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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Emergency services, March 7 Willow Wind students raise money for water Motorist who died Thursday was local craftsman Famed 'Star Trek' producer Harve Bennett dies in Medford Jacksonville plans to buy more Lost Creek Lake water Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency services, March 7 Emergency services, March 6 Arkansas man arrested for robbery in Medford Convicted rapist gets life without parole Learn to protect yourself in free class on identity theft Politics and Elections Ex-Merkley aide chosen as Oregon secretary of state Ashland: Budget increase, swimming pool funding discussion on council agenda Judge upholds Phoenix's moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries Ballots on Jackson County marijuana tax go out Friday Brown's inauguration brings hope to local lawmakers Education Willow Wind students raise money for water District considers options to keep school tracks open, safe Ashland School District learns why its anti-bullying rating was low Ashland district rethinks transfer approval process MSD to save taxpayers nearly $10.5 million by refinancing Environment Catastrophic wildfires expected in Southern Oregon this summer The new normal under climate change? 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Mangino: Pennsylvania officials battle over possibility of rare execution Our View: Cheers and Jeers Letters to the Editor, March 6 Michael Gerson: Negotiating from weakness Editorials Our View: Cheers and Jeers Our View: Take it slow on legal marijuana Our View: Small climate steps add up to big ones Our View: Drawing back the curtain on government Other Views: Brown's list of challenges is lengthy Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, March 6 Letters to the Editor, March 5 Letters to the Editor, March 4 Letters to the Editor, March 3 Letters to the Editor, March 2 Columns Philip Maddocks: Homeland Security is prepared to let its protection of Congress run out after this week Matthew T. Mangino: Pennsylvania officials battle over possibility of rare execution Michael Gerson: Negotiating from weakness George Will: Stopping the IRS Dana Milbank: Netanyahu's fighting words Guest Opinions GUEST OPINION: Police, community should work to prevent profiling Guest Opinion: Don't overregulate Oregon's hemp industry Guest Opinion: Predatory banking practices bilk citizens Guest Opinion: Is less education the answer? Guest Opinion: Bill would shore up legal aid funding Lifestyle Latest stories Community blog: Airy mousse rivals ease of pudding from a box Dr. Murray Feingold: Cognitive-behavioral therapy shown to help hoarders Dr. Jeff Hersh: Gallstones affect 25 percent of American women Barbara Presnell: How are you since your husband retired? Fishing Report: Friday, March 6 Food Community blog: Airy mousse rivals ease of pudding from a box Page Onorato: Please don’t take my Goo Goo Clusters away Season Stepp: Celebrate Pi Day with these tasty pie recipes Tammy Kelly: Bring back the potatoes Pantry pride Home and Garden Dear Monty: Home seller seeks to start bidding war Paul Rogers: Looking for signs of new life Home Help: Enhance your home-office experience Specialty painting adds wow to your walls Dear Monty: Home seller questions agent ethics Health Dr. Murray Feingold: Cognitive-behavioral therapy shown to help hoarders Dr. Jeff Hersh: Gallstones affect 25 percent of American women Health Watch: Get prepped for spring break HealthStyle: Marriage care and maintenance Community blog: How I Became Radical: The Power of Acceptance Hiking Biking Faith More religion events in the Rogue Valley Religion Briefs Religion briefs, Feb. 27 Religion briefs: Friday, Feb. 20 Religion News: Pope makes surprise shantytown visit Milestones and Achievements Engagement: Workman-Wright Anniversary: Hofer New arrivals: Sunday, Feb. 8 Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Live Music in Local Clubs Darrin Wayne steps to the plate at Rising Stars Alice DiMicele plays the Unitarian Fellowship Southern Oregon University Wind Ensemble to present 'All American' Theater TMTO's 'Bye Bye Birdie' takes flight Brava! Opera presents classic Mozart and Poulenc Review: 'Fingersmith' a twisting thriller with love TMTO presents 'Bye Bye Birdie' 'Guys and Dolls' a sure bet for dazzling entertainment Music ZEPDRIX! at the Historic Ashland Armory The Bee Eaters play Headwaters Ladysmith Black Mambazo plays the Craterian Theater Live Music in Local Clubs Darrin Wayne steps to the plate at Rising Stars Community Events Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Jesse Lawson and Joe Moxley host 'Barkeeper' Third Fridays showcases local artists Southern Oregon Rod and Custom Show Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Dining Sakura Japanese Sushi Restaurant opens in new location Restaurant Inspections: Sunday, March 1 Great Outdoor Grill offers healthful options Restaurant Inspections: Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015 Saigon Xich Lo Vietnamese cuisine Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines/Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Ex-Merkley aide chosen as Oregon secretary of state ... Famed 'Star Trek' producer Harve Bennett dies in Medford ... Jacksonville plans to buy more Lost Creek Lake water ... Ex-Merkley aide chosen as Oregon secretary of state ... Famed 'Star Trek' producer Harve Bennett dies in Medford ... Jacksonville plans to buy more Lost Creek Lake water ... EDUCATION Ashland district rethinks transfer approval process Goal is to balance class sizes at elementary schools By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 5, 2015 @ 5:36 pm By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 5, 2015 @ 5:36 pm » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" 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 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. The new formula, outlined on the district website (http://ashland.k12.or.us) and designed to spread students out evenly among the three elementary 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. 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 will give the district an idea of overall interest for each school. Hummel's message stresses that the district is not encouraging families to change schools and there's no guarantee requested transfers will be approved. • The district will be asking all potential out-of-district families which school they 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 use parents' responses to help place students following registration for the 2015-16 school year in August. Placement will favor first students who live in the 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 his message, but added they would give the district more tools to help 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 Walker, Bellview and Helman elementary schools, as well as at alternative schools John Muir and Willow Wind, 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? etc. — then presented that data to parents during the meeting at AMS. Following the presentation and small-group sessions, parents were asked to prioritize the district’s criteria for placing students in the three public elementary schools, Walker, Helman and Bellview. 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, Hummel said, will be the fullest elementary school 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 at 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. Reach Ashland Daily Tidings reporter Joe Zavala at [email protected]. By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 5, 2015 @ 5:36 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. calendar Connect with MailTribune.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 Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked 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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