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The Next Generation: Our Kids, Our Community
Community Forums
Mendenhall River Elementary School
February 12, 2007
Question #1:
Describe the learning environment that you don’t want to see in the high schools:
Courses offered at only one school. My child to have to travel from town to valley and back in order to take courses he wants. Certain sports cut or only offered at one of the schools.
Children should not be in classrooms larger than 25 students per teacher. (I don’t want classrooms larger than 25 students) Increase retention. Would not want to see two teams pitted against each other but like having two teams to open up the opportunity to other students that would not normally have the opportunity to participate in activities. Reduce crime. Not a 9/10 and 11/12 split. Not an open campus. I don’t want just basic classes.
I do not want an us and them division between the two schools. Resources, experiences, skills should be shared equally.
More routine schedule—don’t want to see schedule split. Do not want open campuses. Do want more wholesome food. Don’t want kids o have to commute from school to school for classes. Don’t want kids to feel lost/dislocated. Want the school to be engaged and interest the child.
Don’t want kids to feel pushed out, bored, or not cared about. Not connected. PTR—crowded.
Crowded and lacking personal connections, e.g. staff don’t know students by name and students don’t feel accountable, noticed, or valued for their unique qualities. Don’t want my child commuting to downtown. Don’t want my child going to mall with buddies for lunch. Don’t want to limit sports participation.
Teachers handing out assignments without taking the time to teach the subject at hand. Kids not allowed to move on when they prove they understand what is being taught.
An environment where excessively large classes are the norm and relies on “lectures” as a standard teaching practice. Case loads so large for teachers that genuine relationships are difficult to form. A traditional department-run mentality. An environment where students feel herded from class to class and never really connect to any learning environment, teacher, or peer group.
Do not want my child coming home not understanding their homework.
I do not want a large, impersonal high school community. I don’t want a school that focuses or values one type of activity over another.
I do not want freshmen mixed with the rest of the school. I do not want overcrowded rooms with my child feeling like a # and not name. I do not want my kids to have to eat lunch off campus. I do not want us vs. them.
I do not want a 9/10 and 11/12 split between the new school and JDHS. No classes over 25/30 students. No open campus. Not different classes at each school—offer the same. Not have sports be a focus. Have multiple programs to include more kids. No junk food offered. Healthy choices only.
I don’t want the classes to be too full where the kids don’t get the amount of attention they deserve or should get. I don’t want to see the same schedule as it is currently. Sports—I don’t them to be limited.
I would prefer not to let students guide/correct other students’ quizzes, papers, tests. Do want to provide variety in teaching methods: ex: visual, physical, text (instructional)
Open campus. Health classes that focus only on sex ed. Open dress code. Only academic courses taught. “Stressful” colors, closed/unwelcoming space. Drug infested. Cliques—segregated groups.
Don’t want valley—townie split mentality. Do not want ugly, sterile, a place you wouldn’t choose to be, fluorescent lights—ugly, buzzing. Don’t want to see trash or hear bad language. Desks that don’t fit the students. No variety in levels of classes. Places where students don’t feel safe. Sprint long distance to next class—No crazy schedules More labs where applicable. Don’t want teachers, counselors to have more students than they can know and serve. Do not want closed campus or anything else that doesn’t treat students with respect as persons. No credit for work done in middle school.
Question #2:
Describe the learning environment that you do want to see in the high schools:
Smaller class size. Classes available to all students, since there will be two schools room should open up where as before this wasn’t the case—a lot of kids aren’t able to get in certain classes. A normal school schedule periods 1-6. I don’t think the current schedule provides enough structure and routine. Teachers and counselors with smaller case loads so that my child is known and heard. Closed campus. I’d like to see the academic requirements higher that they are now. Healthier choices at school. Same classes at both schools. Offer college classes during HS time. Books and materials to every student. Leadership—principles. Completed schools with funding to maintain and operate. Parent-teacher communication.
Teachers grading papers—not students. Provide more guidance in career choices: job shadowing, etc. (reality). Closed campus. Smaller class sizes. Require physical education—hiking, skating, rowing, swimming, health class.
I’d like to see small class sizes that offer relationship building between students and staff. I’d like to see more arts integrated into the curriculum. I’d like to see a closed campus that is comfortable and inviting. One where students want to be. I’d like to see more use of public transportation to transport HS kids. I’d like to see a nutritional program that provided healthy food to students. I’d like to see all junk food and soda eliminated from the school. Offer duel sports. AP classes, college courses, and advanced. As much focus on EL kids as there is on special ed. Students.
Dress code (modest, appropriate, i.e., for school to work). Supportive—counselors and teachers readily available to students. Small class size. Sports opportunities beyond b-ball, football—receive more or equal focus/support. Welcoming—calming environment, encouraging of learning. Current texts, enough supplies and equipment for all students to participate equally. Students encouraged to reach potential—may require “outside the box” thinking. Diversity in classes. Life skills/health class needs to be life skills, not sex ed only. Open communication between all. Closed campus. More emphasis on the arts.
PTR 1:25 or below, not larger. Two equal HS, with same classes and sports offered at both whenever possible and funded. Classes for ELL kids, AP courses, lower dropout. Computer classes. Art classes. Support for spec ed students to understand class material to be more successful in school. Closed campus. Being known by first name by your teacher. Having a sports team for each HS. Support for choosing/living a healthy lifestyle. Cafeteria in the school. Absolutely no bullying. Life skills. School work—problem solving, how to apply to your work, what you’ve learned, take the next step and apply to real world. Happy staff and enough staff to provide the environment that we are asking. Provide clubs for students that are not athletic. Help reduce crime/trouble/drop-outs. Variety of teaching methods. Good leadership.
One that fosters a sense of community. Nourishes the kids—gives them sense of belonging. One that has qualified teachers that utilize different teaching methods—not everyone learns the same way.
A good cafeteria that helps kids think proper nutrition. Smaller pupil/teacher ratios. Closed campus. More activities—extra curricular to engage more kids. More communication with parents. Career oriented classes –not all kids will go on to college… Connect students to community through projects to help with career choices. Help child learn interests. Books and materials for all children.
I’d like to see standards set and upheld. I’d like to see diversity of classes. I’d like to see group efforts stressed—working together for common tasks. I’d like to see problem solving methods introduced. Closed campus JROTC program. Better parent-teacher conferencing.
Smaller class sizes. ALL sports offered and funded at both schools. Equal opportunity to courses for town and valley. A completed building with proper maintenance to keep it “nice.” A happy, well supported staff. More opportunities for kids. 9-10 in the valley and 11-12 in town. More extra-curricular activity/opportunities for kids beyond sports (fine arts). Student Supreme Court—adult president. Student involvement at all levels—ownership: input into classes they want, students responsible for keeping school clean, minor maintenance, students responsible for food service, vending, etc., anything students are capable of that makes it more their school. Practical courses that relate student learning to global problems—war, environment, economy. Real computers, not MACs. Class sizes that allow teachers, counselors to know students and encourage collaboration in education. Learning resources that support all students. More options—CHOICE, Yakoosge, only a few 100 students. Many more need smaller environments, different learning styles, paces. Alternative high/middle school like Stellar Polaris in Anchorage. 9th grade Montessori. Eventually 10-12 Montessori. KEEP dual credit! HS students working with elementary, middle school students. Mentors, pairing.
Enough variety and choice that students feel like their learning needs are being met Students feel like they have a valid voice in the environment of the school. Smaller communities of learning environments in the high schools so that students feel connected to teachers and peers. Greater access to technology for all students.
Opportunity for more input from ALL students. Open environment. More variety classes and opportunities for students. More programs such as East Anchorage HS. School within a school for advanced learning. More personalize and smaller classes with a different attendance program. No recording. More individualized conference program. Hot lunch program. ROTC program. Opportunity for CHOICE program students to take classes like orchestra. Standardization of teaching methods. Career oriented internships. More communication from teachers to parents. School board contact with students that drop out asking THEM why. A complete supply of school books for students.
A mentoring system with counselors/advisors. Small classes where students are engaged and teachers can provide individual attention. Students are known by name. A closed campus with great extra-curricular activities and healthy meals for ALL. Strong communication between parents and teachers, so parents can interact affectively with the school. A positive school environment where students feel accountable and prideful. A good sense of community. Completed building with funding to maintain it. Strong leadership in the schools, great principals.
Small class sizes. Adequate staff, materials, and space. Personal connections between students and staff. Warm and welcoming environment. Closed campus. Class variety at both campuses. Quality instruction and teaching methods. More kids involved—activity variety. Proper maintenance to building. Leadership—strong. Cafeteria—healthy meals. Internships with local business for job shadowing.
Small-connected learning environment where teachers and staff know students well. An environment that values and supports, recognizes and celebrates different types of students, personalities, etc. Opportunities made available for students to get involved in a variety of activities, regardless of ability—sports, drama, leadership.
Counselors who really know their students and/or advisors.
Question #3:
Describe your student when he/she graduates from high school:
Have basic life skills, some college credit. Not hating the school system. Well nourished. Still enjoys reading. Flexible, adult mentality. Some business skills.
When my student graduates, he should BE WELL PREPARED for the future ahead, and that he was challenged as best he could be to put forth his best effort at all times.
Respectful, well-rounded and experienced young adults. My children were able to enroll in any class that was offered. My children were challenged and not bored in school. A teacher noticed their talents and enriched their education/ life experiences. If students were struggling at any time in HS< there was some resource room/tutors available to help whether it was academic/physical and/or mental well-being. They will succeed at anything they put their minds to because they were taught/given the tools/resources to make their goal come true. Have the knowledge, the experience, life skills and common sense to apply in their lives after HS.
Knowledgeable, educated, well rounded, focused, career oriented, successful, healthy, caring/loving, have open communication, organized, athletic, college, no regrets, opportunities.
Focused, knows or has an idea of what/who he wants to be. Caring for others, accepting of others. Well rounded, variety of interest. No regretting. Independent. Have friends, be well-liked.
Respectful, high self-esteem/self-worth. Well rounded education. Active in community—interested/realizes importance of voice. Supportive/nurturing to others. Team player/great at problem solving and solution finding. Ready to be successful on own—equipped with tools, skills necessary. Excellent example/role model for others. Achieve full potential.
Happy. A good problem solver. Respectful of other people’s ideas, thoughts. Curious about the world and what it can offer. Confident in his/her ability to interact in his/her community. Excited, interested, prepared academically, socially to take the next step be it college, vo-tec, a job. Independent. Responsible. Still eater to learn.
Still eager to learn. Hopeful to face the world’s challenges. Confident they can make changes. Skills and knowledge to continue living their own lives and making a contribution. Individual.
Independent, self sufficient, reliable/honest, caring, enjoys his choice of career, prepared for life ahead, able to problem solve/think ahead.
I want them to be a confident person.
Feels challenged to always do his best. Happy with a nice peer group—honest. Confident, feels like he can do anything he sets his mind to and is anxious to try whatever he has chosen. Loves to learn. A good citizen aware of the world around him and his ability to contributed positively to it—to effect change—a leader. College bound with a heedful of ideas to explore, a good problem solver. Healthy, ready to leave home and care for himself—to respect his body. Believes in himself, sees opportunities, not barriers.
Son: Has had a rich and diverse education that has enabled him to make connections with a variety of peers and teachers. Has self-confidence, and a plan for his future with the steps he’ll take to get there. He values life-long leaning to pursue his interests and has the skills to do so. He can say, “I liked high school a lot.” He’s prepared for the 21st century world. Daughter: Had opportunities to be involved in athletics Has the ambition to follow her dreams. Has a plan for her future. Can look back at her HS experience and know she fit in, made connections with teachers and friends and overall had a great experience. Drug free and proud of it.
Happy and confident that they are prepared in life with the knowledge, ambition, persistence, and motivation to become productive and successful members of society, regardless of what they choose to do. Hopefully, pursue their dreams.
An individual who feels confident about themselves and their ability to contribute to the world around them. One who is excited about the opportunities available to him and feels that he ahs a choice in what he wants to do and where he wants to go.
Drug free. Happy, confident. Successful, athletic. Prepared, well rounded (not physically ☺) Excited for the future.
A healthy, well adjusted, confident, well educated, well rounded, intelligent person who has a multitude of opportunities and choices awaiting them.
Question #4:
What advice do you have for making the best learning environment happen?
Create two equal high schools—smaller, with a good common feel. Keep class sizes small and invest in teacher support. Close both campuses. Do a national search and hire exceptional leaders to act as the schools’ principals. Create very personalized advising system for students. Drastically change the parent conference system to individual, one-to-one parent teacher conferences. Develop a strong and equal extra-curricular program at both schools.
LISTEN to the community. Find models of high schools that are working well for ideas. Transition kids into high school to help with connections and change. Many elementary students and parents feel very connected and cared for. Why does that change? Create embedded structures to build that connection! More counselors to build in supports.
Keep classes small.
Keep a positive and open attitude. Convince our state government to use the surplus oil money to FULLY fund education in Alaska. Continue to get input from the community in this manner. Do this same type of forum with those who matter most—The Students. Individual advocates for each student or liaison for student, parents and teachers. Find model schools in the U.S. and overseas. Examine the school systems in the world that are #1,2, and 3.
As parents, we have to do our part in making sure our children are disciplined, listening to the teachers, following rules, and that the children understand what is expected out of them.
A smaller learning community model that wouldn’t limit course offerings for electives but rather can better address each student’s learning styles and diverse needs through staff collaboration and ownership of each student. (smaller schools within the school)
My advice is to keep classes small or create small learning communities (perhaps that follows a student throughout their career) so that students are seen as individuals and teachers and staff and fellow classmates know each other well.
Connect with the current JDHS students, open forums, request for emails, written suggestions about what they are discouraged by, encouraged by, ask who their favorite teachers are, why, etc. Research other communities with more than one high school—what’s working, what’s not. Encourage community involvement and ownership in the school system. Fully fund schools. Invest in teachers—teacher evaluation, work to help weak spots each may have. Approach home school organizations for input. Programs with transition to 6th/9th grades.
Best learning environment starts with: class size, happy staff/training/networking, happy students, school spirit, class variety, opportunities, support from families/parents/the community/teachers for the students, good ethics, $$$. Transition from MS→HS needs improvement. More counselors. Listen to students/parents. Different parent/teachers conferences and communication if grades start to drop, not after you have failed.
Staff supported fully—supplies, education, quality environment. Open communication appreciated (not just lip service to we want to hear from you, work with you, but is actually open). Students have places to go/people to go to for support and with educational, physical, and emotional needs. Study hall equipped with tutors or learning center. Ideas shared about internships→I agree that these are invaluable. Small class sizes. Encourage different learning styles—support for all styles. Positive, strong leadership. Many and varied opportunities for activities for students. Flexibility→ changes as needed to adjust to students’ needs. Encourage greater involvement between school and community. Community entity involved in supporting classes with $$ for supplies/bridging between school/community.
Hire more teachers/counselors→ leadership is needed. Closed campus. Provide training for teachers and counselors. Provide more classes so students can take opportunities. Provide smaller class size. Healthy choices. Communication between teachers, students, and parents. Unacceptable to have conferences with teachers in an auditorium with other parents waiting in line. I want one on one with my kids and teachers. Student input.
Proper training for teachers—appropriate pay. High standards for qualified teachers, well rounded. Small class sizes. $$$. More involvement with parents and communities.
Adequately fund the school system. Challenge the students with opportunities, goals, and standards. Provide a diverse environment of ideas and opportunities. Set standards and goals for the teachers. Wiunow[sic] them out.
Listen to all the things said on the other cards! Don’t think of this as a one time thing—ask the community and students on an on-going basis. It’s not always about money—creative solutions use resources to achieve goals with what’s available. On-line forum. Look at national and INTERNATIONAL models of what’s working. Read David Orr Earth in Mind.
Don’t rush to open a school that is not ready to provide the best program, building, materials, or staff. Budget for revisions to the program, building, materials, and staffing. Continue to ask for, listen to, and value the concerns of parents and students.
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