Which campus will each Newton Community School District elementary student be attending for each grade? That’s a question the school district has been tackling this year, including a teacher survey that will be discussed Monday.
The survey of teachers about potential K-6 reconfiguration is one of the discussion items on the agenda for Monday's NCSD regular board meeting at Emerson Hough. Consideration of reconfiguration is listed as one of the boards "action/
discussion" items.
“This survey is specific to reconfiguration,” Newton Superintendent Bob Callaghan said. “This is the next phase in determining what is in the best academic interest of students. Should we reconfigure with smaller class sizes, or should we not? Or should we continue with the same programmatic issues we’re providing now?”
Callaghan said the survey will be strictly informational, as the board has the decision-making power when it comes to reconfiguration.
Ideas about which buildings to use for which grades and populations has been debated basically since the district made major changes in 2010.
In August, a parent survey conducted during back-to-school nights showed 58 percent of those who participated felt it was important to limit student travel to and from school. Sixty-six percent of respondents felt it was important to minimize the number of schools that students attend during their experience within the district.
One of the most decisive numbers from the August survey was the 81 percent of respondents who said they want to sustain long-term student-parent-staff relationships. At a September board meeting, the School Improvement Advisory Committee made the recommendation to the Newton Community School District Board of Education that the district should return the Emerson Hough building to its previous role as a regular elementary school.
Other action items for Monday’s meeting include a certified staff seniority report and approval of bills. Several students will be recognized for their accomplishments in athletics, music and academics.
Amid the discussion items are reports on performance data of the Basics & Beyond students and an AYP update from Director of Pre/K-8 Education Services Jim Gilbert.
Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6530 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com