[Grovenet] An Important Matter

[Dale Wiley]

I can't disagree with you a bit there Steve. The 5-6, 7-8, 9-12
configuration is driven by student populations, existing facility and
infrastructure requirements, and uncertainey as to how much and at what
level the public is going to be willing to fund additional infrastructure
improvements, just to house students and teach to the test, let alone allow
configuration changes for the betterment of instruction.

 A change in grade configurations now would likely require the addition of
another elementary school or 2,  another middle school, which is going to be
needed in the next 6 years anyway and redrawing school boundaries,which is
always going to create public controversy and staff shuffling and a
multitude of other factors. A terrfic drain on staff resources and District
administration.

The thought of the District having the resources or public approval for the
additional infrastructure for a grade shuffle, AND to accomodate the
additonal growth in the next 3 to 5 years, is not likely to happen before
2010, and before the infrastrucuture needs are addressed. If the public
approved a slimmed down bond measure in Nov of 2008, it would be a year to
year and a half in planning, year in construction so we would be looking at
2011 before any major changes could be made, and based upon the failure of
the last bond measure, I don't see a grade change configuration as being at
the top of the list, as nice as it might be.

That's not even addressing if the funding from the state is stablized to
allow those newly built class rooms to be staffed since operations cannot be
funded from capital improvement monies.



-----Original Message-----
From: grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com [mailto:grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com]On
Behalf Of STEVE JERRETT
Sent: Saturday, March 31, 2007 8:23 PM
To: dale.wiley at netzero.com,Forest Grove local interests list
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] An Important Matter





Dale wrote:
> take it up with NCLB and the
> Feds...

Dale,

I understand very well where this is all coming from. However, much can be
done at the local level to mitigate the negative effects of these mandates.
It primarily hinges on the resourcefullness and creativity of the school
principal.

Another reason we are facing this issue is the configuration of grade
levels in our district. The grade 5-6 upper elementary model that we employ
is, in my opinion, flawed in many respects.

I believe we would be much better served with K-5 elementary schools, and
two 6-8 middle schools. I believe that one more year in the local
elementary school setting would   be more conducive to student achievement
as opposed to the current "warehousing" method we employ at the mega upper
elementary schools. When kids are in a school for only two years, it is
hard for the students and parents to form a bonding relationship with the
school community.

Also, if 6th graders were in a middle school model, they would have a class
schedule similar to a  high school model.  Elective classes would have
their own seperate class times and would not be a "pull-out" program, which
is the reason for the current issue.

I believe that the administration should take this into consideration when
looking for causal factors regarding lagging test scores at the 5-6 level.
It seems that if there were advantages to the 5-6 upper elementary model
that you would find the configuration utilized elsewhere.


Steve






 -----Original Message-----
> From: grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com [mailto:grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com]On
> Behalf Of Steven
> Sent: Friday, March 30, 2007 8:28 AM
> To: Forest Grove local interests list
> Subject: Re: [Grovenet] An Important Matter
>
>
> How much do you want to bet it is a play to get more funding?
> Give us money or we cut off you music.
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