Board of Education: Board Projects

High School Reform

March 29, 2006

Board of Director's and School Change

As teachers, administrators, and board members, one of the hardest deterrents to overcome while making discussions for our youth is the strong memory of what school was like for us. Whether your experience was good, bad or indifferent, those influences have shaped you into the person you are today and the type of experience you want your children to have. So how does a school prepare their student body for the world that is so unlike what we were set out to conquer that day of graduation in all of our lives? How do we instruct these multi-task, technology wiz, short attention span, and highly critical students? How do we create a learning environment for them when the two largest subgroups of parents are the ones that fight to get them out of all their battles and the group that has no interest in their children's education?

This is a battle that we continue to fight at school. The administration and board have been looking at a way to better prepare our college bound and work bound students. The board is looking at the following programs to assist our students in postsecondary life.

Next Year:

Weighted Secondary Classes

Any class for college credit (including our 5 in 4 program), Advanced Placement classes, and from the following list of our on campus classes would be weighted: Advanced Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology, and Spanish IV. A student that would take any of the mentioned courses would be graded on a 5.0 scale compared to a 4.0 scale. The goal of this plan is to encourage students to take higher level courses with less risk.

Dropping or Reducing Study Hall

A painful fact of life is that students do not use their study hall the way we would like to think they do. Even worse, students that are graduating this year are taking non-core classes and have up to four study halls a day. What a waste when they could take high school classes in the district or online and classes for college credit at IWCC in Shenandoah for free.

If study halls are not reduced altogether, the board would limit any student to one per semester. If the student chooses not to use their time wisely they may have to take a class offered during that period. If they are on the down list, they could also be required to attend after school tutoring.

Graduates of 2008 and After:

Class Rank

The board has discussed the issue of class rank. There are some districts around the state that have decided that class rank is hurting their student's education more than helping it. Our students who are the brightest don't take challenging courses so in that a tough course will not negatively affect their grade point average (GPA). Due to class rank, we have one valedictorian and salutatorian. In many of our classes the top 4 or more students have only a couple thousandths of a point difference on the GPA scale. That is correct, thousands (0.001). As for this year we have six students within a tenth of a point from a 4.0. So how do we change this? One possibility would be to use a weighted GPA to honor students that are in the top 10, 15, and 20% of the class. The percents are higher than larger schools, but due to that size they must be increased to get the same effect. Using this formula and this year as an example, there would be three students in the highest (10%) ranking, two students in the second highest (15%) ranking and one additional student in the third tier (20%). The lowest grade point average of the group would be 38 thousandths from a 4.0 GPA.

Higher Requirements

The board is examining the possibility of changing our core requirements of four years of English/Language Arts and three or more years of mathematics and science to four years of each, including social studies.

Class Substitution

With the possibility of the changing core requirements class substitution might be introduced. Here is a sample of what the board is looking at:

Agriculture: 2 years of agriculture = 1 year of science

Physical Science and Biology are required and may not be replaced.

Accounting: 1 year of accounting = 1 semester of math, 2 years = 1 year of math

Vocational Core: 1 year = 1 year of math

At least 2 years of math must be taken in the math department

Art: 4 years of art = 1 semester of Social Studies

American History and Government are required and may not be replaced.

Health: 1 year will not count towards the 3 years required in science

Students are not allowed to retake a class for a higher grade. Students will not receive dual credit for a course. Those "replaced" classes will be waived and the student will still need 48 credits to graduate.

Senior Projects/Portfolios

The board is examining the possibility of our 2008 graduates and after to display their final project of 13 years in public education. The project would incorporate interdisciplinary tasks and be a requirement before receiving a diploma.

In Conclusion

As the board discusses these items, they understand you might have questions. They encourage your questions and feedback. I would also encourage anyone in the district, whether you have a preschooler or a senior to drop by and check out two DVDs from the school that exemplifies why the board is thinking of adopting changes. With the help of our community, we can give our students the best chance of success after they receive their diploma.

Quote of the Month

Louis Pasteur is most notably known for pasteurization or the ability at that time to prevent wine and milk from going sour. His advances in Chemistry confirmed that germs caused disease and also brought the end of rabies. I thank him for fresh milk, but I think of his quote, "Fortune favors the prepared mind."

"Fortune favors the prepared mind."

- Louis Pasteur