January 2001

La Grande Middle School

BACKGROUND: Like many schools, La Grande Middle School (LMS) wanted to explore new approaches to raising student achievement. State test scores had been average . . . but not as good as staff and parents were hoping for. Also, "the middle school years" present their own challenges to educators. This is the age where students change dramatically – physically and emotionally – and need extra attention to stay focused in school. Conducting research on how other middle schools were handling these challenges, the staff settled on creating longer class periods. They involved parents in the planning process.

WHAT THEY DID: Under the leadership of Doug Potter (last year’s principal), the school replaced its traditional seven-period-a-day routine with an alternating schedule. Instead of attending 47-minute classes every day, students attend four classes a day, every other day. Each Monday, however, the schedule includes seven periods to insure that every teacher sees every student at the start of the week.

The classes last 85 minutes, which helps teachers spend more time with kids. Core subjects (like math and English) are taught three times weekly. "Students feel better about their teachers and are developing a better understanding of what we expect of them," says Doug Hislop, last year’s vice principal and this year’s principal.

The schedule allows teachers to accomplish projects that otherwise wouldn’t get done – or take weeks to finish. As an example, teachers Sheryl Brown (math) and Jerry Mayes (science) got kids involved in studying steelhead salmon. The lab work was completed in two class periods. Under the old schedule, the work would have taken two weeks. (Lab set-up and cleanup takes a big chunk out of instruction time!) Longer time periods allow teachers to provide more "hands on" learning opportunities because students get a chance to immediately practice and explore what they’ve just learned, or read about, in class.

PARENT INVOLVEMENT: LMS has an active "Wildcat Eyes" Parent-Teacher Organization. Wildcat parents visit the school and create a positive presence for students in the cafeteria. These and other parents through the school’s Site Council were involved in helping plan the alternating day schedule.

OTHER SECRETS TO SUCCESS: The middle school had changed its teaching style to an interdisciplinary "team" approach – Teams A, B and C. Teams includes a cross-section of teachers and subjects and are responsible for a group of kids all year. Students don’t fall through the cracks, and, teachers can coordinate curriculum. In a nutshell, they talk more often during "common prep time." They talk about the kids and about teaching. The school also added an interscholastic sports program, a student recognition program to reward exemplary behavior, and an advisory program.

POSITIVE RESULTS: The number of suspensions last year declined 63 percent. Also, the number of students suspended from class declined by 12.1 percent. "With longer periods, you have less time passing in the halls, and therefore fewer chances for kids to find ways to get into trouble," Hislop said. Student academic performance jumped, as seen by higher state test scores. The school bumped from a "satisfactory" to a "strong" report card rating this year. The school also surveyed eighth graders and found that 60 percent liked the new schedule.

"We’ve tweaked the schedule this year to make sure our programs mesh with La Grande High," said Hislop, noting that the high school changed its schedule to merge with the changing patterns of LMS. "We will always be adapting this program, like changing a flat tire while you’re driving down the freeway."