FAYETTEVILLE — Parents and incoming sophomores filled the Fayetteville High School auditorium to capacity Tuesday to learn about a new structure coming to the school, starting next school year.
Parents were there to hear details on small learning communities designed to divide large-school populations into smaller, autonomous groups. The curriculum in each is a combination of core and other required courses as well as courses centered on interests of that community.
AT A GLANCE
What Parents, Students Need to Know
Students will choose a small learning community prior to their sophomore year.
Students select a community that best suits their interests and plans.
Changes are only allowed when enrolling for the next school year.
Students and parents should pay careful notice to the courses assigned or recommended for each program.
All students will take required courses for graduation in English, math, social studies and science, including courses to complete graduation requirements.
Advanced Placement courses are open to all students.
Some electives are open to any student, but have an application or require an audition.
Source: www.fayar.net/new-fhs/
The meeting also marked the launch of a website detailing three learning communities at the high school and the alternative learning school at West Campus, teachers said. A second meeting for incoming sophomores and parents is set for 6 p.m. Thursday.
Alan Dunsworth, the father of a 15-year-old son at Woodland Junior High School, said before the meeting all he knew about the change was what he read.
“I really want to find out more. It sounds interesting,” said Dunsworth, himself a Fayetteville High School graduate.
Bambi Massengale, also a Fayetteville High School graduate, said she was looking for information to steer her daughter in the right direction in selecting a small learning community.
Kristen Massengale, 15, a Woodland freshman, said she was interested in art, which would place her in the FACE community. FACE stands for film, arts, creative expression and engineering.
Anna Beaulieu, one of the lead teachers, said the community is for the innovative thinker who wants to create, present or perform or for the student interested in the art of persuasion.
She said engineering is included in the community because of the need for creative thinkers in the sciences.
Michelle Miller, another lead teacher, said students interested in CREW, another of the communities, will be active with a lifelong interest in fitness, or who wants to be outside or who is interested in a medical field. CREW is short for community, relationships, environment and wellness.
The final community is GEM, which stands for global infrastructure, entrepreneurship and modern communication, said Sallie Langford, a lead teacher. This is the community for the student who understands how small the world is, who is technology savvy and business-oriented, she said.
Parents asked a series a questions during the hourlong session. One of those was how the school will deal with one community which has many more students.
Evelyn Marbury, an assistant principal, said that issue hasn’t been ironed yet. Students can make two choices for the communities they want to be in.
Once those choices are turned in by students in the next few weeks, the high school staff will consider the number of requests for each community based on demographics and other issues.
Katie Mallery of Fayetteville said she found the meeting very informative.
“It’s going to help the kids who have gotten lost at the high school. They will benefit,” she said.
Her daughter, Maddie, 15 and a Woodland student, said she is interest in either CREW or GEM because she is interested in teaching or becoming a doctor or nurse.
However, she is afraid she may be separated from friends in the new structure.
“I want to experience regular high school, too,” she said.
Added her mother, “The greatest fear for the kids is that they won’t be together.”