RECONFIGURATION TASK FORCE

· Who goes to which campus (students)?** Will friends be separated?

· After-school care concerns: Latchkey and transportation to Latchkey; K-3 may be allowed to go home with 4-5 siblings creating a risky situation at home; will there by 5 Latchkey programs?

· Space for science labs for 4^th and 5^th grade at smaller schools?

· Interaction between Kinder and 5^th grade students could be inappropriate.**

· Students in Special Education who often are retained for developmental reasons could end up with the same teacher 7+ years.

· Some students need the change.

· Transition depends on the child.

· Do enough library and text books, and equipment exist for 5 schools?

· With time, transition (change) will work itself out.

· Will teachers have options to change grades, campuses, assignments?**

· Who decides who will move or stay? Will seniority make a difference?

· Districting and boundaries concerns; What are the legal issues?

· What will be the demographics of the school?

· Are the rooms of adequate size to handle older, bigger students?

· Where will PK fit?** What about a return to AM/PM as in the past?

· Life Skills classes with the range of K-5 will have many more students in that special education setting. **

· The traditional alignment across the state/country is K-5.

· There is a fear of the unknown.

· Teachers forced to change grade levels or campuses may not put forth as much effort.

· Transition (change) is both scary and exciting.

· Teaching certificates will need to be matched for the various grade levels.

· Happy teachers will get us where we want to be.

· The pluses override the minuses for what is best for students: continuity, long-term relationships.

· There are benefits to having the older students mentor the younger students.

· Is there an impact on grades 6,7,8 by going to K-5

· By having a transition between primary and intermediate, students are better prepared to transition to junior high.

· Will there be an opportunity to “grandfather” or choose campuses?

· Will grade level planning be sacrificed?

· Will there be an overwhelming disruption to teachers and students?

· Class size is a concern.

· Is there a cost factor associated with the proposed change?

· The fluctuation of class size from one grade to the next is a concern.

· A bigger concern for grade span configuration is the 6^th grade at the junior high.**

· Will people actually have input on the final decision or will it be like the Shirley closing?

· Content Master Lab – Will one teacher be responsible for the K-5 range of knowledge?

· Will the decision makers please look at the whole system, rather than just K-5 this year and something else (hopefully 6-8) later?

· Please keep the community informed so that the issue of boundaries can be discussed before a decision in made.

II. Clarify leading questions:

1. Ideal curriculum alignment

2. Equalized Enrollment in 5 Elementary Buildings

3. Parent-Home Relationships

III. Discussion and Deliberation of Choices

a. No further action – recommend to drop the issue

b. Action – Form subcommittees and proceed with K-5

c. Action – Form subcommittees and proceed with another plan

(ex: Consider another building, consider another configuration, consider waiting until 06-07, or other)

IV. Decision

V. Plan for Recommendation to the Superintendent – October 20, 2005 @ 1:00 pm

Recommendation to the superintendent will be made by Jana Hedrick, Susan Brisendine, David Fanning and Kelli Moulton.

Future plans should include a survey of the parents, visits to other Texas Panhandle Schools, review the system’s health.