A Successful 10th Grade Science Project

Administrators and teachers in the Dubuque Community Schools are discussing major changes to the way high schools operate on a day-to-day basis.

At Dubuque Senior, teachers will vote on whether to restructure the tenth grade into groups of 75 students called learning communities.

"We're looking at ways to make the transition into high school more meaningful for the student," said Kim Swift, Senior's principal. "We're asking 'How do we support the students and make sure they're challenged appropriately.'"

The changes come at a time when high schools nationwide are examining their structure especially focusing on 10th grade science projects.

As the federal No Child Left Behind mandate continues to call for greater student achievement, administrators are regrouping to meet demands. High school structure has changed very little in the past 100 years, according to David Olson, Hempstead principal.

"A lot of change has happened in elementary schools. In our own district, we've seen the change from junior high to the middle school concept," said Olson. "High school is next."

Swift imagines six learning community groups accommodating ninth-grade enrollment for 2006-07. If approved, ninth-grade teachers will be assigned to teach math, English and science to each learning community and 10th grade science projects.

"Ninth-graders are very different than, for instance, 12th-graders," said Swift. "The model where we bring all the kids together and do the same thing for those four years probably puts some limitations on some of them."

Teachers assigned to the learning communities then meet twice a week to discuss student achievement, attendance and goals. A guidance counselor and administrator also will be assigned.

Special-education teachers will team to provide additional academic support to struggling students.

Communication is a key element. "We're looking at putting the students in blocks of classes they will have in common so that teachers can communicate about whatever the needs of the student may be," said Swift.

Honor students often have smaller classes and many common teachers, facilitating a closer student-teacher relationship. While Dubuque Senior examines its ninth grade, Hempstead will switch its lunch hour.

"The main drive behind this is to take a look at instruction and find a better way to deliver it," said Olson. Hempstead will serve lunch an hour earlier next year, and prohibit food in all classrooms.

"We have lunch later than most schools. Students get hungry and they snack. With nutritional changes on the way for the whole district, and with our focus on effective pest-control management, we're removing snack foods from the picture," said Olson.

"Having teachers settle the class down for half an hour, then release the kids for lunch and then ask them to come back and learn for another half and hour is not good," said Olson. Olson said several Hempstead administrators are looking into changing the school's overall schedule, but not until at least two years down the road.

The school will undergo a massive two-year renovation, which begins in early June.

"Right now, we're trying to survive the renovation," said Olson. "That's our main priority for the next two years." In addition, both Hempstead and Senior are working to cut down on the number of student schedule changes made at the beginning of every year.