|
|
|
Transformations announced for Humboldt Junior High School and Arlington Senior High School
Saint Paul Public Schools laid out plans for transforming Humboldt Junior High School and Arlington Senior High School Tuesday at a Committee of the Board of Education meeting. The restructuring plans call for dramatic improvements to help students succeed as well as helping to satisfy federally mandated requirements under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law. The plans also incorporate key components that community members have said were important to them.
“We have a responsibility to take action on making significant changes in these schools to provide students the best opportunities for academic success now,” said Superintendent Meria J. Carstarphen. “At both Arlington and Humboldt we will expand on strong academic programs – BioSMART and Environmental Studies – that we believe will meet families’ needs and accelerate achievement for all students.”
The schools have worked to address these challenges through program changes that took effect this school year: an Environmental Studies and College and Career Preparatory Program at Humboldt Junior High School and the BioSMART program at Arlington Senior High School. Those programs will continue under the restructuring.
Among the notable differences from the current structures are:
- The Humboldt grades 7-12 Environmental Studies program will be housed at Humboldt Senior High School, with limited use of the current junior high building.
- Changes in governance at both schools, based on Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) guidelines. At Humboldt, Senior High School Principal Mike Sodomka will oversee all students in grades 7-12 with the support of assistant principals. District administration will play a larger role for oversight of the schools’ operations and educational support, at Humboldt and Arlington.
- A staff restructuring process. At Humboldt, staff members will be required to apply to positions in the grade 7-12 Humboldt program during winter of 2009. At Arlington, staff members will be required to apply to positions to support design, implementation and articulation of the BioSMART program. Exceptions will be made based upon specific skills needed to maintain BioSMART.
Arlington Senior High and Humboldt Junior High have been identified as a school in pre-restructuring under NCLB and must follow specific guidelines for what the schools and school district must do.
The district is in the middle of Large-Scale System Change to address issues across Saint Paul Public Schools, but must also meet requirements for NCLB. In order to be accountable, SPPS must meet the NCLB deadline and announce these plans now. The restructuring at the Humboldt complex and at Arlington High School will be incorporated into the overall plans for Large-Scale System Change. The restructuring plans may be adjusted as the district receives data regarding Large-Scale System Change.
Among the items community members have expressed as important at previous meetings that will remain are programs with a small school appeal and a commitment to a secondary program on the city’s West Side.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|