| Author | Post |
|---|
Zach Colick
Member
| Joined: | Mon Jan 15th, 2007 |
| Location: | Sun City |
| Posts: | 376 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 8th, 2009 11:14 pm |
|
Editor's note: The following story appears in the June 11 Scottsdale Independent. Post comments by hitting reply in the upper right-hand corner. Comments will be posted in an upcoming issue of the Scottsdale Independent.
Hohokam to change school philosophy
Officials cite underutilized campus as part of rationale
By Zach Colick
Independent Newspapers
As enrollment continues to drop at various Scottsdale schools and creates underutilized campuses, Hohokam Elementary School is hoping its new emphasis on more “traditional” school subjects and philosophies will attract a larger and more diverse student population.
While Hohokam will not implement its “traditional” school model until August 2010, the 2009-10 school year will simply be a transition year to allow parents and students to determine whether a traditional school philosophy is the best fit for them.
The first step in the process includes implementing a new dress code.
Beginning this fall, all K-6 Hohokam students will be required to wear a school uniform. Boys can wear khaki, black or navy blue-colored slacks, while girls are required to wear either pants, capris, shorts, skirts, skorts or jumpers of the same required colors.
Shirts must also be a solid color — white, green, yellow, black or navy — with school-approved logos. They must be long or short-sleeve collared shirts. Students can, however, wear an approved spirit day T-shirt on Fridays in lieu of the regulation collared shirt.
Hohokam, 8451 E. Oak St., will then immerse itself into the traditional school model for the 2010-11 school year. PTA member Denny Brown said the Hohokam community has worked hard to develop a list of fundamental beliefs that is referred to as the “traditional pillars.”
They include classrooms with a strong academic focus; linear and sequential curriculums; high expectations for all; a dress code; partnerships between home and school; consistent discipline.
Mr. Brown said he believes a majority of parents back the move to a traditional school as approximately 80 percent favored the decision in a recent survey that the PTA disseminated.
A traditional school model emphasizes core academic subjects, with sequential and linear curriculums, as well as high expectations for all students with set rules throughout the school — not just in a particular classroom.
School officials said such a curriculum allows for consistency throughout a student’s academic career, so students know what to expect each year at a traditional school to perform to their best ability.
“We need to make sure we are utilizing every minute of every day for the students’ academics,” said Hohokam Principal Chad Caudle. “When we do bring in outside assemblies or do field trips, we are looking carefully on how meaningful it is to our kids.”
While many schools within the Scottsdale Unified School District practice many of the traditional pillars, Principal Caudle said the reality is that not all do so on a consistent basis in order to earn the “traditional” school label.
Opponents of traditional schools say such a curriculum doesn’t fully develop a child since arts and music classes are often dropped to focus on core academics.
Hohokam does not plan to discontinue its band, strings and arts classes; that would only happen if budget cuts precipitated such a move.
As part of a traditional school’s linear curriculum, Principal Caudle said each teacher’s classroom is regularly reviewed and monitored to make sure they are staying on course with other teachers in the same grade level to create a much-desired aligned curriculum.
“If you look around at other schools, one teacher may choose to grade differently than another in the same grade level,” he said. “The linear (model) makes it consistent for all students. No matter what teacher a student is assigned to, there will be the same expectations in each classroom.”
A sequential curriculum model means each grade level regularly reviews lesson materials already learned from the grade level directly above and below it.
Because many parents and students have favorite teachers for the next grade level, Principal Caudle said a sequential curriculum also raises the bar for teachers to stay on task and model the efforts made by their peers.
Principal Caudle said the 2009-10 school year will allow Hohokam administrators to take a look at other area traditional schools, such as SUSD’s Cheyenne Traditional School, to see how Hohokam can model similar efforts already in place.
While many Valley traditional schools are “choice” schools — parents must open enroll their child to attend — Hohokam is unique as it is a neighborhood school and must take in all students who choose to enroll.
Hohokam, which has an enrollment of approximately 60 percent Hispanics, is also a Title 1 school, meaning many of its lower income students take advantage of free and reduced lunches.
Principal Caudle said only a handful of parents have decided to enroll their child at nearby Pima Elementary School, 8330 E. Osborn Road, rather than Hohokam. He says most have opted to attend another school next year because of an objection over the enforced dress code rather than any objection over the new curriculum.
A “philosophical waiver” is available next year to students who choose not to wear the school uniform. He said he expects other Hohokam students to transfer to Pima or other nearby schools. Conversely, he thinks some parents will enjoy Hohokam’s new direction and will want to transfer their students to Hohokam.
Mr. Brown said he and other Hohokam parents understand becoming a traditional school is a work in progress and that adjustments will have to be made for the school’s benefit.
He believes an integrated curriculum throughout a child’s time at Hohokam is what excites parents the most about the new traditional school model.
Principal Caudle said a major focus for the 2009-10 school year will be on language arts to implement a stronger focus on phonics and reading comprehension.
Additionally, there will be a focus on Positive Behaviors Interventions and Support, or PBIS, which is a school-wide management plan.
Rules will be posted throughout the school to make sure all students see what is expected of them at all times and not just in one particular classroom.
Mr. Caudle said Hohokam administrators will also look at ways to change the school’s math curriculum since traditional schools, unlike the majority of other public schools, typically do not offer math five days a week.
He hopes to have something in place by the start of the 2010 school year.
The Governing Board supported the transition and approved the new dress code April 7.
For more information about Hohokam’s transition to a traditional school or information about the new dress code, visit http://www.susd.org/hohokam.
|
Current time is 08:03 am | |
|
|
|