Middle schools to see restructuring

Slashing $7.8 million from the Danville Public Schools’ 2010-11 budget meant reduced positions, programs and perks. But it also meant increasing efficiency in the district’s three middle schools.

After at least three years of declining student enrollment between E.A. Gibson and Westwood Magnet middle schools — enrollment at O.T. Bonner has remained fairly steady — Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Andy Tyrrell knew it was time to restructure the schools. The mandated budget cuts provided the impetus.

“Each year we evaluate our programs for their effectiveness,” Tyrrell said. “… When you get into budget reductions, that intensives that process, especially when you’re looking at cutting as much money that we had to cut.”

The current structure, which has been in place for seven to 10 years, comprises a team system in each grade where core teachers teach four classes of a single subject — math, English, science or social studies — throughout the day. The change in structure will convert the daily schedule to a block schedule, which increases instruction time from 60 to 90-minute blocks.

Because of reduced enrollment, classes were too small for the district to afford. The new structure reduces the number of core teachers a student will have per semester from four to three; students will take English and math all year, as well as alternate taking science or social studies.

Each grade level currently has two teams of four teachers each. Depending on enrollment, most grade levels will be reduced to six teachers — two math, two English, one science and one social studies.

Tyrell recommended the reduction of 10 core teaching positions among the three schools — two at Bonner and four at both Westwood and Gibson — none of which was an English or math position. But that does not mean 10 teachers lost their jobs, Tyrrell stressed. Many teachers have been moved within the system to fill vacancies elsewhere.

Class sizes will increase, he said, but they will stay within 17-22 students per teacher.

“It was time to re-evaluate,” Tyrrell said. “The budget just made us put it as a priority.”

O.T. Bonner

Bonner Principal Dave Cochran said the idea of altering the team structure was not a “foreign concept,” to Danville’s middle schools, and that the driving force behind any changes was students’ needs.

“We use proven strategies,” Cochran said. “… It certainly is well-within our usual processes of middle school education to determine the kind of teaming that needs to be done to meet the needs of a particular population of students. Middle schools have that level of flexibility that allows us to do that.”

Enrollment at Bonner, which serves North Danville, has plateaued over the last few years, Cochran said. The school will lose two eighth grade teaching positions, which he said would have little effect on students because the grade is small.

Because of budget cuts, Bonner will also lose Cochran’s position as principal. Westwood Magnet Principal Christie Dawson will serve as the principal of both Bonner and Westwood because the schools are adjacent. After a restructuring of positions at the central office, Cochran will serve as the district coordinator of academic and operational services.

E.A. Gibson

Gibson’s enrollment has decreased by 21 students in the last three years and the school will lose four core teaching positions. But Principal Robin Owens said she was excited about the changes because the extended class periods make for increased classroom efficiency.

“It’s gonna allow teachers more time with the students within a block,” Owens said. “Some teachers have said 50 minutes of a class is just not long enough. Being a former teacher, I do know sometimes that’s an issue.”

Gibson, which serves southern Danville, will also lose its 20-day summer intersessions for student remediation and enrichment. Owens said remediation for reteaching and retesting in small groups would instead continue during the normal school day and after school, but there would no longer be an enrichment program.

“We’re not too upset about that because we can still get the (remediation) job done,” she said. “But we’re not gonna be year-round.”

Owens commended the district’s human resources department for its work in placing teachers at other schools. Student population “pretty much justifies” the decrease in positions, she said.

“They’re doing a superb job,” she said. “I’m so excited because I was so nervous. I didn’t want anybody to lose their job.”

Westwood Magnet

Westwood, which participates in the International Baccalaure-ate Middle Years program, will lose four core teaching positions next year. The school has seen a reduction in 50 students in the last three years, Tyrrell said. Dawson could not be reached for comment.

Amos is a staff writer for the Danville Register & Bee.