Dublin High School Publishes Revised Plan and Budget for Proposed 7 Period Schedule
Dublin High School has published a revised plan for the proposed College and Career Readiness Program which includes a mandatory 7th period starting in the 2015-16 school year. The updated plan includes significantly more detail than what was presented at the March 24 School Board Meeting when the plan was first introduced. The cost of the program is estimated at $1.2M.
The revised plan will be presented, up for discussion and a possible vote at tonight’s Dublin Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting tonight (5:30pm / 7471 Larkdale Ave.). As per the agenda item, Superintendent Dr. Stephen Hanke “recommends approval of the modifications in the DHS College Career Readiness Program for the 2015-16 school year pending budget confirmation from the Governors May Revise.” Dr. Hanke provided the following reference as one of the drivers for the program: College and Career Ready: Helping All Students Succeed Beyond High School and in particular Chapter 3 – Ways to Develop Self-Management Skills and “College Knowledge” (David T. Conley, Feb 2010).
Reviewing the following three documents, which are attached to the School Board Meeting agenda item, is recommended:
- Dublin High School: Good to Great (proposal overview presentation)
- Dublin High College and Career Readiness Program 2015-2016 Proposed Changes Implementation Plan
- Dublin High College and Career Readiness Program Cost Estimates as of 5/8/2015
Public comments (typically 2-3 minute statements) will be taken during the board meeting.
DUSD Board of Trustees Meeting Tues May 12 (5:30pm) Agenda Excerpt:
3. Dublin High School College and Career Readiness Program – INFORMATION / ACTION
Purpose
The purpose of this item is for the Board of Trustees to review and consider approval of modifications to the Dublin High School (DHS) College and Career Readiness Program (CCRP) for the 2015-16 school year. Elements under consideration include a seven period day, expanded graduation requirements to include a Freshmen Seminar course, the Freshmen Mentoring Program, expanded tutorial services through the Learning Center (Hub), and additional program support.
Background
DHS and district staff have implemented a College and Career Readiness Program (CCRP) for the 2014-15 school year. Key components of this program are the Freshmen Mentoring Program, an extended lunch period and the beginning of tutorial services through the Learning Center (Hub). Staff is seeking to expand the program for 2015-16.
Two community forums were held to discuss proposed modifications to the program. The parent meetings were held in a Town Hall format at Dublin High School at 6:30 in the evening on Thursday, April 23 and on Monday, April 27th. Parent input on the changes proposed for 2015-16 was received during the meetings. Attendance on April 23rd was approximately 80 parents, students, and staff and approximately 75 parents, students, and staff on April 27th. Staff presented information on the options under consideration and answered questions until approximately 9:00 p.m.
Parents were also given an opportunity to submit a Community Feedback form. This form has been made available on the Dublin High School website so that those parents wishing to offer input will have an opportunity to do so.
Details
Year two options under consideration for ninth graders include the establishment of a fully revised curriculum for Freshmen Mentoring and the introduction of an integrated year long Freshmen Seminar. Under the plan, Freshmen would participate in the revised Freshmen Mentoring Program at lunch and also take an integrated course that includes college readiness skills, guided study, and Health during their Freshmen year.
In addition, a seventh period is proposed to be added to the schedule. Freshmen would take the integrated Freshmen Seminar course during the additional period. Sophomores through Seniors would have an additional period of academic flex time (GAEL Period) to get academic support as well as to work on their assignments and projects.
The curriculum for Freshmen Seminar will be explained during the presentation. It will include organizational and study skills contained in the “Get Focused, Stay Focused” curriculum, Health, and guided study.
On April 30 the Board held a Work Study session to discuss the proposed revisions. Discussion that evening centered around five areas including: 1) Freshmen Mentoring; 2) Freshman Seminar / Health; 3) Tutorial services through the Learning Center; 4) Program Logistics ie – Seven Period Schedule, Athletics, Performing Arts, Food Services, Materials and Technology etc.; and 5) Communication.
Since the Work Study, DHS and Senior District staff have been meeting to develop Implementation Plans for each of the areas noted above and to answer questions raised since the proposed changes were introduced in April. A Power Point Presentation, an Implementation Plan, a DRAFT DHS Athletic practice time table, and a proposed DRAFT budget is attached as back up material to this item.
The Superintendent recommends approval of the modifications in the DHS College Career Readiness Program for the 2015-16 school year pending budget confirmation from the Governors May Revise.
Key Questions/Answers
Q. What are the two main elements of the College and Career Readiness Program as implemented in 2014-15?
A. Staff implemented a Freshmen Mentoring Program and tutorial services through the Learning Center for the 2014-15 school year.
Q. What are some of the major elements that were implemented?
A. Essential elements of the program included;
1) A Tutoring Program operating before, during and after school
2) A Freshmen Mentoring Program during lunch for all ninth grade students
Q. What are the proposed additions for next year?
A. Staff will be discussing adding a seventh period to the school schedule. During this period, Freshman would be taking an integrated Freshmen Seminar course. Sophomores through Seniors would have an unscheduled academic preparation period. During this time they will be accessing school services including tutoring, wellness / counseling, or working on assignments and projects.
Q: What are the details of the College and Career Readiness Program Implementation Plan?
A: The details of the College and Career Readiness Program Implementation Plan are included as back up material for this item.
Goals
Strategic Initiative – Partnerships
Strategic Initiative – Student Learning
Strategic Initiative – Learning Environment
Strategic Initiative – Resource Alignment
Financial Impact
Staff has calculated total costs for the CCRP program to be approximately $1.2M. Funds will come as part of our Local Control Funding Formula as a budget priority. A preliminary DRAFT budget is attached as back up material to this item.
Contacts
Stephen Hanke, Ed.D., Superintendent
Timothy McCarty, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent, Educational Services
Beverly Heironimus, C.P.A., Assistant Superintendent, Business Services
Keith Roginski, Assistant Superintendent, Human Resources
Carol Shimizu, Principal, Dublin High School
Maureen Byrne, Assistant Principal, Dublin High School
Quick Summary / Abstract
The Board of Trustees will review and consider approval of modifications to the Dublin High School College and Career Readiness Program for the 2015-16 school year. Elements under consideration include a seven period day, expanded graduation requirements to include a Freshmen Seminar course, the Freshmen Mentoring Program, and expanded tutorial services through the Learning Center (Hub).
The Superintendent recommends approval of the modifications in the DHS College Career Readiness Program for the 2015-16 school year pending budget confirmation from the Governors May Revise.
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OneDublin.org 
this is a good start, and it’s appreciated, however having it come out the day of the proposed vote doesn’t give anyone much time to really digest. That said, I do still have some questions –
1) What support are you giving Freshmen for getting the work done? Soph-Sr. have GAEL, but Freshmen will be in class for 7 of the 7.5 hours of the day, and then will have to go home and deal with all of the homework while the other grades get additional time to work. How is this supposed to help reduce Freshman stress?
2) has there been anything done to find WHY students are getting Ds and Fs
3) phone ap for scanning cards – need more info on this. Who will be required to have this ap? What assurance is there that all or even most kids will be scanned? What about students who decide to be outside?
4) It says “Class time because sacred” (though sentence structure makes it hard to know what it really being said here), but if class time sacred, why are we getting rid of 4 minutes per class? or are we reducing to 51 minutes, because…
5) The schedule is confusing – why is 7th period so much shorter? 1-6 are 55 minutes but 7th is 51 minutes with us getting out at 3:27 vs. 3:33 or 3:41 which were the 2 proposed times from the Town Hall meetings.
6) How will you decide who gets to have 7th period GAEL period for kids not in DHS sports; how will you ensure equitable treatment and how will you decide who’s activity is more important that others?
7) with only 2.5 supervisors, how will you keep track of the students outside?
8) How are you selecting tutors and how can you guarantee you will have enough? What are the requirements to be a tutor for kids who are high performers?
9) If a student has GAEL period early in the day, will teachers have their assignments for a few days out available?
10) I looked at our scores (API, etc) and we are doing VERY well. Why do we think we’re so broken?
11) Will the students with Ds and Fs be in the forced study hall only while they have a D or F in a class, or is it based on term grades? If term grades, then it seems a bit late. If current, then do you guarantee that teachers will update Parent Portal real time, so parents and students are more up to date on their own grades. I know there are times where I see an A, then weeks later a teacher enters a test that I thought was going to be a A and it was a C, and my grade goes down but it’s too late to do anything about it.
12) Why not spend the energy getting everyone ready to go to block schedule and just implement that 2016-2017 and let the changes from last year keep working, since you say they are so good.
13) You say you can’t do Health in FMP, but according to the State, that’s not true.
14) Why can’t students elect to have another class during GAEL period, which would allow students to try different things and be more well rounded? So instead of spending the $500k on GAEL, spend it on some teacher salaries.
15) What are teachers doing in their class and their style, to try to reduce Ds and Fs?
16) Will there be enough computers for anyone who wants to use them during GAEL Period?
I”m sure I’d have more questions, but these are the ones that come to mind in the little time I have to process this before the meeting tonight. thank you for continued investigation into this – it seems we may be closer, but I’m not sure we are quite there… I still am not confident that this will solve the stated issues.
Also- nothing is being said about the ever increasing student population… does that mean we’ll just be back here next year to battle through things again? Can’t we just look at a holistic approach to solve all of the issues, and then implement that? I really don’t want to do this year after year.
thank you
Jordan- did you ever get your answer about the high school overcrowding?