Regional School District No. 6

School Design Work Group

Public Hearing – September 3, 2019

Work Group Composition

In September of 2018, the Board of Education established a Work Group on School Design and Enrollment with the following membership:

From Each Town (Total 12) 1 - Elementary Parent 1 - Secondary Parent 2 - Community Members (1 can be a parent) From District (Total 3) 1 - Administrator (Appointed by Superintendent) 1 - Teacher (Appointed by WAMOGO Educators Association) 1 - Non-Certified Staff (Appointed by Superintendent)

Work Group Members

A special thanks and recognition to the members of this Work Group who have served the communities of Regional School District 6:

Amy Anderson (Warren) Bob Asman (Morris) Jessica Baker (Morris) KC Chapman (Administrator) Michael Cardinal (Goshen) Emily Cole (Goshen) Robert DeLayo (Warren) Melissa Desmond (Warren)

Jennifer Humphries-Finch (Morris) Margie Groht (Morris) Becky Hubschman (Goshen) Brandon Ives (Goshen) Alexandrea Papp (Warren) Darren Ranft (Teacher) Jeremiah Sattazahn (District)

Work Group - Process

The Work Group “acknowledging nearly a decade of decreased school enrollment the goal is to provide the Regional School District 6 Board of Education with a school design proposal” The Work Group met on the following days: • November 8, 2018 • December 13, 2018 • January 17, 2019 • February 21, 2019 • March 21, 2019 • April 11, 2019

Education • Curriculum coordination across grade levels • Common instructional practice and expectations for all grades/sites • Cohesive special education services based on individual student need

Programs • Increased program opportunities for students (art, music, sports and theater) • Grade level enrichment programs (field trips, electives, opportunities)

Social/Emotional • Extended social peer groups for students/parents/schools • Increased town-to-town student relations

Finance • Long-term savings through concentrated grade enrollment • Reduction of spending redundancies (staffing, supplies, transportation)

Work Group – Guiding Rationales

Recommendations – Presented to Board of Education on April 22, 2019

• Middle School Configuration

• Extend Pre-School Opportunities

• Expand Life Skills Program (PK-12)

• Marketing and Communication

Middle School Concept

Elementary Enrollment (as of 1.1.2019)

Secondary Enrollment (as of 1.1.2019)

Projected Enrollment

102 96 101 100 104

91

141

156 149 146

140

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

Actual 2018-2019

Projected 2019-2020

Projected 2020-2021

Projected 2021-2022

Projected 2022-2023

Projected 2023-2024

Enrollment (7-8)

Adjusted Enrollment (6-8)

RSD6 Middle School Location (Current)

8 Classrooms

RSD6 Middle School Location

Middle School Entrance (New) Separated from High School by a door Middle School Bathrooms Additional Classrooms (2) Principals Office (Current)

Middle School Program Enhancements

• Co-Taught 6th Grade Classes (ELA and Math)

• Course Choices (AgSci; Tech Ed, Culinary Arts, Arts, Music, Electives)

• Coordinated Enrichment / Remediation

• Expanded Art, Music, and Theater Programs

• Increased participation / competitive sports

• Facility Access

• Club / Social / Peer Groups

Considerations (from 4.22.2019)

• Charter Change (Required BOE Approval and Referendum)

• When? Proposed for 2020-2021 (More realistic 2021-2022)

• Separate Middle School Transportation (Three Tier System) • Student Transition

• Employee Reduction (1.5-2 FTE)

• Employee Bumping (Certification)

Considerations

In the most common grade configuration in American school districts, public school students make two school transitions, entering a middle school in grade 6 and a high school in grade 9. Examples of surrounding and/or high performing districts that use the 6-8 Middle School Model:

Region(s) 14, 15, 16 New Milford Watertown Plymouth Torrington Oxford Wolcott Southington

Monroe Milford New Fairfield Granby Ridgefield Darien Fairfield

Considerations (Math)

There are many studies that indicate whenever a student experiences a transition, there is an initial drop in reading and math scores. However, students who make the transition to middle school at 6th grade experience much less of a decline compared to those who make the transition at 7th grade.

Data from Martin R. West, assistant professor of education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and deputy director of the Program on Education Policy and Governance (PEPG) at Harvard’s Kennedy School.

Considerations (Reading)

Data from Martin R. West, assistant professor of education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and deputy director of the Program on Education Policy and Governance (PEPG) at Harvard’s Kennedy School.

Considerations (Overall)

Education Research Service (ERS): Summary of Research on Middle Schools and Organization of the Middle Grades: A Summary of Research

Additional Key Findings: • Students’ ages in a 6th, 7th and 8th grade school would more nearly parallel the period of human growth and

development between childhood and adolescence called transcendence. Research indicates children are in pubescence between ages 11 and 13, the ages of students in grades 6-8.

• Sixth graders would receive greater stimulation and departmentalization of teaching and special facilities and equipment, e.g., shops and labs, to advance according to their ability.

• 6th graders in middle schools - facilitate a flexibility in grouping children for instructional purposes and would afford an opportunity for a broader curriculum offering

• The middle school has an identity of its own which enhances pupils’ sense of belonging. Students in 6th grade are at a good age to have a fresh start in a new school one year earlier versus waiting for 7th grade. That is, they could detach themselves from old labels, make new friends and be introduced to new subjects and teaching styles.

• Having a 6-8 middle school would enable the school to develop a program of extracurricular activities and to provide experiences and leadership specifically for early adolescents in those grades.

Considerations (Overall)

Education Research Service (ERS): Summary of Research on Middle Schools and Organization of the Middle Grades: A Summary of Research

Additional Key Findings: • The three-grade (6-7-8) organizational pattern can provide more stability to the overall program than a two-grade

(7-8) pattern. More time exists in which to develop programs, promote teacher/pupil relationships, and provide individualized instruction to meet the highly variable needs and ability levels of this age group.

• The middle school facilitates extending guidance services to sixth grade students. The guidance counselor is an integral part of the organization, working closely with teachers and students

• The 6th grade middle school program provides an opportunity for gradual change from the self-contained classrooms to complete departmentalization.

• Having developed the fundamentals of academic skills, children at this age (6th grade) profit from the opportunities to explore other subject areas through science labs, home economics and industrial arts facilities, foreign languages, and so forth.

Charter Change – Legislation Clarification

Sec. 10-47c. Amendment of plan. With the exception of the terms which pertain to the capital contribution of member towns, the transfer of property to the regional school district, the grades included, the size of the board of education and the representation of each town on the board and the towns to be served by the regional school district, the terms of the plan approved through referenda pursuant to section 10-45 may be amended as follows: If a regional board of education finds it advisable to amend the plan or if the legislative body of a town served by the regional board of education requests amendment of such plan, the regional board of education shall prepare a report on the proposed amendment, including the question to be presented, file a copy with the Commissioner of Education and the clerk of each member town and make copies of such report available to the public at a district meeting called to present the plan. After such public hearing, the board shall set the date for referenda which shall be held simultaneously in each member town between the hours of six a.m. and eight p.m. At least thirty days before the date of the referenda, the regional board of education shall notify the town clerk in each member town to call the referendum on the specified date to vote on the specified question. The warning of such referenda shall be published, the vote taken and the results thereof canvassed and declared in the same manner as is provided for the election of officers of a town. The town clerk of each town shall certify the vote of the town to the regional board of education and the Commissioner of Education. If the majority vote in each town of the district is in favor of the proposed amendment to the plan, such amendment shall take effect immediately. https://www.cga.ct.gov/2017/pub/chap_164.htm#sec_10-47c

1970 – Charter (Question)

Question before the Board of Education (Pending September 16, 2019)

MOVED, that the Board of Education for Regional School District No. 6, recommend amendment of the Regional School District No. 6 Plan to allow 6th grade students in Warren, Morris and Goshen to attend school other than the local elementary school located in each town, pursuant to the provisions of Connecticut General Statutes Section 10-47c, and set a referendum in each town for November 5, 2019 from 6 am to 8 pm to address the following question: Shall the Regionalization Plan for Regional School District Number 6 be amended to provide that “No Kindergarten through Grade 5 pupils shall be transported from their current local school to another town in the district.”? _____Yes _____No

Next Steps

Next Steps

• Public Hearing - September 3, 2019

• Board of Education Meeting - September 16, 2019

If question approved

• Community Mailing – October 2019

• Referendum – November 5, 2019

• Planning – January 2020 - Forward