Superintendent David Aderhold spoke at length after the public comments at the November 17 board meeting, and he addressed numerous curriculum changes implemented by the district. The News asked the superintendent to reiterate the main reasons behind the changes, and his E-mail response is printed below.
Upper Elementary School is not Lower Middle School. The students are 9 and 10 years old. They are Elementary students and we create a developmentally inappropriate program and sequence when we approach this grade level with a different framework.
Midterms and Finals were not eliminated to remove stress. These were high stake assessments that derived little learning and meaning as to how to move students’ progress and learning forward. Common Assessments will continue to be used, often utilizing aspects of the midterm or final exams. The major difference is that these grades will be a component of the quarter grade versus a midterm and final exam worth 20 percent collectively.
Chamber orchestra was not eliminated in 4th and 5th grade. It was moved after school. This is the same model as CMS and GMS. All students now participate in orchestra, band or choir.
• Stating that every child has the “right to squeak” does not mean that students have no accountability for performance or practice. It does mean that every student has the right to participate in a music program in elementary or middle school. At the elementary level it is important that All students participate in music and art. Participation in a music program should never be something for most, it should be for ALL. We have extremely gifted musicians that teach in our music program; shouldn’t all students have access to their knowledge, skills and musical aptitude?
• Report Card changes in elementary schools were changed to reflect progress toward standards. The new report cards are now clearly aligned to our curricula and outline the essential learning in each discipline for students.
• A&E Math is being recommended to be redesigned not to “punish” any students but to provide enriched mathematics instruction for all K-5 students. Giftedness is not a fixed point in time and all students develop at different paces. Suggesting one’s mathematical gifts are determined by a singular measure provided in 3rd grade is not supported by what we know about childhood development.
The K-3 and 4-5 bell schedule was modified from an “8” and “9” period schedule to have alignment of programs. The driver of this change was the movement of 3rd grade from Town Center to Millstone River. When that change occurred it was determined that it was not appropriate to have two varied bell schedules in the same building. As such, a committee was convened to shift all K-5 schools to the same “8” period schedule. When this occurred, mathematics in grades 1 – 5 was increased by 20 minutes per day. While we were able to accommodate the majority of programs there were some shifts in the music program.
Additionally, it was determined that there would be no current changes to the elementary science program as all school districts must review, align and incorporate the Next Generation Science standards into our science programs during the next two school years.
WW-P needs to confront the reality that the demands that so many are placing on their children are not healthy. Let them be children, let them explore their passions; let them learn from their failures instead of labeling them a failure. Finding balance and achieving academic success are not mutually exclusive topics. We will continue to be an excellent school district and our students will continue to thrive.
As Ted Dintersmith so eloquently stated in a recent Washington Post article, “maybe, in the end, the purpose of school is to help our kids find their own sense of purpose. To prepare them for a life where they can set, and achieve, their own goals, not grind away to meet the needs of some bureaucrat or college admissions officer … Imagine what our country is capable of if we figure out how to launch millions of purpose-driven kids into society prepared and energized to their world better through their talents, passions, developing skills, and ability to learn. Kids that are, truly, prepared for life.”
#b#Editor’s Note:#/b# At the board meeting, Aderhold also said some parent comments were unfair and based on misinformation. Given that, The News asked if videotaping meetings would be a good way to improve community access to school district business. Aderhold did not respond to the videotape query.
