Mission
The Curtis-Tufts High School was created in 1982 to provide a supportive and effective educational environment that helps students to successfully meet their individualized goals. As a public school, the Curtis has only one mission;
The mission of the Curtis-Tufts is to build on the belief that all students can learn: learn academic material, learn vocational skills and learn how to get along with each other and adults. We are a community of learners, with a special emphasis on community, because many of our students have experienced their most significant problems in their relationships with peers and/or teachers. What makes the Curtis-Tufts unique is that we have numerous opportunities for the individual to experience educational success, success that has eluded them for the majority of their school years. The Curtis-Tufts offers the individual a chance to recover from past difficulties, by practicing new behaviors that will allow them to succeed.
Students who are referred to The Curtis-Tufts have exhausted all possible resources and interventions from their sending school district. Many students have been involved with the Department of Children and Family, Department of Developmental Services, Department of Mental Health or the Department of Youth Services or have experienced multiple family settings. Some come from more restrictive settings and all share the belief that they cannot learn.
The prevalence of high risk factors and associated behaviors demonstrated by the student body at the Curtis-Tufts underscores the need for multi-focused, intensive diverse intervention at many levels. The Curtis-Tufts utilizes a holistic approach to creating a flexible learning environment that focuses on student strengths and responsibility using internal and external resources and expertise. The Curtis uses an integrated approach incorporating small-individualized classroom settings, mental health/rehabilitation interventions and for a few students the criminal justice supports helping to maximize positive behavioral change in students while providing a nurturing, supportive and accountable system of service. Probation officers, external counselors and a multitude of other community provider’s team with internal resources to provide an array of support that promotes a successful educational experience for all that attend as well as for their parent (s)/legal guardian who attend regularly scheduled support groups.