AG administration outlines middle school curriculum changes
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
Assistant superintendent Dr. Beth Hutson explains some of the details involved with the middle school curriculum realignment in the Albert Gallatin School District during a special meeting with parents and concerned citizens Wednesday at Albert Gallatin High School.
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
During a special meeting with parents and concerned citizens Wednesday at Albert Gallatin High School, superintendent Carl Bezjak talks about the Middle School curriculum realignment in the Albert Gallatin School District.
GEORGES TWP. — Albert Gallatin Area School District administration held a special meeting Wednesday to help district parents and students understand curriculum changes coming for middle school students in the 2013-14 school year.
Nearly 150 people attended the meeting, some with questions about the curriculum shift and the implementation of common core standards related to the curriculum changes.
“AG didn’t look for common core, it fell on us and on the state,” said Carl Bezjak, district superintendent.
After a school board meeting in May where the directors adopted curricular changes for Albert Gallatin North and South middle schools, the district was faced with many questions regarding the changes.
“There’s a lot of misinformation out there, and I want to be sure accurate information is given,” said Dr. Beth Hutson, assistant superintendent. “This is the perfect platform to discuss curriculum changes and how it relates to your student.”
One of the biggest changes is an emphasis on English language arts (ELA) and math.
Under the new national common core curriculum standards, students will receive double blocks of the two subjects. Although students may lose some elective instruction time, Hutson explained all students will still receive enrichment and/or intervention periods at the end of each day.
Hutson said the double blocks are not extra classes, but students grouped by ability will have instructional needs met through focused instruction which emphasizes depth and rigor.
She also said the reading and English are no longer standalone classes but are grouped together under the ELA curriculum. Middle school students will now have library research classes to support instruction. Math for middle school students will focus on concepts of algebra and foundational grade level skills that will prepare the students for secondary instruction.
Hutson said students will also be introduced to increased writing under the new curriculum.
“They will be asked to use, cite and synthesize information on a wide array of subjects,” said Hutson.
A shift in elective courses will move art from grade 7 to 8 and music from grade 7 to 6.
Hutson explained the shifts help to prepare students for the next level of instruction and will help increase early interest in those subjects.
Exploratory language in middle school has been eliminated for the time being, however, cultural awareness will be integrated as a theme for interdisciplinary projects in library research and the district may re-introduce exploratory language in the future.
Hutson explained the changes in curriculum will help students prepare for the next level of education
“If they get to the high school and don’t have basic skills, they are floundering,” she said.
She explained the goals of the common core changes will transition the way students learn and problem solve.
Administration also acknowledged the standardized test scores must also benefit from the curriculum changes in order for students in the Class of 2017 to graduate. The current eighth-grade students and subsequent grades must test proficiently on the Keystone Exams in order to graduate.
The district is currently under the state Department of Education (PDE) School Improvement I warning for failing to meet targets in Pennsylvania System of School Assessment.
Parents and taxpayers raised many questions to school administrators during the meeting, ranging from how classes are divided to how the needs of gifted and special needs students will be met.
Hutson said students of similar learning abilities will be grouped together, which means they will work at his or her own pace.
Parents are also worried that middles school students may be shortchanged by losing electives. Students not meeting academic benchmarks may lose elective class time due to remediation.
One concerned taxpayer questioned the overall purpose of common core.
“We are losing control of local schools due to common core. This is another federal (set of standards) that’s going to waste a lot of time and money,” he said.
Although the governor has changed the timetable of PA common core implementation, the district, like all others across the commonwealth, must begin to transition as directed by PDE Hutson explained.