Plan calls for Spanish instruction, project based learning, small class sizes
As part of a district wide effort to improve equity in schools, the Healdsburg Unified School District Elementary School Design Team is recommending that two schools, Healdsburg Charter School and Healdsburg Elementary School, merge into one program by the next school year, 2020-21. The recommendation, which parents and teachers have expressed excitement about, came during the school board’s most recent meeting on Jan. 15.
The proposed plan will return to the school board during a February meeting.
While the two schools are separate, they do share the same campuses. Kindergarten through second grade attends the Healdsburg Elementary School campus and grades three to five attend the Fitch Mountain campus.
In response to community concerns about equity within the school district and worries around achievement gaps and racial divide, the school board formed an equity task force in 2018 and created an equity action plan in June 2019, which included the task of creating one elementary school program (also in 2019 in response to equity concerns, the school board unanimously voted to merge the kindergarten classes from the Fitch Mountain Campus and Healdsburg Elementary School and create one kindergarten program).
“There a lot of parts to that plan related to different things that can happen in the district related to improving equity, but a key component in there was the unification of and bringing together our elementary schools into one program, or one school,” said Erika McGuire, principal of the Fitch Mountain campus.
As a result, the elementary school design team was formed in September 2019 in order to figure out what the program would entail and what the timeline would be for implementing the program.
Based on responses from several community meetings and surveys, which garnered a combined 294 responses, the team is recommending that the two schools be merged into one program next school year, 2020-2021, and that the merged program should include six fundamental components.
The fundamental components are: Project based learning (PBL); small group instruction; Spanish instruction; enrichment programs; paraprofessional support; and small class size.
PBL
Traditionally PBL was only offered at the charter school, which is located at the Healdsburg Elementary School campus for grades one to two and at the Fitch Mountain campus for grades three to five.
“One of the components that came out on top was PBL, it has been a success for the last 10 years and I am hoping that this unique program will continue,” said Healdsburg fifth grade teacher Lisa Pillinini. “It is a unique program in Healdsburg because no other school (in Healdsburg) has PBL. It gives kids access to 21st century skills … They are important for all of the students in Healdsburg and I am hoping as we bing the classes to one, that we continue the PBL.”
Mandy Carpenter, whose kids have attended both campuses, also voiced support for PBL.
“I think it inherently offers different learning styles for children,” Carpenter said. As for the program timeline, she said the change should not be a “knee-jerk response,” and that it needs to be done well.
Small group instruction
Small group instruction was second on the priority list of fundamental program components and scored high on staff and parent surveys in English and Spanish, according to the design team.
This type of instruction allows for enhanced student/teacher communication and assessments.
Parent Rose McAllister said there shouldn’t be small group instruction unless there is paraprofessional support. Support for paraprofessionals is a key component of the program since paraprofessionals can provide extra help during small group sessions.
“Our recommendations for paraprofessional support in each classroom, small class size and small group instruction all complement one other to create the optimal environment for student centered learning,” explained Monica Smith, a parent of two first grade students at Healdsburg Elementary, and a member of the design team. “Paraprofessional support is critical in helping the teacher meet the different academic, social and emotional needs of all students. While behavior management is one benefit of having another trained adult in the classroom the emphasis would really be on small group instructional support.”
Paraprofessional support
The design team is also recommending that there be paraprofessional support within the one elementary program in order to support small class sizes and small group instruction sessions.
According to the presentation paraprofessional support is critical in helping the teacher meet different academic, social and emotional needs of all students.
Spanish instruction
The elementary program will have a strong focus on Spanish instruction for both native and non-native Spanish speakers.
“Our district has a long and varied history of Spanish instruction at the elementary level but in this survey this past fall, the majority of parent survey respondents said Spanish instruction was extremely important, including both Spanish language and English languages respondents,” said design team member Holly Fox.
The parent survey also showed that the majority of parents with children who already speak Spanish want further Spanish language instruction and reading and writing.
Emily, a kindergarten parent, expressed her support for all six components and especially for Spanish instruction. She said her son loves his school and being able to get both PBL and Spanish instruction.
Enrichment program
Having several enrichment opportunities for students who are already excelling in certain subjects is also high on the priority list. According to the design team, during several community meetings there were calls to increase both the frequency and diversity of developmental offerings.
Small class size
The team recommendation for average class size for kindergarten is 18 students, 22 students for first and second grade and 25 students for grades three to five.
Next steps
Following board approval of the plan, which is expected to occur next month, a professional development plan would need to be created for teachers. There would also need to be parent outreach and communication.
One parent, Emily, who attended the school board meeting said better communication is something the district needs to work on.
“As a parent of a current kindergartener, the last minute decision to merge the kindergarten was unprofessional. We never saw a letter of the change … and it was disconcerting,” the parent said.
While she wholly supports the proposed program, she said whatever decision is made, communication to families should be done in a timely and professional manner.
School board members were happy with the plan and expressed excitement for having one school program.
“What’s happening today feels right because it is right,” said Trustee Aracely Romo-Flores. “We are providing students with opportunities … I’m really excited for one school, one community.”
Emily Peterson, a kindergarten teacher, said her classroom is already following a lot of what the design team is suggesting.
“But what I feel is very different and enlightening, is that all the classes are finally going on field trips together, it feels like that they are together. They have lunch together, they play together and it feels right to include everyone,” Peterson said.
Healdsburg Elementary School Librarian Greta Mesics echoed Peterson and Romo-Flores’ thoughts and said this program is really what schools need.
“As the librarian at Healdsburg Elementary School, I’m in a good position to chat with everyone and and we are already on the way of being one school,” Mesics said.
