Bridge Program Student Handbook

2002-2003

Some Frequently Asked Questions about the Bridge Program | Bridge Program Policies and Procedures


Congratulations on being accepted into the Community Learning Center's Bridge Program. From now until May, 2003, you will be involved in an exciting, intensive course of study designed to prepare you to enter college next year. You will review and expand your skills in writing, math, and computers, as well as gain an understanding of college survival skills: how to choose a college that meets your needs, to apply for financial aid, and to use your college's resources to best advantage. Once in college, you will also be eligible for any special counseling or mentoring you need to succeed there.

Some Frequently Asked Questions
about the Bridge Program



Who is eligible for the Bridge Program? 

The Bridge Program serves Massachusetts adult learners who (a) have a high school diploma or have passed the GED exam and (b) who intend to go to college next year.


Can I attend the Bridge Program for only one or two subjects? 

All students must take writing, math, and study/survival skills. If you have an especially high skill level in computers, you can take a test; if you score sufficiently high on this test, you will be allowed to skip the first four Tuesday computer lab sessions.


Who runs the program? 

The Bridge Program is run by the Community Learning Center (CLC), an agency of the City of Cambridge’s Department of Human Services Programs. Founded in 1971, the CLC provides classes to over 1,000 students each year. It has an international reputation and is a winner of the prestigious Secretary's Award from the United States Department of Education. The CLC is located at 19 Brookline St., second floor, in Central Square, Cambridge. Bridge Program teachers and counselors have their offices in this building.


How is the program funded?

The Bridge Program is in its sixth year. This year, the funding for the program comes from the Cambridge Housing Authority and from the Nellie Mae Foundation, which allows us to provide you with more resources than ever before. Several other organizations also contribute to the program's success:
  • Cambridge Rindge & Latin High School allows us to use its classrooms and computer lab;
  • Cambridge College and Bunker Hill Community College help with testing and by providing our students with guest speakers and the opportunity to observe college classes in action; and
  • Somerville Center for Adult Learning Experience (SCALE) assists us by allowing us to publicize the program to their graduates.

Where and when are Bridge Program classes held? 

This year, Bridge classes will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:00-9:00 pm at Cambridge Rindge & Latin High School (459 Broadway, Cambridge). The easiest way to get to the classrooms is to come in the main entrance to the school, go straight ahead into the cafeteria, and climb the set of stairs you see up to the second floor. As you go out the double doors into the second floor hallway, turn left if you want to go to the computer lab; turn right if you want to go to the classrooms. Occasionally there will be high school activities in the cafeteria in the evening, so practice using other stairwells until you feel comfortable getting to the classrooms.


Will I need to buy textbooks and supplies? 

Thanks to funding from the Nellie Mae Foundation, we will be able to give you textbooks in math and writing that are worth over $100. These are yours to keep after graduation from the program. However, if you lose a textbook, you must pay to replace it. You will be responsible for buying notebooks, pens, paper and a variety of other school supplies. You will receive a list from your teachers about which supplies are necessary, and your study skills teacher will expect you to keep your study notebook up-to-date with all papers correctly filed.


How will I be tested and graded?

Students at the CLC, including the Bridge Program, do not receive letter grades. Rather, you will receive credit or no credit based on:
  1. attendance,
  2. class participation,
  3. completion of homework assignments on time,
  4. completion of a portfolio, and
  5. maintenance of an up-to-date study notebook.
Each class will have its own quizzes and tests, so you should ask your teachers if you have questions about tests. 
In addition, to graduate from the Bridge Program, all students are required to take the CPT AccuPlacer exam at the beginning and end of the program.

Bridge Program Policies and Procedures


Because the Bridge Program is part of the CLC, held at Cambridge Rindge & Latin High School, and funded by several grants, Bridge students need to follow rules of more than one organization.

Cambridge Rindge & Latin Rules:
  1. Eating and drinking is allowed only in the cafeteria.

  2. No smoking is allowed in the school buildings or on the school grounds. You should cross the street if you want to smoke on class breaks.

  3. You should always enter the building by the main doors; all other doors are locked in the evening.

  4. Before you use the computer lab, you must read, understand, sign and obey all rules contained in the CRLS Acceptable Use Policy. You will be assigned one computer to use in the lab, and you must use that computer every time you work in the lab.5. Because of the bad parking situation around the high school, we encourage you to use the CRLS underground parking garage. However, you should never block another car in when using the garage.

  5. If you need to use the elevator to reach the second floor, you should ask George Thompson (CRLS building manager) for assistance. His office is immediately beyond the security desk at the school's main entrance.

Community Learning Center Rules:
  1. You should read and follow the policies and rules contained in the CLC Student Handbook, especially those regarding respect for fellow students and regarding the absolute ban on violence and drugs.

  2. Attendance and lateness policy: If you are going to be late or to miss a class, you should call the reception desk at the CLC (617-349-6363) or Linda Huntington's office (617-349-6366), preferably before 5 pm.

  3. You may not miss three classes in one month. If you have two unexcused absences in one month, Bridge director Linda Huntington or counselor Carole Sousa will contact you for a conference, at which time you and she will decide if you can complete the program this year or if you should re-enroll next year.

  4. If you are 1-20 minutes late for a class, you teacher will allow you to attend, but she will mark the attendance sheet that you were late. If you are more than 20 minutes late to a class, it is up to the discretion of the teacher whether or not you will be allowed to attend.

  5. If you are late two times in a month, it will count as one absence.

  6. Snow day policy:
    1. If it snows heavily the night before class, watch television or listen to the radio the morning of the class. If Cambridge schools are cancelled, the CLC and our Bridge Program classes are automatically cancelled.
    2. If Cambridge schools stay open but it snows heavily during the day, the city manager may decide to send city employees home early and to cancel evening activities. Listen to the radio for special announcements about "Cambridge schools evening activities" being cancelled. Also, check in at home to see if the teacher has left a message. You can call the CLC after 4 pm if you are in doubt.

  7. Vacation and holiday schedule:
    The Bridge Program has the same holiday and vacation schedule as the Cambridge school system. Consult your Bridge Program calendar for details.


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