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GREENSBORO — Schools officials want to team with a church to help curb dropout numbers.

Smith High School principal Noah Rogers wants the school board to consider placing students suspended from his school with mentors at Ebenezer Baptist Church. Rogers said it would help students keep up with their schoolwork while they are suspended.

The Stay Up While You’re Out program would allow community members to help struggling students, Rogers said.

“I think it will increase the number of students who complete their education,” Rogers said.

Students suspended from school would be given the option of attending the program at the church. It would run from 8:45 a.m. until noon five days a week and would serve about 10 students per day with two students assigned to each volunteer.

Those volunteers would be retired teachers, said Ebenezer Pastor Howard Woods. Woods said there are several retired teachers in his congregation who want to work with the program.

“They really care for the kids and want to assist them,” Woods said.

He said the church does outreach in the community but this is an issue they are especially interested in.

A state grant totaling $145,465 would pay for the 48-week program. The grant would pay for the director position, three teachers at $20 per hour, a social worker and security guard, as well as food and supplies.

Parents would be responsible for transportation.

Woods would be the program director under the current proposal and stands to make $600 per week. He said the idea came about during conversations with Rogers, who attends the church. Rogers developed similar programs at schools outside the Guilford County system.

Smith High has struggled with academic performance but has seen improvement in recent years as the school system focused efforts there. In 2005-06 the school reported 365 dropouts. That number fell to 11 the following school year. Last year Smith principals suspended 371 students 751 times, according to the schools data.

The school board will vote on the proposal during its meeting today.

The board also will get an update on International Baccalaureate programs under way at Northwood Elementary and Ferndale and Hairston middle schools.

The IB program came under criticism when it was implemented at some schools several years ago.

Some claimed students were ill-prepared for the courses and that they were being forced into the classes to prop up the school’s standing on national profile lists such as Newsweek’s annual list of top high schools.

Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green said he supports the expansion of the IB and Advanced Placement programs with the caveat that students are prepared for the programs throughout their education rather than just at the high school level.

The IB framework already is in place at all three schools with many of the teachers going through training seminars. Upon receiving board approval, the schools will submit their applications to the IB organization, which will then schedule site visits. The IB authorization process typically takes about three years to complete, said Northwood IB coordinator Iris Ellington.

High Point Central, Smith, Grimsley and Page high schools are all IB accredited, as well as Falkener Elementary.

Contact J. Brian Ewing at 373-7351 or brian.ewing@news-record.com