Common Middle School Experience

The District is building on work done over the last five years. This current process began in the Fall of 2019 when, at the direction of Superintendent Don Grotting, Deputy Superintendent Ginny Hansmann and Executive Administrator for Middle Schools Ken Struckmeier convened a group of building leaders and central office administrators. The goal of the committee was to review the work completed between 2014-2018 and to make recommendations to meet the objectives stated by Superintendent Grotting. The group met nearly every week between September 2019 and December 2019 to research, strategize, and discuss the courses and schedules that would best meet the needs of students in Beaverton middle schools.

The following people served on the Common Middle School Experience Committee in the fall of 2019:

• Shannon Anderson, Principal, Cedar Park Middle School
• Jon Bridges, Administrator for Accountability
• Thao Do-Gwilliam, Assistant Principal, Stoller Middle School
• Jon Franco, Executive Administrator for High Schools & Option Schools
• Jared Freeman, Principal, Meadow Park Middle School
• Ginny Hansmann, Deputy Superintendent
• Jessica Jones, Budget Manager
• Toshiko Maurizio, Administrator for Multilingual Programs
• Pat McCreery, Administrator for Equity
• John Peplinski, PK-12 Administrator for Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment
• Susan Rodriguez, Administrator for Human Resources
• Curtis Semana, Principal, Highland Park Middle School
• Brian Sica, PK-12 Administrator for Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment
• Ken Struckmeier, Executive Administrator for Middle Schools

The Committee began their work by examining the work that was done by previous committees and groups between 2014 and 2019. The previous work to align middle school courses and schedules include:

• 2014-2015 Community Work Group
  • Students, Families, Teachers, and Administrators
• 2015-2018 Middle School Administrator Work Group
• 2018-2019 Middle School Principal Work Group

The Common Middle School Experience Committee spent time examining the work that was completed in 2014-2019. In addition, they deliberated on these topics:

• The Humanities Model to deliver English Language Arts and Social Studies curriculum.
• Oregon Senate Bill 4, which amended ORS 329.496 and students receive physical education 225 minutes per week in grades 6 – 8. Every school district is to be in full compliance for K – 5 (6) in 2020-21 school year, and for grades 6 – 8 in the 2022-23 school year.
• Middle School Philosophy and Teaming
• Focus on Literacy
• Focus on Mathematics
• A common experience for students
• Exploration in a Common Menu of Elective Courses
  • Physical Education and Health (Required)
  • World Language (Spanish)
  • Fine Arts: Visual Arts, Band, Choir, Drama
  • Technology
  • Intervention and Support: Resource Room, ELL, AVID, Intervention
• Teaming to bridge the transition from Elementary to High School (Teaming refers to the practice of pairing a group of teachers with a group of students.)

1. A common middle school experience

All middle schools will adopt the same schedule and course offerings. The length of core and elective subject area class periods will match from school to school. Any future changes to the schedule or course offerings will be adopted at a district level.

2. Developmentally appropriate class length

Class length will not be excessively long or short to prevent ineffective use of school time.

3. Meet PE requirements

The common middle school schedule will be in alignment with legally required PE minutes.

4. Student Choice

All students will have the opportunity to take at least two electives of their choosing in addition to PE.

5. Quality electives

All students will have the opportunity to engage in at least one, year-long elective course that meets daily. This includes daily world language, theatre, visual arts, band, choir and technology.

6. Equitable access

Students receiving intervention, ELD, SPED, AVID, or other services will also be able to take PE and at least one other daily, year-round elective of their choice.

The committee developed four schedule options. The next phase of this process is to receive feedback on these options from staff, parents and students.

Schedule Option A: Six Periods

Sample Schedule

Period 1: 70 minutes, Humanities
Period 2: 70 minutes, Math
Period 3: 70 minutes, Science
Lunch
Period 4: 45 minutes, PE/Health
Period 5: 45 minutes, Elective
Period 6: 45 Minutes, Core Plus/Extension

Summary Information - Schedule Option A: Six Periods

Six-period day (70 minute cores and 45 minute electives)

• In Schedule A, students have six periods and the length of the period varies.
• Students receive 70 minutes of instruction in Humanities, Math, and Science.
• Students take PE/Health for 45 minutes each day.
• Students have one elective course. It meets daily.
• Students have one Core Plus/Extension course. The instruction comes from Core teachers.
• Core teachers (Humanities, Math, Science) teach 3 sections of their subject, and one section of Core Plus/Extension.
• Core teachers have 45 minutes of daily plan time. In addition, they have an additional 45 minutes with alternating days of plan and directed collaboration.
• Teachers of PE/Health and other electives teach 6 sections of their subject.
• Teachers of PE/Health and other electives have 45 minutes of daily plan and 37 minutes of Supervision/Collaboration.

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Schedule Option B: Seven Periods

Sample Schedule:

Period 1: 48 minutes, Humanities
Period 2: 48 minutes, Humanities
Period 3: 48 minutes, Science
Lunch
Period 4: 48 minutes, Math
Period 5: 48 minutes, PE/Health
Period 6: 48 Minutes, Elective
Period 7: 48 Minutes, Elective

Summary Information - Schedule Option B: Seven Periods

Seven-period day (All classes 48 minutes)

• In Schedule B, students have seven periods and the length of the period is constant at 48 minutes.
• Students receive 96 minutes of instruction in Humanities.
• All other courses meet for 48 minutes per day.
• Students have two elective courses. They meet daily.
• Students could still have Enrichment with instruction from Core teachers.
• Core teachers (Humanities, Math, Science) teach 6 sections of their subject. Schools could reduce the number of sections and assign Core Plus.
• Core teachers have 48 minutes of daily plan time.
• Teachers of PE/Health and other electives teach 6 sections of their subject.
• Teachers of PE/Health and other electives have 48 minutes of daily plan time.

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Summary Information - Schedule Option C: Seven Course, Six Periods

Seven Courses, Six Periods (All classes 57 minutes)

• This schedule maintains the number of courses a student takes but reduces the number of periods each day.
• Six classes meet each day.
• A floating 7th period moves through the student day and replaces other classes.
• Every period meets six out of 7 days.
• In Schedule C, students have seven periods and the length of the period is constant at 57 minutes.
• Students receive 114 minutes of instruction in Humanities on 5 out of 7 school days. They receive 57 minutes of instruction on 2 out of 7 school days.
• All other courses meet for 57 minutes on 6 out of 7 school days.
• Students have two elective courses. They meet on 6 out of 7 school days.
• Students could still have Enrichment with instruction from Core teachers.
• Core teachers (Humanities, Math, Science) teach 6 sections of their subject. Schools could reduce the number of sections and assign Core Plus.
• Core teachers have 57 minutes of plan time on 6 out of 7 school days.
• Teachers of PE/Health and other electives teach 6 sections of their subject.
• Teachers of PE/Health and other electives have 57 minutes of plan time on 6 out of 7 school days.

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Summary Information: Schedule Option D: Eight Periods

Eight Periods (All 42 Minutes)

• In Schedule D, students have eight periods and the length of the period is constant at 42 minutes.
• Students receive 84 minutes of instruction in Humanities.
• Students receive an average of 63 minutes of instruction in Math and Science on a two-day cycle.
• All other courses meet for 42 minutes
• Students have two elective courses.
• Humanities teachers instruct 3 sections.
• Math and Science teachers instruct 4 sections.
• Students could still have Enrichment with instruction from Core teachers. This assignment would alter the number of sections for the teacher.
• All other teachers instruct 6 sections.
• Teachers would have 42 minutes of daily Plan.
• Teachers would also have 42 minutes of Plan and directed collaboration time.

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While there was a staff and community engagement component of the process in 2014-2015, we realize that current staff, parents and students have not had an opportunity to be engaged in this new phase of the process.

Staff Listening & Learning Session

Middle school administrators conducted listening & learning sessions with staff the week of January 21st. 

Family Listening & Learning Session

Family listening and learning sessions will take place at all comprehensive middle schools on Thursday, February 6, 2020 from 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Superintendent Grotting will take the committee's recommendation, as well as the feedback from the listening and learning sessions, into account when making a final decision creating a common comprehensive middle school experience. The final decision is expected by the end of February. This will allow time for staffing preparations for the 20-21 school year..