So where will your child be attending school next year?
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The Douglas Unified School District is looking at several options that while may keep much of the student classes together, may put them at new schools.
District administration made an hour-long presentation during the Tuesday, January 6, meeting to discuss attendance zone options.
District Superintendent Earl Pettit has been looking at this situation for several months because of the overcrowding at some schools.
For example, the average number of students per classroom in Stevenson is 26, while it is only 22 in Faras.
Following the discussion last Tuesday, the district board agreed to put out a survey to parents and staff (which went out Friday, January 9), conduct at least one study session and have public hearings.
The aim is to have a final decision made by the third week in February to prevent delays in hiring for next year.
Why change now
The reason for the proposed changes is threefold, according to Superintendent Earl Pettit.
√ Current school attendance zones do no align with population shifts and school sites. Much of the growth in Douglas is occurring on the east side, where there is very little room for growth for district schools.
√ Overcrowded schools, classroom size reductions and too high a student/teacher ratio.
√ Sixth grade in middle school setting not desirable.
The problem was caused because attendance zones for each of the elementary schools had not been changed in not only years, but also maybe decades.
The attendance zones didn’t even change when Joe Carlson School moved from 12th Street and A Avenue to behind the high school.
The superintendent originally presented four different options: (a) No change; (b) redistrict schools; (c) moved to a PreK-2, 3rd to 6th grade school format; and (d) move to a preK-6 model.
In C and D options, it would move sixth grade back to the elementary schools and only have one middle school – Huber.
Following is a comparison of the C and D options as presented to the board:
PreK-2, 3-6 model
• Sixth grade placed in elementary schools.
• Zones drawn to fill schools as close to 80 percent capacity as possible.
• 4 attendance zones:
√ 1 rural school zone for Faras.
√ 3 partner school zones:
-Zone 1 – Sarah Marley/Clawson.
- Zone 2 – Stevenson/Joe Carlson
- Zone 3 – ELC/Ray Borane.
PreK-6 model
• Sixth grade placed in elementary schools.
• Zones drawn to fill schools as close to 80 percent capacity as possible.
• 6 attendance zones
√ ELC/Ray Borane partner (Ray Borane school was not designed to have small children in it - multiple floors, too many steps, etc. – so the Pre-K-6 would be split between the two schools,
√ Faras
√ Clawson
√ Joe Carlson
√ Sarah Marley
√ Stevenson
Both of the changes would also do away with the Early Learning Center as a separate school and move the preschool classes to each of the individual schools.
Of course with any change, the first priority should be its impact on the students’ learning experience.
During the meeting, Curriculum Director Leanne Marston presented information on the different options.
Pros and Cons of No Change
Pros – Honors the current neighborhood school model.
Cons
√ Class sizes too large. Currently the district has 27 classrooms in the district with 28-34 students.
√ Lack of classrooms across the grade levels for grouping and teamwork.
√ Six combination classrooms exist.
√ No room for growth.
√ 6th grade would remain at the middle school.
Currently, based on having no more than an average of 25 students per classroom, Stevenson is at 105 percent of capacity, Carlson, 99 percent; and Clawson, 94 percent. Sarah Marley and Faras are at 80 percent or less of capacity based on current enrollment.
Pros and Cons of PreK-2, 3-6 model
Pros
√ Only four classrooms have 27 students – no classrooms exceed this number.
Three to four teachers at each grade level at each school except Faras.
√ Easy implementation of differentiated instruction and ELD programs.
√ Room for growth
√ Long-term solution.
√ Same number of transitions as the current model.
√ PLC model (adopted by the district) easily implemented or can be implemented better in a school with this configuration.
√ Good for curriculum planning.
Cons
√ Modifies the traditional neighborhood school that is popular in Douglas.
√ Two combination classrooms would be needed.
√ According to the figures in the draft, none of the elementary schools is over 80 percent capacity.
The Early Learning Center, which in this model would house PreK-2nd grade, would be at 105 percent capacity, but IT Director Javier Baca said it could easily be rectified by a slight alteration in the school attendance zone.
Pro and Cons for the PreK-6 model
Pros
√ Honors the current neighborhood school model.
√ Moves the sixth grade into the elementary as per research – 6th is an elementary grade, not a middle school grade.
√ Moves the Preschool into the elementary setting.
√ One less transition than the Pre-K-2/3-6 mode3l.
Cons
√ Class sizes are too large with 18 classrooms in the district with 28-34 students in them.
√ Lack of classrooms across each grade level – this is important for the ELD implementation and differentiated instruction.
√ Eight combination classrooms would be required to implement this model.
Under this plan, all schools would be at 82 percent capacity or less except for the ELC, which would be at 89 percent.
In the preK-6 model, the district would have to increase by 1 instructor and total net cost for implementation would be $85,000.
In the Pre-K-2/3-6 model, the district could reduce its staffing by four teacher positions for a net savings of $194,000.
Pettit said that the district is not looking at laying off any instructors. Not as many positions would have to be filled over the summer if they reduced the number of teacher positions.
Forums at a variety of elementary schools on these proposals continued this week.
A copy of the power point presentation made at the Tuesday board meeting and a survey copy will be available online at www.douglasdispatch.com beginning Monday, January 12.
The surveys have to be back to the district by Friday, January 16.
Comments
Once a Bulldog.. wrote on Jan 20, 2009 2:44 PM:
John Jay wrote on Jan 17, 2009 7:26 AM:
Leroy wrote on Jan 15, 2009 4:17 PM:
I have seen this with my own eyes, kids crossing with their Omega uniforms, CASS uniforms and many others you know are going to either high school are crossing the border, officers should be there around 1/4 to 7 in the morning and just look at the kids walking across, and the many more that are being driven accross. When school is out on Holiday, not much foot traffic and less cars, get these numbers from the Border Station. "
tax payer wrote on Jan 14, 2009 11:16 AM:
Ramona MacMurtrie wrote on Jan 13, 2009 7:48 PM:
t wrote on Jan 13, 2009 3:45 PM: