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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Jackson County voters approve pot tax 'Tis the season: Growers market reopens ASHLAND: Oak Knoll to host free FootGolf event AGING HAPPENS: Ashland synagogue hosts screening of Chopra film Oregon leader Dave Frohnmayer dies at age 74 Education Willow Wind students raise money for water Getting its balancing act together Pulling strings for youth music education Bee college takes to the air Grizzlies shine at Eugene speech tourney Environment Mt. 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Kitzhaber steps down, federal investigation begins State News Oregon's governor appoints new secretary of state Kate Brown sworn in as Oregon's 38th governor Federal investigation of Kitzhaber to focus on potential financial crimes Gov. Kitzhaber announces resignation Read Gov. John Kitzhaber's statement on his resignation Nation - World Leonard Nimoy, famous as Mr. Spock on 'Star Trek,' dies Obituaries William F. Christofferson Death Notices Death Notices Death Notices Ramona G. 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Hopkins: Looking for a political straight shooter Chris Honore Council Corner Editor's Notes Jeffrey Gillespie Herb Rothschild Revels Latest Stories Community blog: Take a peek at poet Scott Wozniak Community blog: Memorize poems with your whole body Alice DiMicele plays Unitarian Fellowship Listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Theater Ticket Availability Ticket Availability Ticket Availability 'She Stoops' rises on SOU stage Review: OSF keeps the comedy afloat in 'Much Ado' Music Alice DiMicele plays Unitarian Fellowship The Farr Side: Another career highlight for Kelly Clarkson Music on the Mountain: Ski area launching concert series Victor D. Infante: Just in time for Valentine’s Day, some favorite breakup songs The Farr Side: Smith dominates, Beck surprises at Grammys Visual Art Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Movies AGING HAPPENS: Ashland synagogue hosts screening of Chopra film Laid-back Liam Neeson and Ed Harris get vicious in ‘Run All Night’ Pop Culture Notebook: ‘Community,’ ‘Avengers’ and ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.’ on the horizon Antionette Kerr: Nimoy’s legacy lives on in ‘Star Trek’ Movie review: ‘Chappie’ is charming sci-fi with a violent edge Food and Drink Sammich does it Chicago-style Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories 5 Things to Do This Weekend (March 13-15) Dear Monty: Successful rezoning property requires a plan Lost in Suburbia: Fifty shades of dirty dog Dave Ramsey: The problem with being impulsive AGING HAPPENS: Ashland synagogue hosts screening of Chopra film Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business Business Services NEWS NOW Our View: Scenic Bikeway is another way to put Ashland on the map ... Guest Opinion: It's Groundwater Awareness Week; test your well ... Jackson County voters approve pot tax ... Our View: Scenic Bikeway is another way to put Ashland on the map ... Guest Opinion: It's Groundwater Awareness Week; test your well ... Jackson County voters approve pot tax ... ASHLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT Getting its balancing act together District attempts to tackle class-size issues in elementary schools By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Mar. 5, 2015 @ 8:36 pm By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Mar. 5, 2015 @ 8:36 pm » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2324,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> The parents have spoken, Ashland School District listened and now the big question is whether its resulting strategy will bring some order and balance to the district’s fluctuating classrooms. Based in part on input received from parents during a town hall-like gathering Jan. 29 at Ashland Middle School, the district has decided to alter the procedure by which it determines which zone transfer requests will be approved and which will not. The new formula, outlined on the district website (http://ashland.k12.or.us) and designed with an eye toward evenly spreading out students among the three public schools, also will affect how out-of-district transfers and middle-of-the-school-year registrations are dealt with. “Well, I think Ashland historically has had challenges with class sizes because of the small schools,” Superintendent Jay Hummel said. “So the numbers just kept creeping up and the parents were right. Some of the things that we’ve done to date were helping, but we agreed that we needed to back up and take a deeper, more thorough look at the issue.” The result of that deeper look was outlined by Hummel in a message posted on the district’s website: “We are proceeding with two changes in practice, both aimed at helping improve the learning opportunities for our students and maintain lower class sizes,” the message explains, “especially in the critical Kindergarten through 3rd grade years.” Both changes amount to gathering feedback from parents: • During parent-teacher conferences parents and guardians of kindergarten-through-fourth grade students will be asked to identify the school they prefer their child attends. “This information will give us a clear indication of the overall interest for each of our schools.” The message goes on to note that the district is not encouraging families to change schools and that if a parent’s first school choice requires a transfer there is no guarantee that that transfer will be approved. • The district will be asking all potential out-of-district open enrollment families to share which school or schools the want their children to attend next year, “with the written understanding that if we do not have sufficient students apply to warrant the hiring of an additional teacher, we will limit open enrollment based on class size goals and space available in our schools.” The district will now use those responses to help place students following registration for the 2015-16 school year in August. Students will then be placed based on a specific prioritization method which favors above all students who live in school zone and have a sibling currently attending that school. The next preference will go to students who live in the neighborhood zone, followed by students requesting a zone transfer who have a sibling in that school. Next on the list are students requesting a zone transfer who do not have a sibling in the requested school, followed by students from outside Ashland requesting an inter-district transfer and do have a sibling already attending. Finally, the district will consider students requesting an inter-district transfer who do not have a sibling currently attending. “We do not anticipate that these changes by themselves will solve all the complexities inherent in managing class sizes,” Hummel explained in the note, “however, when these changes are combined with additional strategies at the start of each year (possible adding and/or shifting of staff), and by exercising greater control of the initial placement of mid-year move-ins, we are confident we have more tools to work on the challenge, that will result in consistently lower class sizes.” The district’s effort to unravel its class-size issue began with a fact-finding mission of sorts spearheaded by Walker Elementary Principal Patty Michiels, who laid out the process during a school board meeting in January. The principals at each of the district’s three K-5 public elementary schools, as well as the principals of K-through-8 choice school John Muir School and K-through-8 alternative school Willow Wind Community Learning Center, each spent weeks gathering data to pinpoint exactly how many students attend their schools at each grade level and why: Did they transfer to be with a sibling? Did they live in the school zone? Data about these and other reasons were presented to parents during the meeting at AMS. Following the presentation, which included a PowerPoint (also available on the district website) and small-group sessions, parents were asked to prioritize the district’s criteria for placing students in the three public schools: Walker, Helman and Bellview elementary schools. Hummel estimates that about 75 parents attended the meeting and they got what they came for — another chance to talk about possible solutions to unbalanced class-sizes, and a look at the numbers. “Two or three things stand out,” Hummel said of the meeting. “One, our parents appreciate being involved in the early part of the decision-making process. We were very clear that night that we were attempting to suspend our judgment about possible solutions. So that’s a huge one. “Second … beyond ranking and prioritizing students, they also were interested in expanding into other options. But that night was mainly about looking at how kids are placed now and talking about how might we place them differently.” According to the principals’ 2015-16 projections, Helman, which was the most well-represented school at the meeting, according to Hummel, will be the fullest elementary school in the district next school year with 258 students. Bellview is projected to be a close second with 256 and Walker third with 242. Willow Wind is sitting at 120 students and John Muir 61. In terms of average class size, Walker is projected to be at the top of the list with 26.8 students per classroom, Helman second (25.8) and Bellview third (25.6). The largest single class in the district is projected to be the fifth-grade class at Helman (60), followed closely by the third-grade classes at both Helman and Bellview (both 57). Walker’s projected fourth-grade class is by far the smallest with 32 students. Joe Zavala is a reporter for the Ashland Daily Tidings. Reach him at 541-821-0829 or [email protected]. By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Mar. 5, 2015 @ 8:36 pm » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. fantasy football Fantasy Football Outlook for Bills Stars Mar. 6, 2015 at 8:46 am Fantasy Football Outlook for Cardinals Stars Mar. 4, 2015 at 5:27 am Fantasy Football Outlook for 49ers Stars Feb. 27, 2015 at 9:40 am Fantasy Football Outlook for Rams Stars Feb. 24, 2015 at 11:29 pm Fantasy Football Outlook for Browns Stars Feb. 19, 2015 at 6:32 pm 2015 Fantasy Football Outlook for Vikings Stars Feb. 13, 2015 at 6:47 am calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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