Middle School Design Team Middle School Design Team (MSDT) Phase II:(MSDT) Phase II:

Revised Draft Revised Draft RecommendationsRecommendations

Rigor, Relevance, and Rigor, Relevance, and Responsiveness (RResponsiveness (R33))

April 14, 2009April 14, 2009

Guiding PrinciplesGuiding Principles• Provide student/staff teams, that lead to a nurturing, Provide student/staff teams, that lead to a nurturing,

supportive environment for learningsupportive environment for learning

• Commit to success for all students through flexible Commit to success for all students through flexible grouping of students in heterogeneous teamsgrouping of students in heterogeneous teams

• Advocate for and support the developmental needs, Advocate for and support the developmental needs, interests, and talents of all middle school studentsinterests, and talents of all middle school students

• Differentiate learning opportunities for studentsDifferentiate learning opportunities for students

• Provide flexibility in scheduling to best meet student Provide flexibility in scheduling to best meet student needs on teams, at grade levels, and in schoolsneeds on teams, at grade levels, and in schools

• Engage and educate families and the wider community Engage and educate families and the wider community to actively support middle school studentsto actively support middle school students

Key ComponentsKey Components• Grade level teamsGrade level teams

– Interdisciplinary team configurationsInterdisciplinary team configurations– Common planning time Common planning time

• Individual teacher planning timeIndividual teacher planning time

• Interdisciplinary approach to teaching/curriculum Interdisciplinary approach to teaching/curriculum

• Teacher-student advisory programTeacher-student advisory program

• A clearly articulated exploratory/electives programA clearly articulated exploratory/electives program

• A comprehensive after-school activity programA comprehensive after-school activity program

• Inclusive opportunities for all students Inclusive opportunities for all students

ChargeChargeBuilding upon the work of the Middle School Design Team Phase I, Building upon the work of the Middle School Design Team Phase I, develop options that will allow the Superintendent to make short and/or develop options that will allow the Superintendent to make short and/or long term recommendations concerning the following:long term recommendations concerning the following:

• Alternative/hybrid schedulesAlternative/hybrid schedules– CoreCore– Electives (Encore)Electives (Encore)– Middle School instructional and activities timesMiddle School instructional and activities times

• Elective course offeringsElective course offerings

• Extended instruction in core classes in response to student need as Extended instruction in core classes in response to student need as revealed revealed through achievement datathrough achievement data

• Teacher/Advisory time and deliveryTeacher/Advisory time and delivery

• Professional development:Professional development:– Adolescent learning theoryAdolescent learning theory– Summer Institutes and Small Learning CommunitiesSummer Institutes and Small Learning Communities– Maximizing benefits of flexible schedulingMaximizing benefits of flexible scheduling

Develop a pilot alternative schedule that allows for extended instruction Develop a pilot alternative schedule that allows for extended instruction in core subjects (English, math, reading (Grade 6), science, and social in core subjects (English, math, reading (Grade 6), science, and social studies), through the use of:studies), through the use of:

1.1. a combination of traditional and block scheduling that considers a combination of traditional and block scheduling that considers extended instruction time in one or more core areas for some or all extended instruction time in one or more core areas for some or all studentsstudents

2.2. longer blocks of time that can be utilized for curriculum activities and longer blocks of time that can be utilized for curriculum activities and other instructional experiences to minimize impact upon other other instructional experiences to minimize impact upon other

coursescourses

3.3. strategically implemented quarter or alternate day electives in strategically implemented quarter or alternate day electives in Grades Grades 7 and 8 in addition to existing semester and year long 7 and 8 in addition to existing semester and year long courses to courses to

ensure that students have additional support in reading and math, as ensure that students have additional support in reading and math, as warranted, and still be provided with elective opportunitieswarranted, and still be provided with elective opportunities

4.4. strategically implemented alternate day or quarter scheduling in strategically implemented alternate day or quarter scheduling in Grade 6 for students selecting foreign language/elective or foreign Grade 6 for students selecting foreign language/elective or foreign language/other optionslanguage/other options

Draft Recommendations -- SchedulingDraft Recommendations -- Scheduling

Continue to provide Teacher Advisories in the middle Continue to provide Teacher Advisories in the middle school that align with District goals and objectives, engages school that align with District goals and objectives, engages families, and fosters increased one-on-one adult-student families, and fosters increased one-on-one adult-student relationships that help build a sense of community for relationships that help build a sense of community for students through:students through:

1.1. a consistent meeting time within the week (at least three a consistent meeting time within the week (at least three times within each week) in the a.m. that includes times within each week) in the a.m. that includes

information sharing with familiesinformation sharing with families2.2. a consistent developmental curriculum that allows for the a consistent developmental curriculum that allows for the

social emotional development of the middle school childsocial emotional development of the middle school child3.3. a flexible format that allows for periodic extended a flexible format that allows for periodic extended meeting time to facilitate team based activities or meeting time to facilitate team based activities or academic supportacademic support

Draft Recommendations – T/ADraft Recommendations – T/A

Provide for an elective program that stresses the value of the arts and Provide for an elective program that stresses the value of the arts and other electives for their importance to the whole child and that:other electives for their importance to the whole child and that:

1.1. maintains existing elective course offerings based upon student maintains existing elective course offerings based upon student enrollment and interestenrollment and interest2.2. provides a Grade 6 foreign language elective option that is not for provides a Grade 6 foreign language elective option that is not for

high school credit and is proficiency oriented to accommodate high school credit and is proficiency oriented to accommodate students with formal elementary language proficiency instruction as students with formal elementary language proficiency instruction as well as students who are beginning foreign language learningwell as students who are beginning foreign language learning3.3. explicitly reinforces reading, writing, and math concepts as explicitly reinforces reading, writing, and math concepts as appropriateappropriate4.4. considers inclusion of a remediation/acceleration elective offering considers inclusion of a remediation/acceleration elective offering

that incorporates technology and non-fiction reading and writing that incorporates technology and non-fiction reading and writing and offered to students in Grades 7 and 8and offered to students in Grades 7 and 85.5. encourages opportunities for student participation in after school encourages opportunities for student participation in after school classes that are part of the school’s flexible master schedule that classes that are part of the school’s flexible master schedule that reflect reflect the needs and interests of students; allows for cross-graded the needs and interests of students; allows for cross-graded course course enrollment when appropriate; and enhances and or extends enrollment when appropriate; and enhances and or extends the the existing electives programexisting electives program

Draft Recommendations – ElectivesDraft Recommendations – Electives

Provide support for middle school instructional staff through Provide support for middle school instructional staff through ongoing, sustained, and embedded professional development in ongoing, sustained, and embedded professional development in the areas of:the areas of:

1.1. best practices related to the use of block scheduling.best practices related to the use of block scheduling.

2.2. early adolescent learning theoryearly adolescent learning theory

3.3. effective teacher advisory programseffective teacher advisory programs

4.4. integration of reading and writing in elective and core content integration of reading and writing in elective and core content areasareas

As determined in the development of the pilot program, As determined in the development of the pilot program, redirection of resources or additional resources could be redirection of resources or additional resources could be identified and requested in support of pilot implementation. Any identified and requested in support of pilot implementation. Any such requests that require budgetary or policy changes must be such requests that require budgetary or policy changes must be approved by the School Board.approved by the School Board.

Draft Recommendations – SupportDraft Recommendations – Support

Next StepsNext StepsShare recommendations with Share recommendations with stakeholdersstakeholders

Early-April 2009Early-April 2009

Recommendations to Recommendations to SuperintendentSuperintendent

Mid-April 2009Mid-April 2009

Superintendent reports to Superintendent reports to School BoardSchool Board

May 2009May 2009

Summer professional Summer professional developmentdevelopment

July – August 2009July – August 2009

Develop pilotDevelop pilot September 2009– January 2010September 2009– January 2010

Implement pilotImplement pilot September 2010September 2010

• 12 parents/residents12 parents/residents• 6 administrators6 administrators• 6 Central Office staff6 Central Office staff• 12 School-Based staff12 School-Based staff• 1 High School teacher1 High School teacher• 1 Elementary School teacher1 Elementary School teacher• 1 AEA representative1 AEA representative• Assistant Superintendent, InstructionAssistant Superintendent, Instruction• Staff Liaisons:Staff Liaisons:

– Special Projects CoordinatorSpecial Projects Coordinator– Special Projects SpecialistSpecial Projects Specialist

MembershipMembership