NINTH GRADE CENTERNINTH GRADE CENTER

Subcommittee preliminary findings

CONSIDERATIONS

•Academic impact•Special Education•Extra and co-curricular impact•Facility considerations•Transportation•Administrative Staff

ACADEMIC IMPACT

•849 Classes offered at CHS•144 Classes have Freshman enrolled•72 of these classes have 5 or less Freshman enrolled

ACADEMIC IMPACT (CONTINUED)

• 58 of these classes are Academic/required (including special education classes addressed below)

• 37 of these Academic classes have 5 or less Freshman enrolled

• 19 of those have only one freshman• 17 of these Academic classes have 10 or more

Freshman enrolled

ACADEMIC IMPACT (CONTINUED)

• 93 of these classes are "Other"• 36 of these "Other" classes have 5 or less

Freshman enrolled• 45 of these "Other" classes have 10 or more

Freshman enrolled

ACADEMIC IMPACT (CONTINUED)

• 33 of the 90 “other” classes are Athletics• 10 of the 90“other” classes are band and choir • 7 of the “other” classes are theatre and Art• Total of 50/93 “other” are above• 27 of the “other” classes with less than 5

freshman are one of the above.

ACADEMIC IMPACT (CONTINUED)

•All ninth grade required courses would be offered as would required courses for graduation (P.E., health, etc…)•Additional recommended courses based on current enrollment•Recommend that buses run every period to transport between 9th grade center and HS for upper level classes not offered at 9th grade center.• Special scheduling for special cases

SPECIAL EDUCATION/ESL

• 14 Classes are required 9th grade special education classes

• Approx. 8 classes are required ESL classes• In general, these classes will have 10 or less

students.• Need at least two teachers, depending on the

needs of the kids.• Recommend leaving PAG Unit at High school• Special education needs will be met as needed

since needs change each year.

EXTRA AND CO-CURRICULAR IMPACTCHS opinions

• CHS Teachers and Coaches concerns:– Choir– concern that no ”real” musical competitions available to 9th

graders. Concerns about staffing and coordination. Would not be considered high school and would not be subjected to 5A competition, so would be hard to find competitions for them. On the positive side, there would be more room at high school level and more 9th graders could participate in choir.

– Band- feeling is that larger band is more competitive. Concern about losing talented freshmen. Also would lose peer mentors. However, freshmen could march because they practice after school.

– Theatre- would probably allow more students to participate at high school level. Could probably allow 9th graders to audition for high school productions. Fewer HS competitions, so less problems.

– Speech and Debate- would be difficult for 9th graders to participate on debate unless they could be bused over after school. Would not have access to evidence room at HS, but could create their own. Policy debate usually starts and 9th grade-could that be offered?

– Athletics Coaches- Would want opportunity to use talented 9th graders, but if could be bused over for Athletics, would probably be fine. Want to be certain that staffing and scheduling allow all coaches to work with all athletes. Would allow more participation at ninth grade level. See information provided by other sites.

EXTRA AND CO-CURRICULAR IMPACT Information from other schools

•Athletic Period Schedules: Research at other schools shows Girls’ Athletics one period and boys another (e.g. 4th and 1st). Coaches would have one per. off for travel & communication with rest of staff.

•Scheduling At LHS, both schools are on accelerated block and daily schedules mirror each other. They even have pep rally schedules/assembly schedules structured the same. Other schools have not found scheduling to be a problem, they try to mirror the H.S. schedule and transport kids for before and after school activities.

•Transportation Issues: Need to decide whether coaches would shuttle teams or if route drivers would be used for this. Definitely need to transport each period and again after school. If students miss shuttle going over to HS, they don’t go that day.

• Dressing Facilities: Athletes get lockers at both places—dress wherever they are working out.

EXTRA AND CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIESSummary/pros and cons

• There will be some sacrifices to extra and co-curricular programs especially in coaches’ ability to get to know 9th graders—would need to be addressed in scheduling.• Will be costs associated with transportation to High school if want to allow 9th graders to participate at H.S. level.• Likely that more kids will participate at ninth grade center inninth grade level activities.• Safer, more encouraging environment for extra-co-curricular activities at ninth grade center.

FACILITYCurrent enrollment numbers

• Capacity Current # additional students•CHS (only) 3200 2902 298•CMSE 1000 740 260•CMSN 1024 837 187•CMSW 950 882 68•Middle schools 2974 2459 515•Austin 600 553 47•Cottonwood 600 506 94•Denton 600 503 97•Lakeside 600 510 90•Lee 484 404 80•Mockingbird 600 533 67•Pinkerton 440 342 98•Town Center 600 548 52•Valley Ranch 600 485 115•Wilson 600 405 195•Elementary only 5,688 4,789 935•All schools 11,898 10222 1748

FACILITYShort term solution

• Leave 5th graders (854 current) in Elementary as 6th graders. Would probably need to realign some boundaries. Would leave only 81 seats in all elementary schools. This solution would need to be temporary as the schools would be so close to capacity.•Move all 7th and 8th graders to 2 Middle schools (825 + 813) -: 2 = approx 819 at each campus.•Put all ninth graders on one middle school campus•Graduating seniors – Leaves 3 grades, 10-12, at the high school which is (at current numbers--786+801+681= 2268)•Senior Campus – use one of the middle schools (as CHS Senior High – an extension campus) since most of these kids can drive and have access to commute. Would still use CHS for all athletics, band, choir, extra curricular. Leave 9th, 10th, 11th on CHS main campus.

FACILITYLong term solution

• Build new building which could include all amenities and plenty of room for growth.

• Would need bond election as early as possible.• Cost estimated at $23,625,000 for a 135

square foot building on 3.1 acres.• Recommended that 9th grade center be on

property other than Northlake.• Could build on North Lake property with view

to conversion to High School if necessary, but not recommended as timing is impossible to anticipate.

FACILITIESSummary/pros and cons

•Could convert one of the Middle Schools to 9th grade center, would need to move 6th grade into elementary school, would be very crowded. Moves crowding from H.S. to elementary.•Could move 7th and 8th graders into remaining two middle schools. If room for 6th graders elsewhere, this part should not create huge problems.•Short term solution would cause a lot of upheaval and would not be permanent, but could be implemented fairly quickly and at lower cost than new facility.•If build new facility, it could be built at North Lake location for future planning, but timing is a huge problem.•New building somewhere else would be good solution, but would be costly and could not open for at least two years.•Could also convert West to 8th/9th center and have other two middle schools hold 6th and 7th. Would require moving Compass and Administrative offices and possible adding on.

TRANSPORTATION

•Will need to coordinate bus schedules with four levels/campuses instead of three.•Will need bus to transport to high school for extra-curricular and upper-level classes not offered at ninth grade center every period of the day.•Increased fuel costs and staff to drive shuttle between high school and ninth grade center.

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

•Current 9th grade Staff at high school :2 assistant principals2 counselors1 secretary for counselors1 secretary for Asst. PrincipalAssociate principal for curriculum

•Administrative Staff needed at 9th grade centerPrincipal2 Assistant principals2 counselors2 secretaries

SITE VISITS

• LEWISVILLE HIGH SCHOOL NORTH (1,000 kids)

• ALLEN HIGH SCHOOL (1,284 kids)• These campuses were very similar

• Offer all 9th grade core classes and classes for graduation (health, P.E., etc…)

• Shuttle every period for upper level classes, athletics, some extra and co-curricular.

• Other classes offered depending on enrollment• 9th grade VB, BB, FB offered.• Band, art, theatre, choir all offered with plenty of

opportunity for competition.• Other activities at high school are open to ninth graders

who are shuttled to the high school.

Site Visits

• A lot of positive feedback– Less hazing– Good bonding– More student participation in extra-

curricular– More opportunities for student leadership– Higher TAKS scores– Better cafeteria environment

SITE VISITS

– A few drawbacks• Less upperclass positive peer example.• More difficult for truly accelerated academic

students.• More coordination and communication needed

especially among coaches and directors.• Does require travel by some teachers and by

coaches.

Overall, however, general feeling was that negatives greatly outweighed by positive

SITE VISITS

• A few differences– Allen has its own PTO, Lewisville PTO is on main

campus with 9th grade representatives.– Lewisville has regular route drivers drive buses,

coaches mostly do it in Allen.– Allen has some special Ed. Kids on H.S. campus,

Lewisville has all on site.– Lewisville is Ch. 41 school, Allen is not.– Allen traveling teachers have travel period,

Lewisville travel during conference.

CONCLUSIONS

• 9TH grade center has been positively received in communities.

• Seems to be a very good option for students, but would require some extra work for some teachers and excellent communication among administrators.

• May see some sacrifice for few kids who perform on a much higher level than peers.

• Location/Schedule is biggest issue for Coppell.

CONCLUSIONS

• Three main issues that MUST be addressed in further research:– Facility cost and location– Transportation costs and logistics– Scheduling at both campuses