CLEARFIELD – Members of the Clearfield school board heard about the proposed staffing changes, new elective courses and revisions to student graduation requirements from Superintendent Terry Struble at Monday night’s committee meeting.
Proposed Staffing Changes
This time last year, the board approved 185 staff positions following a district listing and bidding process. Two, non-Title 1 elementary reading teaching positions as well as a foreign language and an art teaching position were never filled as approved by the board, said Struble.
He proposed collapsing the unfilled teaching positions to create new ones to address educational needs. Further, he proposed creating teaching positions for elementary research; elementary health; secondary science; and secondary English/language arts. He also proposed an elementary, part-time licensed practical nurse.
According to Struble, if approved, the elementary research teacher would combine instruction in aspects of library, research, note-taking and presentations/public speaking. If approved, the elementary health teacher would devote class time to student health, wellness and positive behavior.
Board President Mary Anne Jackson asked how the district would find someone with the credentials for the elementary research teacher position. Struble said the administration would have to determine if they want this person to have strictly library or a combination of library and education experience.
Board member Dr. Michael Spencer said he believed there was a flaw, as ninth graders are asked to complete an I-Search research project. However, he noted that these students aren’t exposed to I-Search prior to the ninth grade; if they were, he said it would be helpful to them.
Struble said if approved, the library research teacher would help address concerns about fourth, fifth and sixth graders not getting adequate exposure to library and research skills. He believed classroom topics could be turned into research projects to be explored in the proposed class.
When asked, Struble said if approved, the elementary health teacher would work with students in the fourth, fifth and sixth grades, as well. Bruce Nicolls, director of curriculum and instruction, said it’s become difficult to teach health within a physical education class at the elementary level, especially if it’s not in a classroom setting like this year.
Spencer inquired about the material the proposed elementary health teacher would cover in class. Nicolls admitted it would not integrate as smoothly now, as the district hasn’t purchased health materials since the mid-1980’s. However, Nicolls said he’s been in discussion with the physical education and science staff members in planning to offer health separately.
So far as the secondary science teacher, Struble said that he wouldn’t be sure of demand and staffing until the completion of the students’ schedules. He said they may be able to utilize current staff members but would create another position if necessary. If approved, he said literature would be added to seventh and eighth grade English/language arts.
Elective Courses
Struble proposed the creation of several elective courses for the 2015-16 school year. These courses included:
- fabrication lab, a semester course, in technology education for students in grades nine through twelve;
- intermediate/college algebra, a full-year course, in the math department for students in grades ten through twelve;
- Piano 1, Piano 2, history of popular music and Garage Band 101, all semester courses, in the music department for students in grades nine through twelve, and Music Theory II, a semester course, for AP students;
- anthropology and contemporary problems and contemporary social issues: sports and contemporary American society, both semester courses, in the social studies department for students in grades eleven and twelve.
- graphic design (description still in development) in the art department; and
- web design and programming language (description still in development) in business and computer education.
If approved, all courses would be offered based upon student demand and available staffing, said Struble. School Principal Tim Janocko said they do not want to see students sitting in study halls, which are “wasteful and unproductive.” Janocko said they’ve done research and found more and more schools are moving away from study hall periods.
“We want our students to be in the classroom,” said Janocko. “Study halls are not conducive to what we’re trying to do here.” He noted that the after-school study program has been very successful with Librarian Alice Brady.
According to Janocko, the school administration plans to work to make the proposed electives eligible for dual enrollment. He pointed out that most of the proposed electives are taken by first-year college students.
Graduation Requirements
As part of ongoing courses changes, Struble also proposed revisions to graduation requirements. If approved, the proposed graduation requirements would be:
- six credits for English and literature. This would require an English course each year of high school and literature courses in the ninth and tenth grades.
- four credits for social studies. The required courses would be civics/Pennsylvania history, world cultures, U.S. history and economics.
- four credits for math. Students must complete Algebra 1, Algebra 2 and geometry.
- four credits for science. Students must complete courses in biology and areas of chemistry and physics.
- a quarter of a credit in both driver education theory and Life 101.
- two credits for physical education and health. This would require a physical education and health course each year of high school. The ninth-grade course would be swimming.
- a half credit in computer technology.
- seven credits from available electives. Of those two credits would have to be in the arts and humanities.
In addition to the credit requirements, Struble said all students must demonstrate proficiency in Algebra I, biology and literature through passing the Keystone Exams or an equivalent project. These graduation requirements would be effective for the class of 2017, he said.
Board member Tim Morgan requested explanation regarding the equivalent project. Nicolls said students who do not pass the Keystone Exams can either continue to take them, or after two failed attempts choose to complete a project set up by the state.
Nicolls said students would only be required to complete an equivalent project in the subject area in which they failed to achieve proficiency on the Keystone Exam.
Struble said that if approved, starting with the class of 2019, students would be required to complete at least one dual enrollment course. He said the computer technology requirement, if approved, would be increased to one credit.
Struble said the district would need to figure out how to pay for dual enrollment courses for the students who cannot afford them. Morgan believed this could possibly become a “sticky” subject for the district to get involved with.
Janocko said perhaps the district could consider paying for the first three dual enrollment credits for every student. He estimated that this would cost the district approximately $15,000 to $20,000 each year.
“It’s our goal to have every student graduate with at least one dual enrollment course,” said Janocko.
The board will vote on the proposed staffing, new elective courses and student graduation requirements next week, said Struble.