Success Academy could expand and move as Meriden Public Schools plans for 100 additional students
MERIDEN – Rising demand for alternative education has Meriden Public Schools considering an expansion and relocation of Success Academy that would add 100 seats.
Peter Civitello, director of secondary school leadership, said the need has increased because the program offers students another pathway to earning a high school diploma.
“We graduated 22 seniors last year from here that probably might not have graduated from Platt or Maloney,” Civitello said, referring to the district’s two high schools. “We were able to get them back on track.”
Success Academy was originally designed to help students who are older and still need credits to graduate, but Civitello said it now includes freshmen and sophomores.
Many of the students struggle with social and emotional challenges, large class sizes and chronic absenteeism, he said – all of which can make traditional settings difficult.
Currently, between 40 and 45 students attend the academy, though enrollment typically increases after winter break when schools assess how students are performing.
The existing building at 191 Pratt St. has only four classrooms, and one doubles as a cafeteria. Civitello said the space can hold up to 75 students at most.
As the director of secondary school leadership who oversees the district’s three middle schools, Civitello said he sees a growing opportunity to introduce an alternative education option for younger students who may need additional structure or smaller settings.
Middle schools currently have special education programming, but there is no alternative education model for students who need different support, he said.
Lead teacher Gary Maratea said the program’s structure allows students to earn credits at a quicker pace and regain momentum.
“If they’re a school year behind, and they feel like they’re not going to catch up or they’re not going to graduate on time, they can come here,” Maratea said. “We can help get them caught up, back on track, and get them to graduate with their friends, and ready for the world.”
Maratea said expanding the program is essential to meet growing demand. The current 75-student cap “is pushing it,” he said.
City and school officials are now exploring a move two blocks away to the second floor of the Stoddard Building at 165 Miller St., part of a larger renovation of the Department of Public Health and Human Services.
The state’s adult probation office, a dental clinic and smaller tenants would have to move out, but the site could lower the city’s costs. If Success Academy occupies half of the renovated second floor, the city could receive a 76% school construction reimbursement on that portion of the $20 million to $30 million project, with the city paying the rest.
“We’re looking at adding a fitness area, a dedicated cafeteria, a media center and adding classrooms,” Civitello said.
The project has already been approved by the Board of Education and City Council to move into the next phase, which includes applying for grants and determining the full reimbursement amount.
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