9th Grade at Expanded King Middle - with other grades retained (Option D)

[Loren Heyns]

I was initially enthused about the 9th Grade Academy proposal. But
considering all the driving involved, I’d like to see the district
explore adding a 9th grade level at King Middle while retaining 7th
and 8th grade.

In return, I'd like to see ANCS consider the advantages of converting
to two elementary school campuses that each go through 6th grade.

Stating the obvious:

1. The current ANCS Middle School guaranteed-admission policy is
depleting the MLK Middle School population.
2. Traveling from Summerhill to Coan Middle School would be too far.

There is a better way...

King Middle could be expanded by adding new classrooms wrapped around
the cement exterior - with lots of windows and a welcoming front
entrance.

King Neighborhood Middle School Proposal:

1. Extend King Middle School through 9th grade starting in 2012-13.
Allow current students to stay as 9th graders during the Jackson
remodeling.

2. ANCS converts to two elementary campuses when expanded space is
available at King Middle.

3. Redistrict to allow Summerhill students to apply to ANCS
Elementary.

I love that our local elementary kids have the opportunity to play
basketball at King Middle. My own experience attending a 7th through
9th middle school was extremely positive, and would hate to see King
Middle be closed or further separated from the community.

My initial thought was to suggest limiting the ANCS Middle guaranteed-
admission to only students living east of Boulevard (to increase
attendance at King Middle). But it simply makes more sense to have
two ANCS elementary schools where young kids can walk to with parents,
while creating the full student body needed to keep King alive. If we
are willing to come together as a 9th Grade Academy at King, we can
surely create an entire middle school based on the same unity.

[Andrea Knight]

Loren:

Love the creative thinking - I do think we need thoughtful charter school footprints.  Both the zoned & the charter schools have evolved over time, & redisricting offers the opportunity to review the accumulated decisions.  Please come out to Coan on Monday so we have some additional ideas floating around.  

For all who are numbers inclined, I'm including the links below to the two documents I created to compile some of the numbers info we have from APS.  I think I'm the only one who has been crawling over them in detail, & my first reaction to this is that King's enrollment isn't the problem - Coan's enrollment is the problem - mostly from the lack of kids residing in the area (497 residing in a school that holds 903) then amplified by Drew (which pulls 125 kids compared to ANCS pulling 35).

Chart with enrollment numbers, school performance & school choice data:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AsJDXq4OJ2AYdEd6c3cwRkFRQnl2MXZmZk10MWxsVFE

Map with neighborhood & school enrollment at the K-5 level (NOTE: mistake I didn't add the zoned + charter capacity at the middle school level so there are more seats than listed)

http://www.scribblemaps.com/maps/view/SouthSRT3

Thanks,

Andrea

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[Ramiro Garcia]

I actually think it's worth discussing as a community, school and governing board. It would be worthwhile to back and re-read the visioning work done a few years back. In those focus groups, I advocated strongly to include Summerhill in the primary zone - for many reasons and we can start with the green / walk-ability values. Remember, this is a school of 'choice' and we are fortunate to have many K+ options in the surrounding area. If these are the same kids we say we care about in high school, where they will all be together, why not explore and discuss ways in which all our kids can cross paths, play and 'collaborate'? Think outside the box - isn't that we say we're all about?

[James Boyd Baker]

So how do we resolve the Coan Middle challenge? Are you thinking that King become the zoned middle school? Or are you as stumped as I am?

Creative ideas for King sound interesting, if the Board will allow such changes to the mid/high structure. If it's only for a temporary solution during Jackson reno, it probably has a better chance.

Thanks for being creative! Hopefully, someone's willing to listen.