Muskego middle schools consider wide-ranging changes

Muskego - Sweeping middle school changes - including trading the current 53-minute classes for 75-minute classes for core subjects and adding 25-minute intervention/study hall/enrichment electives sessions -will be discussed and possibly approved by the Muskego-Norway School Board on Dec. 5.

The longer classes were seen as a way to help teachers, particularly in science, complete study units. And the proposal also would rejuvenate the electives selection, lengthen the school day 10 minutes and start language or music in sixth grade, a year earlier than now.

The first phase of the plan that doesn't include new electives would need no new staff.

Except for the new electives, the plan could start next fall. New electives would have to be developed through the district's normal process and be implemented in fall of 2013.

Greater than good

The district's 38-member Middle Level Program Review Team worked 11 months on reviewing the two middle schools to develop the recommendations.

The team consists of parents, teachers, administrators and even one student. It held meetings, did surveys and delved into educational research to see how the best middle schools get results.

Superintendent of Schools Joe Schroeder said the plan has a lot of good things, if all the details can be worked out.

"It does help us move from good to great," Schroeder said.

Customized study

Probably the most unique feature of the plan is the 25-minute intervention/enrichment period, which would either address students' special needs or allow them to explore new educational territory.

The review team found that a powerful element of the most successful schools was providing quick responses when children begin to struggle either academically or behaviorally.

Students who need extra help could get it in those proposed 25-minute periods. Students who don't could choose either a study hall or an enrichment session, project-based studies focused on meeting their natural curiosity about the world around them.

Careful consideration

But when the middle school proposal was unveiled last week, the School Board reacted initially with an air of caution.

Board member Brett Hyde said he liked the focus on reading and math, but wondered if teachers would be able to hold students' interest in 75-minute classes. He also liked the earlier language option.

Whether language studies that start at the middle school level would be accepted by colleges as fulfilling their foreign language requirements worried board member Lisa Warwick.

Responding, Schroeder said students will probably be tested, anyway.

Although the first phase would not need additional staff, board member Dean Strom wanted a better handle on whether more teachers would be needed for the proposed new electives in 2013.

Finally, board member Eric Schroeder wanted to know if the proposed longer classes would mean larger classes.

"That's a fair question," the superintendent said and promised to have the answer by next week.

Another worry board members expressed was how to keep students from wandering the halls because of the irregular class times.

NEXT STEP

WHAT: Muskego-Norway School Board consideration and possible adoption of sweeping changes to the middle schools

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5

WHERE: Muskego-Norway Educational Services Center, W18763 Woods Road