Trinity may shuffle some students
Trinity Area School Board is considering whether to move eighth-graders to the high school and fifth-graders to the middle school.
The board also is considering whether to end full-day kindergarten and whether to redistrict students out of Trinity West Elementary because of overcrowding concerns.
The discussions came up during Thursday’s school board finance committee meeting. No decisions have been made.
Finance committee members asked Superintendent Paul Kasunich to come up with a preliminary report about the impact of those changes on education programs and finances. He will have a report for the board in May.
Jim Manley, the consultant hired by the board to review the district, recommended in his March report that the board consider redistricting as well as moving eighth-graders to the high school and creating primary centers. He said all options should be considered to gain space.
School board member Dennis McWreath said there would probably be greater flexibility of educational programs for eighth-graders if they were at the high school and for fifth-graders if they moved to the middle school.
McWreath said he also wanted to know if it would be better for the district financially.
If fifth-graders were moved to the middle school, there would be enough space at Trinity West and no need for redistricting, he said. McWreath said there is enough room at the middle and high schools to move the students to those facilities.
“If it is a good idea from an educational standpoint and it’s a good idea from a financial standpoint, then I think it should be done sooner rather than later,” McWreath said after the meeting.
During the meeting, he questioned whether the changes could be done for the fall.
Superintendent Paul Kasunich said it would be a more efficient use of staff and it would give eighth-graders more educational opportunities.
However, he said when it happened at a previous district he worked at, there were parental concerns about eighth-graders being in the same building as 12th-graders. He said the district didn’t see a lot of problems from having that grade grouping in one building.
Logistically, he said, the change would not be a problem. But should the board decide it wants to go that route, Kasunich suggesting explaining it to the community over the course of a year.
“It’s one thing to see it on paper,” he said. “It’s another when it affects your son or daughter. Then it’s personal.”
Kasunich said he’s concerned that the community buy in to the idea, or at least, understand the benefits of it.
“If implemented correctly, none of them would be detrimental to kids,” Kasunich said.
Board member Colleen Interval said if it’s going to give students more educational value, then it should be done.
“That’s what this new board is about,” she said.
From a financial standpoint, moving the grades makes a lot of sense, said board member Scott Day.
“But September is not that far away,” he said, suggesting it might be better to wait a year.
McWreath said that he was a big supporter of full-day kindergarten. However, he questioned whether it is effective since 10 percent of Trinity kindergartners were held back this year. He said Trinity never had a retention rate that high with half-day kindergarten.
The board also is considering whether to end full-day kindergarten and whether to redistrict students out of Trinity West Elementary because of overcrowding concerns.
The discussions came up during Thursday’s school board finance committee meeting. No decisions have been made.
Finance committee members asked Superintendent Paul Kasunich to come up with a preliminary report about the impact of those changes on education programs and finances. He will have a report for the board in May.
Jim Manley, the consultant hired by the board to review the district, recommended in his March report that the board consider redistricting as well as moving eighth-graders to the high school and creating primary centers. He said all options should be considered to gain space.
School board member Dennis McWreath said there would probably be greater flexibility of educational programs for eighth-graders if they were at the high school and for fifth-graders if they moved to the middle school.
McWreath said he also wanted to know if it would be better for the district financially.
If fifth-graders were moved to the middle school, there would be enough space at Trinity West and no need for redistricting, he said. McWreath said there is enough room at the middle and high schools to move the students to those facilities.
“If it is a good idea from an educational standpoint and it’s a good idea from a financial standpoint, then I think it should be done sooner rather than later,” McWreath said after the meeting.
During the meeting, he questioned whether the changes could be done for the fall.
Superintendent Paul Kasunich said it would be a more efficient use of staff and it would give eighth-graders more educational opportunities.
However, he said when it happened at a previous district he worked at, there were parental concerns about eighth-graders being in the same building as 12th-graders. He said the district didn’t see a lot of problems from having that grade grouping in one building.
Logistically, he said, the change would not be a problem. But should the board decide it wants to go that route, Kasunich suggesting explaining it to the community over the course of a year.
“It’s one thing to see it on paper,” he said. “It’s another when it affects your son or daughter. Then it’s personal.”
Kasunich said he’s concerned that the community buy in to the idea, or at least, understand the benefits of it.
“If implemented correctly, none of them would be detrimental to kids,” Kasunich said.
Board member Colleen Interval said if it’s going to give students more educational value, then it should be done.
“That’s what this new board is about,” she said.
From a financial standpoint, moving the grades makes a lot of sense, said board member Scott Day.
“But September is not that far away,” he said, suggesting it might be better to wait a year.
McWreath said that he was a big supporter of full-day kindergarten. However, he questioned whether it is effective since 10 percent of Trinity kindergartners were held back this year. He said Trinity never had a retention rate that high with half-day kindergarten.
Labels: Trinity
posted by Dawn Keller at
4:42 PM
3 Comments:
Wow, where to begin....Before the board makes such drastic changes, they really need to speak with the people involved. As a parent of high school students, many concerns were expressed by my children, such as an increase in 8th grade pregnancies, 13 year olds going to school with 18, 19, and 20 yr. olds, bullying, lunch money being taken, seniors going after 8th grade girls, etc. I think you get the idea. If I had a daughter in 8th grade, I surely wouldn't want her going to high school at that age.
There are many stories going around about reasons the board want to move the 5th grade to the middle school and the 8th grade to the high school. 1. West is overcrowded and if they move the 8th graders out, they won't have to redistrict; 2. They can close South and move the rest of those students into the other 3 elementary schools; 3. Some of the board members have grandchildren in the elementary's that would be moved if they redistrict, so by moving the 5th and 8th grades, their grandchildren stay put.
I don't think they are aware of all that's involved by moving the 8th graders to the high school...Some concerns are:
Public high schools have to keep students, if they want to stay, until they are 19, 20, even 21 years old and there are some.
Upper class students who can't get dates from kids in their own class will filter down to the 8th grade, who will think it's cool to date an upperclassman.
What about bullying and intimidating the 8th graders for money or whatever...
The integration of the 8th graders with the rest of the student body in lunches, gym classes, etc.
The 8th graders being exposed to the language and actions and activities of the upperclassmen.
I read in one of these articles that the board is considering cutting books and technology to save money. This is so absurd. This board campaigned on improving education....how is cutting books improving education. Some of the books being used are already 7 years old and the information is outdated. So far, nothing I've read shows me that this board is about improving education. They are ruining our school district in the 1 year they are holding office.
Bringing 8th graders to the high school, increasing class sizes because of that, eliminating the regular level of instruction so those slower learners are forced to take college prep classes, total inclusion of all learning support students into the main stream classes, which now will be college prep....what the hell are they thinking? There's going to be so much chaos in the high school that we'll be lucky if any learning goes on at all.
Wake up voters of the Trinity district...you've created a monster...you better tame it now before it's too late.
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