THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2008
What's Best Middle School Approach?
By DWIGHT ESAU
Journal Reporter
Two years ago, Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 decided to review its middle school program for students in grades 6-7-8.
Sounds fairly straightforward and almost routine, doesn't it? Just like any other curriculum program review.
Well, you know how things can get complex and large and even a bit controversial? And how a project can grow into a monster that almost takes on a life of its own?
That's sort of what is happening to this middle school program review. It was discussed Monday night (Apr. 26) at the board of education meeting.
Actually, this review began with a few questions regarding scheduling between core subjects and electives, class size, and extra-curricular offerings.
Now, it has become a full-scale review of the entire 6-7-8 program at Emerson and Lincoln middle schools. Principals Vicki Mogul (Emerson) and Jim Blouch (Lincoln) are playing key roles in this study.
Diane Betts, assistant superintendent for student learning, updated the board Monday on the project's progress.
Also contributing was Genie Taddeo, board member who is serving as a policy-making liaison to the effort.
The review's purpose is to determine what the best educational program is to meet the needs of the whole child in a middle school setting, while keeping the current financial condition of the district in mind.
Not to mention considering real-world challenges such as union contracts and complex scheduling problems.
Ms. Betts' report Monday listed 24 questions that four sub-committees of teachers and parents are addressing. Here are a few samples:
* What should be the class size guidelines in the middle school? What should be the start and end times of the school day? How would changes impact other programs?
* Is there a need for formal academic support given after school?
* Should there be any changes to the Teen Leisure clubs?
* Should there be additional interscholastic sports offered at the middle school? If so, how should that be implemented?
* What type of schedule would best meet the needs of middle school students? How many minutes should be assigned per core and elective class?
* How will a schedule maintain the team teaching concept in middle school? What are effective strategies for grouping students with exceptional needs (special education and gifted?)
* What should be the number of electives offered? What is the role of study hall in middle school?
* When should instrumental music and chorus rehearsals be scheduled?
And so on and on.
One intriguing scheduling alternative (keep in mind no decisions have been made yet on any of this) would involve "flipping" the elementary school and middle school schedules to have middle schools start later to meet the physical needs of adolescent learners who tend to stay up later and have a more difficult time concentrating early in the morning, the staff report says.
The subcommittees have answered many of these questions, but scheduling problems remain an issue, Betts said.