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2004 Facilities Information

Citizens Facilities Committee
Final Report
July 21, 2003

VI. Program Requirements & Changes

Background:
 
As the CFC reviewed various committee reports and toured facilities in Millbrook and in other school districts, it became clear that, the concern about space in Millbrook does not just involve physical space, but also includes program requirements.  Not only does a school district have to provide adequate physical space for its children, it has to ensure that the space it provides has the equipment and facilities needed to educate the children according to standards set by governing bodies at the federal, state and local school district levels.The CFC asked Mrs. Ilyne Weinberg, the principal of Alden Place Elementary, and Mrs. Ann St. Germain, the principal of the Jr. Sr. High School, to address the committee about current program requirements, how have they changed over the years, and how the facilities in the Millbrook schools meet those requirements.This document summarizes the presentations made by Mrs. St. Germain and Mrs. Weinberg.Also included here is a summary of current and past high school graduation requirements for Millbrook and for New YorkState.
Program Requirements:
In the last five years, education standards and requirements have changed significantly.

In July 1996 the New York State Board of Regents approved a new set of learning standards for all students in seven subject areas.They represent the core of what all people should know, understand and be able to do as a result of their schooling.As such, these learning standards were meant to form the basis for a re-vision of education in New York.With this re-vision, students may expect an intellectually powerful education no matter where they live; in which teaching assessment, and the provision of support for learning are to be closely linked; and in which schools and parents share the same high expectations of youngsters.Learning standards have two primary dimensions.Content standards describe what students should know, understand and be able to do.Performance standards define levels of student achievement pertaining to content.The teaching and learning which takes place in between is the heart of the matter.It is crucial to understand that the process of preparing a child for achievement of these standards begins in the fall of the child’s kindergarten year and is an ongoing process through to the end of 12th grade.(Learning Standards for New YorkState)

Students who will enter ninth grade in Millbrook in September 2001, 2002, 2003 or 2004 will be required to earn a Regents Diploma with the following requirements in order to graduate from high school.

Regents Exams:

  1. English Regents,
  2. Global History and Geography Regents,
  3. US History Regents,
  4. A Regents exam in science and
  5. Math “A” Regents. 
A minimum of 23 units will be required.These units must include:
English4 units + Regents Exam
Social Studies 4 units + 2 Regents Exams
Mathematics 3 units + Regents Exam

Science 3 units + Regents Exam

Physical Education 2 units

Art or Music 1 unit

Health 0.5 unit

Foreign Language 1 unit

Electives/Sequences 4.5 units

Minimum Total 23 units

As of 2001, New YorkState standards require 22 units for a high school diploma.

A student who received a high school diploma in 1977 was required to complete 16 units.

Six different diplomas will be awarded to Millbrook students:

  1. A Regents Diploma will be awarded to students who meet all graduation requirements AND pass a minimum of 5 Regents Exams with a score of 65 or better.
  2. A Regents Diploma with Honors will be awarded to students who meet all graduation requirements for a Regents Diploma AND earn an average score of 90 or higher on their Regents Exams.
  3. An Advanced Regents Diploma will be awarded to students who meet all graduation requirements AND pass seven or eight Regents exams with a score of 65 or better. Note: To earn an Advanced Regents Diploma, students need to have a 3-unit sequence in a foreign language and pass the Comprehensive Regents Exam in that language OR take a 5-unit sequence in a career pathway or other occupational studies.
  4. An Advanced Regents Diploma with Honors will be awarded to students who meet all graduation requirements for an “Advanced Regents Diploma AND earn an average score of 90 or higher on their Regents Exams.
  5. An IEP (Individual Education Plan) Diploma will be awarded to students who attain the state’s learning standards appropriate to the students’ disabilities. They can only be awarded to students who have been identified as having a disability by the district’s Committee on Special Education.
  6. Students with disabilities entering the freshman class in 2001-2004 year will be required to take each Regents course and examination as required for their entering class. However, those students who do not pass a required Regents examination may meet the requirements for a local diploma by passing the Regents Competency Test or the equivalent subject.
The Current Millbrook Facilities:
The following accounts of facility use and program requirements come from presentations to the CFC made by Mrs. Ilyne Weinberg, Principal of Alden Place Elementary and Mrs. Ann St. Germain, Principal of Millbrook Jr. Sr. High School.
Mrs. Weinberg:At Alden, the physical education facilities share space with the cafeteria and auditorium.New YorkState standards call for interdisciplinary approaches to teaching, including integrating subjects such as English, social studies, science, music, art and mathematics.Because there is only one facility for physical education and lunch, performances are not possible.Similarly, there is no facility for teaching science at Alden.Currently the school administers the ESPET test, which tests student’s ability to do hands-on and written science.Because there are no facilities to teach hands-on science, the Millbrook student’s capabilities in hands-on science are limited.Beginning in the school year 2003-2004, students will be tested in science, math and technology.In order to do well, students will need to be able to do hands-on science using math and computer skills. Currently, Alden has no facility in which to teach these skills.

Mrs. St. Germain:The Millbrook Jr. Sr. High School has similar but more involved issues, partly because it currently educates 6 grade levels.Mrs. St. Germain stated that in September 2003, all the children would fit into the school.The conditions may not be ideal, but the children will be taught.Scheduling students, teachers and classrooms has become tricky.Currently the teacher’s contract allows teachers to teach five classes.  If they teach an additional sixth class, they receive additional pay.  In addition to classroom teaching, each teacher has a 'duty' every day.Duties include jobs like monitoring the cafeteria during lunchtime.Every other day they have two duties.  Every day, each teacher is allowed a forty-minute planning period.On the days for which they have one duty, they are allowed two planning periods.The increase in enrollment has required teachers to give up duties and planning periods in order to fulfill classroom teaching needs.

The need for continuous use of classroom space has resulted in the inability to keep all Jr. high school (7th and 8th grade) students on the upper level, although all of their lockers are on the upper level.  As recently as five years ago, Jr. high school students were largely kept separate from the Sr.High School students.Now the Sr.High School students are moved to the upper level for some classes.This creates the added difficulty for teachers to change teaching styles during the day from teaching early adolescent Jr. high school children, to teaching Sr. high school students.The result is usually that teachers tend to teach all children as if they are Sr. high school students.

Teaching science has becoming difficult.  Students need 3 credits of science and math to graduate.  The Jr. Sr. high school facilities lack a lab needed to provide for this need.  The current 8th grade science room/lab is in the old woodshop and does not have proper storage or electrical requirements to facilitate the required science learning.

Currently, two psychologists, a speech therapist, and probation officers come into the school to meet with the children and/or adults.  When private conversations are necessary, there is no space to accommodate this.  The guidance counselor, assistant principal and principal rotate office space to create a private area to meet this need.

The room behind the stage cannot be used for regular classes because the noise level of the music programs on the stage is too great.  Also, because the band rehearses on the stage, there is a problem with music, band and chorus during the spring drama season, which uses the stage.

Because the auditorium is too small, it is no longer possible to include the 9th grade in National Honor Society induction ceremonies if parents and special guests are allowed to attend the ceremonies.  Only 10th-12th grades are invited to National Honor Society induction assemblies.

The two art rooms lack sufficient storage space.  Also the kiln takes up a lot of room and creates an odor when it is in use, despite ventilation.

There is no spot for administering state exams.  The gym is utilized during the major Regents exams, but other exams cannot disrupt the gym schedule.  The Advanced Placement exams are administered in the two newest classrooms on the third level because they are the most soundproof.  However, this requires moving twenty-five students to allow twelve students to take exams.

One main corridor between the 3 levels of the high school creates a major problem.  In a survey of Jr. and Sr. high school students in 2003, 71% of the students replied that crowding in the hallways was one of the major problems in the school.Many students indicated that because of the difficulty of maneuvering in the hallways, it was difficult to make it to classes on time.Students are no longer allowed into the school in the morning at one time.  Walkers and students arriving early are allowed into the school three minutes earlier than the children from busses to reduce congestion in the halls.  Even with the time delay and two entrances during arrival it is still congested in the hallways in the morning.