Chances for change

‘New” high school features exciting initiatives

The watchword in the Fayetteville School District is "transition." Aside from opening the entire "new" Fayetteville High School in this coming fall, we are moving grade levels between schools. The fifth-graders move to middle school, seventh-graders move to junior high, and ninth-graders move to high school. The new configuration makes a lot of sense, especially at the high school. For college admissions and GPAs, the official record begins in the ninth grade. The ninth grade is universally considered to be high school.

Oddly, the moving of children between grade levels is not a major change. Students change classes every year, and teachers have new students every year. There are major logistical issues as far as equipment and class assignments, but those are adult issues. From my view as superintendent, I believe the adults have all the logistics ironed out, and the opening of school next August should be very smooth. The real excitement regarding the transition is how it has given our teachers and other school leaders an opportunity to reinvent themselves. I'm thrilled with the creativity they have unleashed. I want to spotlight what I see as an amazing transformation: The new Fayetteville High School.

Our district has seen an exciting turnover in personnel. Over 45 percent of our teachers are new to Fayetteville public schools in the past five years. We have retained some phenomenal, highly experienced veterans and added the energy of those who are new to the profession. This mixing of ideas and energy is nowhere more evident than at Fayetteville High School. In planning for the addition of ninth-graders, the leadership team at the high school has developed some creative answers to difficult challenges.

First, the new bell schedule will have an alternating day schedule that will allow for longer periods and greater academic focus. There will be the addition of an early morning optional period (Zero Period) that will allow about 40 percent of our students to start earlier in the morning and get out of school earlier for jobs or other activities. For those parents who have experienced the traffic challenges around the high school in the mornings, Zero Period provides two start times for school and thus reduces the traffic crunch. Don't expect it to be perfect: it will still be congested, but not as bad as it could have been.

Built into the day will be a seminar period that will meet every other day so the student can receive academic help, attend meetings, and generally address any pressing needs or concerns. These seminars will have about 15 students and the same teacher will be assigned to these students for all four years. Parents will always have a specific point of contact with someone who really knows their student. Students will always have at least one adult who will be there for them. The Leadership Team at the high school wants to assure parents no student will ever "fall between the cracks." I envision the seminar classes as being a small family where everyone will be together for four years.

Next year the freshman will be divided into four groups and these groups will be the foundation for all the core classes. The students will stay together through most of the academic day and then will split off to take advantage of the numerous elective offerings at a large high school. Several teachers are even talking about "looping" the ninth- and tenth-graders. This means the ninth-grade English teacher would stay with the same students when they become tenth-grade English students. The same students and the same teacher would stay together for two years.

There is so much more exciting at the new Fayetteville High School, but my space is limited. The Leadership Team and faculty at Fayetteville High School are stepping up and transitioning into one of the most student-centered high schools in America. These are very exciting times to be a high school student in Fayetteville. I wish my children could have attended the new Fayetteville High School.

Paul Hewitt is superintendent of Fayetteville Public Schools.

NAN Our Town on 02/26/2015

Upcoming Events