1. Next year we will have a revised footprint, bringing our 6th, 7 th, and 8th grade core classes to the 1st floor hallway on the west side of our quad (the hallway perpendicular to the small gym), exchanging with van sickle the current 8th gr ELA, his and math classes, as well as the basement classes on the west side of the cafeteria (11, 13,14,28,31,32, 22). A definite improvement. Ms despirt and I will be working out the logistics of the move over the next month.
2. Our school day hours will change from the middle school schedule to the high school schedule, starting and ending the day 30 minutes earlier than now (7:35 to 2:20). I understand this is a big shift for folks with family morning schedules and wanted to let you know ASAP. We and van sickle were asked to make this shift so that the city could save almost $500,000. The earlier start does give us the opportunity to better balance the middle and high school schedules, and will eliminate almost all the need for athletes to leave their last class of the day early.
3. In August The Parents Portal opens on http://www.sps.springfield.ma.us in Power School: https://sis.sps.springfield.ma.us/public/home.html . Create an account (you need your student’s ID number) and you will be able to see your student’s attendance, graders, tardiness and more on daily basis.
4. A New Grading for Renaissance students will be established: 0 – no work; 1 – Poor Start; 2 – Not there yet; 2.5 – Almost there; 3 – Met the target; 3.5 – Met & partly exceeded; 4 – Exceeded.
5. Vacation School will be offered this summer for student who are not where they should be academically and other wise. A Coaching program (group of 40-50 students with D-) will be offered in individual and group environments.
6. Our 5 Habits of work will be reduced to 4. 2 & 4 were combined into : “I actively and collaboratively participate in class”.
Homework piece grading will be recalibrated too.
7. Our middle school students who will be receiving a strong 4 in Math will have an opportunity to move in to accelerated classes.