Post by slt on May 28, 2008 13:31:23 GMT -5
In an NSFOC thread someone brought up the idea of switching to a K-6, 7-9, 10-12 model.
This works and has worked in various places locally and around the country but I can't see it working for us here and now.
I went to East Aurora schools when both East and West had K-6 grade schools and 7-9 junior highs. 6th grade was very much like 5th grade. 9th grade was kind of strange because we were in the junior high but our classes counted toward HS graduation and we could participate in HS extra-curriculars (I only recall that being sports but I'm sure there were others).
In both East and West Aurora districts all ES fed into 2 junior highs and then into 1 HS. Getting between buildings did not involve the time/distance/traffic that we have in IPSD. No transportation was provided in 131 - I remember running from Waldo Junior High to East High after school for track practice, and then walking home afterward.
Why would or wouldn't this model work for IPSD? I'll start with a few ideas.
1. We don't have capacity for 6th graders in our ES so this plan would require building some additional number of ES and changing ES boundaries accordingly.
2. Our 6th grade curriculum is more like what 7th grade used to be, and we expect the kids to have a certain type of curriculum, change for daily PE, to have lab sciences, to have curricular music, etc.
3. Our 9th graders need to be in or near the same building as the building they'll attend for 10-12 in order to be involved in many of the curricular and extra-curricular offerings including advanced courses, sports teams, band, orchestra, and chorus.
4. If the 6th graders are to be involved in sports how would this be handled with them in separate buildings?
This works and has worked in various places locally and around the country but I can't see it working for us here and now.
I went to East Aurora schools when both East and West had K-6 grade schools and 7-9 junior highs. 6th grade was very much like 5th grade. 9th grade was kind of strange because we were in the junior high but our classes counted toward HS graduation and we could participate in HS extra-curriculars (I only recall that being sports but I'm sure there were others).
In both East and West Aurora districts all ES fed into 2 junior highs and then into 1 HS. Getting between buildings did not involve the time/distance/traffic that we have in IPSD. No transportation was provided in 131 - I remember running from Waldo Junior High to East High after school for track practice, and then walking home afterward.
Why would or wouldn't this model work for IPSD? I'll start with a few ideas.
1. We don't have capacity for 6th graders in our ES so this plan would require building some additional number of ES and changing ES boundaries accordingly.
2. Our 6th grade curriculum is more like what 7th grade used to be, and we expect the kids to have a certain type of curriculum, change for daily PE, to have lab sciences, to have curricular music, etc.
3. Our 9th graders need to be in or near the same building as the building they'll attend for 10-12 in order to be involved in many of the curricular and extra-curricular offerings including advanced courses, sports teams, band, orchestra, and chorus.
4. If the 6th graders are to be involved in sports how would this be handled with them in separate buildings?