Here are the reasons given last night at the school board meeting last night as to why the elementary schools should be restructured. I am not sure if the actual power point presentation will eventually be published but, with less than 30 days before the board has to take action I don’t want to chance the wait. **disclaimer: these is compiled from my handwritten notes taken at the meeting from the slides. ****
Reasons to change:
Equity in teaching and learning opportunities for all students.
Increased flexibility for remediation and accelerated learning.
All students experience quality programming.
Every student goes through Walter’s elementary.
Better class size management across grade levels.
Closing the achievement gap. Hughes and Middle school are currently FOCUS schools
Increase focus and urgency in reading and math
Leveraging strengths, interests and qualifications
Having teachers and administrators create the strongest grade level teams.
Align curriculum and learning activities at grade levels.
Deep dives with early elementary into reading and later elementary into math.
Support grade level PLCs and district professional development.
Engaging parent as active partners in education.
WHY NOW?
Legislative action and target funding.
HB511 and HB5144
$64M additional funding to GSRD in 2014/2015
MMC and CC emphasizes Algebra I & II
22F requiring more online learning starting in 5th grade
MEAP fades away in Fall 2014. Smarter balance begins in Spring 2015 (However if a school has just completed, or is in the middle of restructuring this assessment can be waived according to Dr. Davis)
Reading proficiency by 3rd grade. MOE/State BOA “Top Priority”
Marshall organization and board learning goals for reading and math.
GOALS
Math proficiency
Reading at grade level by 3rd grade for ALL students
School interventions replicated at home.
Use of web based technologies and applications.
RECOMMENDATION
K-2 at Gordon and Hughes with Shamrock remaining at Gordon and RK remaining at Hughes.
3-5 grades at Walters Elementary.
Enrollment projections:
2014/2015
39 sections/953 students
7 sections of 1st grade
6 sections of 2nd grade
6 sections of 3rd grade
5 sections of 4th grade
7 sections of 5th grade
2015/2016
38 sections/934 students
6 sections of 1st
7 sections of 2nd
6 sections of 3rd
6 sections of 4th
5 sections of 5th
2016/2017
38 sections/956 students
all grades have 6 sections.
****this assumes NO increases in enrollment.
Gordon Elementary would house 11 sections
Hughes Elementary would house 12 sections
Walters would house 18 sections
(you can refer to the red binder information on this site to see how many classrooms are available at each school)
Logistics
2014 Summer months would be used for the move. A majority of the move will be teacher supplies and personnel. Some classroom furniture. Moves would begin at the end of June and be completed in time for teacher meetings at the end of August.
Bathroom upsizing and locker installation would be needed at Walter’s.
Library materials would be assessed, organized and moved based on the grade levels at each building.
Not sure at this time where art and music will be housed. Not sure how CI and resource rooms will be addressed. Not sure how support staff will be used between buildings.
TRANSPORTATION
Start and end time at Walters would differ by 5 minutes from the early elementary buildings.
The shuttle hub would be at the middle school. All busses will go to every building in the morning.
Parents could shuttle or pick up at the early elementary schools first and then go to Walter’s to pick up later elementary school students due to the 5 minutes later end time at Walters.
FINANCIALS
Dr. Davis admitted there WILL BE EXPENSES. Teachers and specialists will be impacted. There is the possibility for the need to hire more secretaries at Walters and administration assistance at Walters due to the number of students in the building.
Financial impact has not been studied as of the date of the meeting. This information will be compiled and presented to the board prior to the vote on March 10th.
For Marshall Kids 