Middle School Solutions Team

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Middle School Solutions Team

• K-8 Programming Study
• February 4, 2005

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Developed New Models

• Retains the middle school model
• Moves to 7-period or 5-period day
• Increases instructional minutes
• Increases duration of instruction in core
• Focuses on math and language arts
• Students and teachers in teams
• Provides common team planning period
• Provides consistency between schools
• Teachers teach highly qualified subject
• Students have one exploratory period
• Students have choices of exploratories
• Provides cost efficiencies

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7 Period Day Schedule
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7 Period Day Timetable
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7P Exploratory Schedule
Based on 180 students going to exploratory per
period
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Current to 7 Period Day
Early Release Day is not accounted for
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7P Schedule Features

• Creates teams of 180 students, 2 reading/language
  arts teachers, 2 math teachers, a science teacher
  and a social studies teacher
• All students have Math Apps
• Students have double period of Science or Social
  Studies on alternating A/B days
• On Early Release Days students receive about 60
  minutes of instruction in core
• Maximizes core instructional minutes by limiting
  transitions

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Schedule 7 Period Day

• Strengths
• 47 minute classes
• 97 minute blocks
• Retains student teams
• 180-student teams
• Fewer transitions
• Increase time in math
• Possible blocking in Science and SS
• Less night-time stress
• Common team plan
• Homeroom period

• Weaknesses
• Less explo options
• Less time in explo with A/B rotation
• Scheduling explo may be challenging
• Doesnt increase time in Science and SS
• Need additional math teachers
• 97 minute blocks may be too long for students

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5 Period Day Schedule
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Exploratory Schedule 1
Based on 240 students going to exploratory per
period
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Exploratory Schedule 2
Based on 240 students going to exploratory per
period
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5 Period Day Schedule
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Current to 5 Period Day
Early Release Day is not accounted for
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Current to 5 Period Day
Early Release Day is not accounted for
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5P Schedule Features

• Creates teams of 120 students, 1 language arts
  teacher, 1 math teacher, 1 science teacher, and 1
  social studies teacher
• Emphasizes writing, reading, listening and
  speaking in the content areas (50 of AIMS is
  informational reading, not fiction)
• On Early Release Days students receive about 45
  minutes of instruction in all classes
• Maximizes core instructional minutes by limiting
  transitions

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5-Period Day

• Strengths
• 68 minute classes
• Smaller student teams
• Fewer transitions
• Increase time in math, science, social studies
• Longer lab and explo periods
• More choices for students (A/B explo)
• Less night-time stress
• Common team plan
• Homeroom period

• Weaknesses
• Less language arts
• Language arts teachers have 120 students instead
  of 90
• Decrease math in 6th
• Advanced classes may be more difficult to
  schedule
• Scheduling explo may be challenging
• More costly than 7-period day

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Orchestra Possibilities

• Zero hour
• 9th hour
• Add 1/3 FTE to each school
• Limited number of students
• May create elite teams

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Savings Comparisons
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Summary

• Maintains programs
• Increases core time
• Maximizes choice of exploratories
• Provides yearlong choices
• Reduces evening stress
• Provides substantial savings