FAYETTEVILLE — Small learning communities are causing small changes at the high school, according to students and teachers.
The reorganization of the school into learning communities began in August and could take several years to fully implement because of space constraints and the need for a master schedule.
Small learning communities are growing in popularity. The aim is to break a large high school into smaller units so that students don’t get overwhelmed or feel disconnected in a large group.
Some schools offer specific career academies, such as Springdale High School. The communities can be grouped around broader career fields, such as at Bentonville High School where the school is divided into five communities plus one for freshmen.
At A Glance
Small Learning Communities
Fayetteville High School has four communities. Each has an assistant principal, counselor, lead teacher and 35-40 classroom teachers.
As the communities develop, core subjects, such as literacy, math or science, will be taught in each community. Students may take electives in the other groups. The communities are:
-CREW courses are built around community, relationships, environment and wellness.
-FACE explores film, arts, creative expression and engineering.
-GEM focuses on studies in global infrastructure, entrepreneurship and modern communication.
-ALLPS, which is the Agee-Lierly Life Preparation Services Center and offers programs and services for nontraditional students.
Source: Staff Report
Deanna Easton, small learning community coordinator in Fayetteville, said teachers want every student in each community to have at least three teachers from that community each day. That goal will take the master schedule to accomplish.
“Teachers are seeing more of a difference than students right now,” Easton said.
“It’s true,” said junior Sarah Norys, 16. The only time she is exclusively with other students in the CREW community is in a class called advisory, which meets for 30 minutes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She said the advisory period is mostly a time for students to do homework although there have been speakers and other activities.
The rest of Norys’ classes are a mix of students from other communities.
The first reaction last year to the small learning community concept was concern students would be isolated from their friends, Norys said.
“We’re not isolated,” she said. “It hasn’t made a difference in who I see and what I do at school.”
The plan has challenges, such as the times courses are scheduled, the number of electives offered at the high school and the number of students. Teachers, according to Arkansas standards, are to have contact with only 150 students a day.
The high school has about 1,800 students. That number will swell to about 2,400 when the ninth grade is added in 2015.
Assistant Principal Denise Hoy said creating a master schedule is easier said than done. An example is a student who wants to take a specialized class offered only during one class period and for one semester.
“There are 20 percent of the population who don’t fit in everywhere,” Hoy said. “It’s overwhelming.”
While the conversion to the communities evolves, teachers are pleased with the progress.
Students are quickly learning there are consequences for not turning in assignments on time, said Michelle Miller, a teacher. If they don’t or if they are falling behind in a subject, they can be required to attend lunch hour tutoring.
Teachers are finding opportunities to collaborate on student guidance and implementing new educational standards. Grades are reported by the semester instead of every nine weeks. Progress reports are handed out every three to four weeks.
Heather Walker, parent of a 10th-grader in the FACE community, said, “Her choice of SLC hasn’t had much affect on her schedule, and it played no role in her scheduling.”
Her daughter is enrolled in mostly Advanced Placement classes.
“Students from all SLCs are in her classes, probably half of her classes,” Walker said. “I appreciate why they want to do this. It’s easy for a student to fall through the cracks because the school is so large.”
Cecilia Smith has a daughter in the CREW community.
“I don’t think she’s seeing a big change this year,” Smith said. Earlier concerns that the arrangement might split up friendships has not materialized. Her daughter socializes with friends during her lunch hour.
The communities are a positive move to break up the size of the high school, she said.
“It gives all students a chance to belong or associate with a smaller group,” Smith said.