You can fight city hall! Or at least the school board!

[ByTheSea]

On Feb 10th the Interim Superintendent for our local school board announced they would be closing 10 schools and moving away from having any K-5, rather giving what the school board said the parents want, K-8 schools (although they didn't offer up how they determined that's what parents want) - they said the decision would be put to a final vote 14 days later - today, Feb. 24th.

It's been a two week civic lesson for many parents and their children, including petitions, public meetings and culiminating is a Protest at city hall yesterday, at the end of which the Mayor joined the parents in asking for a delay after community discussion and participation in the decisions for the future of the district.

(My DS was thrilled to be on the news last night with his "Save our schools" sign)

I've been watching the local news sites closely, and this just in

The Minneapolis school board today backed away from a controversial school reorganization proposal, deferring a vote on any closings until next fall after the community discussion parents clamored for.

It's been a frustrating two weeks. Our community school was second in performance of all standardized tests, a huge part of the community, and it was slated to be closed. It's not guarenteed that it won't be sometime down the road but at least there is some time to try to figure out why. Personally, even though I won't have any new kindergardeners, I just can't see where sending them to a K-8 school with 700+ students is "what the parents want"???

I'm curious, what type of public schools do you prefer?

 

[Serena]

I grew up in a school that was K-8, and then highschool. All that's changed now and it's K-5, 6-8 and then highschool. I like it this way.

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

I grew up in the Catholic school culture where K-8 is the norm. DS is in a Catholic School and will be there through 8th grade. I think it is a good system.

Our local public school system went to the K-8 model within the last 3-5 years. I was told that this was to hopefully lower the drop out rate. I guess there are studies (I have not seen them) that show that leaving the nurturing environment of the elementary school in the 6th or 7th grade was too soon for many kids (who are going through a lot of stuff with their hormones around this time as well) and was partially to blame for the high drop out rate among high schoolers.

 

[AirForceRocks]

Our kids are in Catholic school (K-8) as well, but I really prefer the K-5, middle then high school model. It seems that at our school, the littlest ones pick up waayy too much stuff from the biggest ones when they are paired up as classes for different activities.

 

[Alex]

My DD is in Catholic school but it is K....then 1-6... then 7-12

 

[Cindy B]

I went to a public k-8 schook in a very small school district.

The 7th & 8th graders were in a separate wing (actually a hall, but they called it a wing to make it sound better).

I started there in 4th grade, it was 4-6th in one hallway, and 7th and 8th in another.

 

[Tigger1]

Our school system currently has 4th to 6th , 7th to 9th, and 10 to 12th grades in separate buildings. Starting next year one of the three high schools will have 9 to 12th grade in one building. The other two high schools will do the same in the next two years. For one of those high schools that means an increase of 450 students, bringing the enrollment up to around 1700. More rooms will have to be added. The last few weeks there has been more fighting in the high schools and situations have occured that students were arrested. Strict dress codes are enforced.

I hope they re think the idea of adding 9th grade to the high school.

Tigger

 

[Blondie]

I'd prefer it the way it was when I went to school; K-6, Jr. High was grades 7 through 9, then Sr. High School was grades 10 through 12.

 

[Crankyshank]

I went to Catholic school where it was k-8 and then 9-12. Both schools were very small and I enjoyed the set up.

The area public schools are mostly elementary k-5, middle school 6-8 and high school 9-12

 

[debster812]

Growing up I did:

K-6 Elementary School
7-9 Junior High School
10-12 High School


DS is going to do:

K-3 Elementary School
4-8 Middle School
9-12 High School

The 4-8 does not thrill me, as it is a really big swing in ages, but they do keep them fairly separate in the school. (4-6 in one side, and 7-8 in the other).

 

[floridafam]

They reorganized our district last year. They closed a couple of schools and then switched the elementary schools from K-6 to K-4. A lot of people weren't happy about it because they had to switch schools but it has worked out.

I wouldn't like K-8. I really didn't even like K-6.

The kids now are closer in age and the 5th and 6th graders have their own school where they can prepare for middle school.

I just can't see my kindergartener next year walking through packed halls with 8th graders.

 

[Rutt and Tuke]

Our schools were
K-6
Intermediate (7 and 8)
9-12

 

[mom2boys]

Our school district is doing the opposite. Due to rapid growth & overdevelopment, they are adding primary schools K-3 (primary), 4-5 (elementary), 6-8 (middle) & 9-12 (high)

I like the K-5 middle, high school plan.

When I went to school there was jr. high for grades 7-9. I feel strongly that 9th grade needs to be in the high school since 9th grade courses go towards graduation requirements. That said our high school has a separate wing for the 9th graders. It is unoffically referred to as the "9th gade academy".