Changes needed at Gilpin School
Community tells School Board
Straight from the students’ mouths, Gilpin School’s problem with low student achievement is caused, at least in part, by “student apathy.” Five Gilpin students, including three Student Council members, attended the community meeting held with Board of Education members, administrators, teachers and parents on Monday evening, January 26th. The school scored only 55 on the new Colorado Growth Model which began in 2008 and measures student achievement and growth. A score of 60 is needed to remain accredited. When Superintendent Ken Ladouceur tallied that score and realized its potential impact, he recommended more classroom time for students by increasing the number of hours students spend in the classroom, possibly by extending the school week another day. In December, parents received a letter from Ladouceur stating he had made that recommendation to the School Board. The district’s Monday-Thursday school week was established a quarter century ago. A five-day week would include Fridays.
The student representatives said school needed to be more interesting, that more class choices, including electives and advanced classes are needed, classes with content they can understand and apply to life. The district has cut nearly all but core-related subjects (math, science, English and social studies). “I love working with my hands,” said a junior, “and I know I’m not the only one.” However, the district cut the woodshop class long before he entered high school. Unsure of whether a gifted and talented program was in effect, the students recommended one. Classes aren’t challenging and there aren’t enough of them, they said. Adding to that, scheduling isn’t flexible enough for students to take the classes they want. What’s currently offered isn’t enough to motivate students to achieve. There’s little school spirit, they said. They asked for technology updates and for available technology to be used. The district has smart boards (computer interactive white boards) but isn’t using them, they said. The five-day week isn’t the answer, they told the Board, “Put the funding into programs that actually benefit the students.” Their comments were echoed by community members and teachers.
Teachers said the four-day week could be improved with more effective and efficient use of time. Their recommendations had been presented at the last Board meeting and distributed to community members. A reading intervention program that is having current success in the third grade should be expanded, they said. In the high school, implement a program called AVID that can be tailored to all levels of student skills. Teachers said they need more time for preparation and training. Some parents felt that should be done on Fridays, leaving Monday-Thursday for teaching. That’s worth additional pay, they said. Parents supported the students’ and teachers’ suggestions by recommending more time for teachers to prepare and train, more efficient use of student/teacher time, more paraprofessionals and student mentors, more extra-curricular activities, including academic types (debate, chess, etc.). They urged the Board to work with the teachers to improve the current schedule. “If you fix the problem, you won’t have to add hours,” said one man. If the school must increase classroom hours, they suggested looking at cutting back holiday break times.
Several people expressed frustration with the Board and superintendent. Board President Scott Groginsky had warned that no personal attacks would be allowed. Without naming names, folks referred to “the top.” They talked of “other problems, starting at the top,” “the higher-ups are out of touch with the community,” “upper management needs to be cognizant of teachers’ needs,” and “the teachers have a better grasp than those at the top.” One teacher said they (teachers) had been asked for help for so many of the lean years, but weren’t asked for recommendations now that there’s money. (The district is hoping for an infusion from the Black Hawk sales tax.) One said the staff felt “unheard and not represented.” A parent said volunteers should be encouraged, but instead they feel not wanted. Several folks took exception to a hand-out from the superintendent that stated the district was “almost bankrupt” when he arrived eight years ago. A former Board member pointed out the statement was totally untrue. When Ladouceur was hired, there were plentiful reserves.
Most community members arrived well-informed of the new growth model, the superintendent’s recommendation, and those of the teachers. They had held their own meeting to organize their thoughts and had representatives attend previous regular Board meetings in hopes of a dialogue. The Board had limited them to three minutes of speaking and offered no dialogue. When they asked for agenda time, they were denied. At this special meeting, approximately 70 people filled the school’s multi-purpose room, hoping for an open exchange with their elected officials. What they got was a program, complete with a facilitator from Colorado Association of School Boards (who arrived late and delayed the meeting’s start), an hour of presentations from school administrators, and a structured participatory exercise. When the exercise finished, it wasn’t made clear whether Board members would allow discussion from the floor, or if folks would be allowed only to approach them as individuals. Nearly half the attendees left. Only then did Board members move to the front of the room to field questions and hear comments. “I waited two hours and forty six minutes to ask a question,” one man told them. Several said the presentations and the exercise were a waste of time.
“Who on the Board would vote for a five-day week and go against all of the people here?” one man wanted to know. Groginsky and Board members Bob Masslich and Jerry Yocom wouldn’t commit. They are still gathering information, they said. Board members Rusty Hardy and Craig Holmes said they had enough information. They are against the five-day plan. While some folks said they could go with either the four or five-day week, most were adamantly against a change from four school days. One woman said there’s nothing to keep families at Gilpin when other five-day schools have better and more programs. Even with the four-day enticement, Gilpin’s enrollment is declining. More and better programs at other schools have drawn them away. Each student who leaves the district takes away funding – about $9,000 per student each year from the state alone. Asked if he based his future budget plan on current enrollment, Ladouceur responded, “Yes.” “Bad assumption,” he was told.
The superintendent summed up what the majority had said, “Don’t mess with our Fridays.” It isn’t just about the Fridays, however. Parents and students aren’t sure increased class time on any schedule is the end-all to raise student achievement. The district has increased student classroom time in the past by eliminating recess, extending core classes to 70 minutes, reducing passing time, etc. Increased classroom time, alone, doesn’t seem to be the answer. Students, teachers and parents all said there are other problems at Gilpin School that need fixed.