Common Ground offers small school support and big school opportunities. Students go above & beyond through learning and leadership opportunities, on and off campus, outside the school day.
WORK
- Green Jobs Corps connects students with paid work and leadership opportunities. Learn more.
- Career networking workshops allow students to meet professionals and explore different career paths.
LEARN
Academic Support Opportunities give every student the support they need to master high standards, and provide same-day interventions to students who are struggling.
- Homework Center
- Academic Labs
- Saturday Academy
VENTURE OUT
Common Ground helps students connect with off-campus opportunities, as well:
- Evolutions at the Peabody Museum
- ArtSpace internships
- Elm Shakespeare Fellows
- Sports teams at other high schools
- Summer College Prep Programs
Common Ground’s After School Program is driven by the interests of our students, and led by our amazing staff. This is one of the reasons we say we offer big school opportunities in a small school setting! Check out some of our STEM-based after school opportunities in the video to the right.
CREATE
- Dance allows students to explore hip hop and other dance forms throughout the year.
- Cooking Club meets both virtually and in person, with recipe kits delivered to students’ doors.
- Visual arts programs allow students to express themselves and build their portfolios.
- Rap & Poetry allows students to write & record music, create beats and lyrics,
THRIVE
- Cooking Club encourages students to cook tasty food fresh from the farm — some to eat, and some to share with those in need.
- Recreational Athletics occur every day between 4 and 5 pm during a normal school year.
- The Common Ground Hawks — our basketball team — competes in the New Haven Small Schools League.
- Students can also play sports for local schools.
LEAD
- Student Leadership Team gives students voice in important decisions.
- Every after-school program pushes students to take leadership — and students must assemble a portfolio of leadership work to graduate.
- Community Service opportunities happen weekly: from cooking for the Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen, to tutoring elementary students, to rebuilding trails in West Rock Park.
Every semester, students participate in Presentations of Learning and Leadership, sharing what they’ve accomplished. Here a student performs an original piece on his guitar as part of the presentation from Songwriting.
EXPERIMENT
- Robotics club, created by students, is busy building robots from the ground up.
- Science Fair participants compete in New Haven and state-wide competitions.
- Science Club explores a range of hands-on science challenges.
HAVE FUN
- Strategy Games meet four times a week for minds-on, social fun.
- Scavenger hunts, field trips, capture the flag, and other after-school activities help students relieve stress and get exercise.
EXPLORE
Adventure Club offers students an opportunity to hike, backpack, climb, ski, snoeshoe, canoe, and bike — often for the first time. Thanks to Common Ground’s gear locker — created with support from the Appalachian Mountain Club and Trailblazer — students have access to the equipment they need to take on any adventure.
Our Above & Beyond programs run for two hours a day after-school, with special opportunities before school and on weekends, as well. On any given day, more than half of our student body is after-school.
Common Ground’s after-school programs are made possible through grants from the AT&T Aspire program, the Connecticut After-School Grant Program, and the 21st Century Learning Community program.