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Six proposals OK’d by Kyrene schools and how they affect you
Editor’s note: The following represents a
summary of recommendations approved by the Governing Board of the Kyrene
School District at its March 8 meeting. The recommendations were based on
preliminary results of a study conducted by teachers, parents, school and
district staff members. The board’s decisions will affect Kyrene
instructional programs starting with the 2005-06 academic year.
Background
Overseen by a committee established
last fall, the Kyrene School District’s K-8 Programming Study has been
designed to enhance student achievement while offsetting some of the
economic realities that have resulted from sharply reduced state and federal
revenues.
Following a series of meetings, the
committee’s members presented a variety of proposals to Dr. Maria Menconi,
the district superintendent. Of those proposals, Menconi selected six to be
submitted to the school board for action.
Other ideas presented to Menconi by the
committee were returned for further study as the committee continues its
sessions throughout the year.
Here is a breakdown of the
approved proposals and how they will affect students, parents and the
district:
Proposals and what they mean
Proposal:
Allocation of instructional time to include district-wide consistent and
defined standards
What it
means: Elementary students will have similar learning opportunities in
reading, math, science, social studies and writing. Uninterrupted
instructional time will be a priority.
Middle school students will see an
increase in instructional periods in core content areas.
Proposal: Elimination of February
Staff Development Day.
What it means: The elimination of
the February Staff Development Day--originally scheduled for February 10,
2006--will result in a minor change in the district’s school calendar for
next year.
Proposal: Implementation of a
district-wide Early Release Day on Wednesdays at all schools.
What this means: Beginning in the
2005-2006 school year, every Kyrene school will have the same early release
day. The time will be available to teachers and school staff for
preparation, training and professional development.
Proposal: Implementation of a
5-period instructional day in all middle schools.
What this means: The transition
from an 8-period day to a 5-period day will result in the following changes:
Class periods will be 68 minutes long;
Students will see an increase in
instructional time in science, social studies, math (for 7th and
8th graders) and language arts;
Spanish will move from a required course
in 7th and 8th grades to a year-long elective course
available to 6th, 7th and 8th graders;
Elective options of year-long courses
will include Spanish, band, orchestra, physical education and chorus;
Semester-long elective courses will
include art, theater, computer multi-media, family and consumer science;
A 20-minute Academic Lab homeroom will
be added;
Students will have two elective options
and will take those courses on alternate days;
Instructional time for certain elective
courses (band, orchestra, physical education, chorus) will decrease by about
17 percent;
Instructional time for other elective
courses (art, theater, computer multi media, family and consumer sciences)
will increase;
Proposal: Implementation of a
weighted index for administrative resource allocation.
What this means: A formula--which
includes school enrollment, free and reduced lunch rates, and other
factors--will be used in assigning full- and part-time assistant principal
positions at elementary schools.
Proposal: Supervision of academic
support programs by the Curriculum and Assessment Department.
What this means: The department
will now supervise academic support programs, including media specialists,
academic interventionists, literacy specialists and K-3 aides.
For
additional information regarding the study and its processes, visit www.kyrene.org/k8psc.
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