COMPACT School Explained

To the Editor: 
As a former principal of Cape Educational COMPACT, I have been asked repeatedly how I feel about the fact that COMPACT will be closing. I have not been moved to render a strong statement until I read Al Campbell’s column in the May 31 Herald.
The closing of COMPACT is not due to one person, group, or reason. The overused “perfect storm” might easily be applied. 
The original “Alternative School” was the result of the leadership of Loy Ehlers, who was the superintendent of the Cape May County Special Services School District. That district did act as the local education agency and was responsible for overseeing the program.  Much credit should be given to all the ensuing superintendents and district staff for all the hard work and dedication they gave to a school/program which was not actually within their realm of responsibilities. Simply stated, COMPACT was always responsible for achieving a “workable” budget on its own once the original state grant monies ended early on.
For the first few years, the program was generally referred to as the “Alternative School.” The program’s name evolved into Cape Educational COMPACT for several important reasons. “Cape” meant that the school would meet the needs of certain students from the entire county. At times that was a challenging task, yet it made for an incredible mix of cultures and social interactions. You had kids from all over the county having to get along together to learn and grow.
The purpose of COMPACT was that each child would earn a regular high school diploma and graduate from their local high school. 
COMPACT graduates were held to the same standards as were the students at their home high school.
The requirements were presented in the classroom and in the halls perhaps in a manner not possible in the traditional high school. Actually, “COMPACT” represented two essential elements of our collective effort. Each student and their parents/guardians had to sign a written agreement/compact before being enrolled in the program. The compact was a pledge by both the student and the parents that they would fully dedicate themselves to enable the student to earn a regular high school diploma as quickly as possible. They would abide by the special rules of conduct that were enforced at COMPACT. 
Within the compact, was embedded the philosophy that being accepted at COMPACT  was a privilege and that very soon students and parents would realize a sense of pride rather than a feeling of another failure.
The student body at COMPACT was a crazy mix. We had our share of students who were fighting addictions or poor behavior patterns, much like every high school.
“COMPACT” was our belief that we had to stay small and unassociated with the high schools. To many of the students, the old high school represented failure. COMPACT allowed the students to “reinvent” themselves.
COMPACT was intimate, our staff-to-student ratio was low, everyone shared many roles, many which are quite uncommon in traditional schools with traditional teacher contracts. Everyone did everything with everyone, every day.
The staff was diverse, uniquely qualified and worked as a team. Almost every student quickly realized this fact and seemed to select one of us to be an additional “parent.”
Is there still a need for such a program or can the home schools just add a program within their building and save some money rather than paying tuition elsewhere?
Personally, I don’t believe that is successful for most youngsters.