I.S.D. 166 school board met for a four-hour marathon school board meeting on March 16 and discussed a wide array of topics. The most notable was the request to study a change in class scheduling next year.
Block scheduling
High school English teacher Michael McHugh came before the board during public comments and stressed his support for block scheduling.
As the teacher’s union president, McHugh said, “My colleagues and I are really excited,” about the possibility of the school changing from a seven-period day to four block periods per day for the next school year.
Traditional school schedules have six, seven, or eight periods. Block schedules consist of three or four class periods. The most widely used block table is the alternate-day schedule, and if I.S.D. 166 turns to a block schedule, that is the one now most preferred.
In alternate day schedules, instructors and students meet every-other day for 90-minute classes.
Benefits of block schedules include more uninterrupted classroom time for teachers and students, less hallway noise and more teacher instructional time because there isn’t much time lost with the beginning and ending classes.
Potential problems exist when teachers can’t keep students motivated for 90 minutes. Teachers that lecture for the entire 90-minute period and don’t engage students in active learning often lose some students’ interest. And if a kid misses a day under block scheduling, it is like missing two days of instruction under traditional scheduling.
Still, said school counselor Kris Hoffman, the benefits of block versus traditional scheduling are significant.
Hoffman and assistant principal Dr. Bill DeWitt both touted block scheduling later in the meeting.
Hoffman pointed out that there is no statistical difference in SAT scores or other test scores from kids enrolled in either block or traditional schools.
However, said Hoffman, schools that use block scheduling experience far fewer disruptions and have 37 to 52 percent fewer disciplinary problems than schools that use the traditional method.
Kids would also be offered more electives through block scheduling and classes with labs would benefit from the extra time to complete their work, Hoffman said.
Dr. DeWitt said teachers would have more time to work through lesson plans in a 90-minute block versus 29 minutes now used in most classrooms. “Teachers would get a lot more time to connect with the kids,” he added.
Board chair Sissy Lunde said it might be too late to switch to block scheduling for 2017-2018. “Kids have already registered for next year so they would have to re-register if we went to this.
“What works somewhere else might not work here,” she added. “We have to make sure that before we do this that it is something the staff, students and the parents approve. We have to cross our ‘Ts’ and dot our ‘Is’ before we decide to make any change.”
It was also noted that the teachers’ union would have to vote on a scheduling change before anything could happen. Hoffman and DeWitt said they would meet individually with teachers to discuss block scheduling and then ask teachers to fill out an anonymous survey on a Survey Monkey — or another anonymous computer board — about their feelings of making a programming change for the next school year.
“I would like to see this be data driven and that we are doing this for all of the right reasons,” said Lunde.
Board members Jeanne Larson and Carrie Jansen liked the enthusiasm they heard from Mr. McHugh, Hoffman and DeWitt, and encouraged them to carry on. Hoffmann said he thought all of the Is and Ts could be dotted this year and that block scheduling could be a reality of next year. More meetings and discussions will follow before any changes are made, however.
Donations and grants
Dr. Crandall said the school had received three grants and one donation. Northland Foundation gave $5,990 that will be used for building character.
The Education Foundation granted $317 to the culinary arts program for equipment. The Education Foundation also made a donation of $1,770 to pay for students to attend the Concordia Language Camp. Sivertson Art Gallery donated several boxes of sketching paper and matting material to the art department.
Board report
Deb White attended the Local Indian Education Committee (LIEC) on Feb. 22. “There is a concern about the district’s Indian Policy; they feel the policy is too generic. Faculty representative Mike McHugh continues to be a good listener and thus, does so well with expanding conversations… defining the concerns and the potential solutions wanted. He is a tremendous asset for the students and the district.”
Motions passed
. The board approved the radon testing report that showed the school was well below the Environmental Protection Ageny’s (EPA) safe levels. The school is tested yearly for radon.
. Andrew Hallberg read his winning entry for a scholarship that will pay for his trip to Legion Ville this summer to attend crossing guard camp. Andrew said crossing guards work in the rain, the cold, the wind, all with the goal of keeping parents and kids safe when they cross the road to come to and from school. “It’s a lot of responsibility,” said Andrew, who is in the fifth grade.
. Pre-school registration packet information for the 2017-2018 year was approved. Superintendent Dr. William Crandall said the school “never turns away a family because of a lack of money.”
. Spring coaches’ contracts were approved. It was noted that there are 11 volunteer coaches for track and field this year. Jeanne Larson asked why track and field isn’t a school-endorsed sport, due to its large number of participants. Crandall said he would look into it and report back to the board.
. Policy 24 was reviewed and approved. The policy is about making sure the school hires qualified, licensed teachers. A school board that employs a teacher who does not hold a valid teaching license or permit places itself at risk for a reduction in state aid. Crandall said that if a licensed teacher can’t be hired, the district could hire “community experts.” I.S.D. 166 employees a choir teacher and culinary arts instructor who are community experts, said Crandall.
. The school’s bullying policy (514cc) came under scrutiny at the start of the meeting during public comments.
A mother of a junior high student complained that her son had been slapped in the face in a classroom and the perpetrator received only one day of in-school suspension, which she didn’t believe was enough for the harm it had caused her child.
Lunde continually interrupted the speaker, who said she was there to advocate for her son. Lunde told her that the statements she made might violate the data privacy act, and she should take her complaint to the principal. That had already occurred, said the mom, who wasn’t satisfied with the meeting. Lunde told her that someone from the school would contact her in the coming days after the school board meeting. Dr. DeWitt told the board that a committee was working on a revised bullying policy and would bring it to the board when it was finished for review.
. The school board approved the purchase of a 77-passenger bus from Hoglund Bus & Truck Co. for $349,330.28. It will be delivered in August.
At the request of Dr. Crandall purchase of a 14-passenger bus was put on hold until after the school board does a budget review.
. The school board approved a joint powers agreement with Lake County School District to share superintendent services.
. The annual RAMS (Range Association of Municipalities and School Membership) membership was approved.
. Pamela Foster was hired as a full-time ECSE teacher for 2017-2018.
. The school board accepted the retirement of high school language arts teacher Ivy Church with regrets and “great appreciation for her years of service,” said Jeanne Larson. “We wish her well,” added Lunde.
. A reduction of hours was approved for special education teacher Julie Bishop with those hours picked up by special education teacher Sara DeWitt.
. Stephanie Lott, a substitute kindergarten teacher, had her pay adjusted to reflect her work.
. Bids will be let shortly so that a portion of the school roof over Sawtooth Elementary and the roof over the school gymnasium corridor can be repaired this summer. Cost is estimated at $275,000 with a completion date of August 9, if the weather cooperates. Dr. Crandall said that the roof over the culinary arts and science room would be repaired the following summer (2018-2019) when both rooms will be rebuilt.
. May 4 was selected to have a budget workshop. It will be open to the public and run from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Mianowski center.
. Theresa Lindgren was hired as a full-time bus driver.
. Science teacher Al Heine was granted a third-year extension medical leave.
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