cincinnati Public Schools,” Superintendent Shauna Murphy said. “No matter where you’re coming from or what you’ve experienced, you have a home here. We are always, always here for kids.”
How enrollment will work for new students
Any eligible student can enroll during the special enrollment period, but CPS’ announcement is in response to the closure of Dohn.
“We want to support the students of Dohn,” Murphy said.
The district does not have a set ending time for the enrollment hours Sunday. CPS representatives will be at the education center Monday at 8 a.m. for those who cannot make it Sunday. Families can also enroll students online at the registration portal.
Students can attend almost any high school in the district. Exceptions include Walnut Hills High School and Spencer Center for Gifted and Exceptional Students, which have entrance exams, and the School of Creative and Performing Arts, which requires an audition for admission.
However, CPS students do not have to attend a high school based on their home address. CPS representatives will ask prospective students where they live and which programs they’re interested in to help them decide which school is best for them, Murphy said.
Students will be placed in grades based on their transcript and the number of credits they’ve taken.
How will enrollment affect current students?
CPS currently serves 35,000 children in pre-K to 12th grade across 66 schools, according to the district’s website. It is unclear if an influx of new students will affect CPS schools.
The high schools are “more crowded” than the elementary schools, Murphy said. However, CPS plans to restructure next year, which will relieve some pressure from the high schools, she added.
Dohn Community High School currently serves 1,600 students. But there is no guarantee all of the students will transfer.
“If we have one that we can serve, that’s what we will do,” Murphy said. “My goal is to let young people know we’re here if they need us.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Public Schools opens enrollment after Dohn school closes
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