Caledonia Argus

Four-period day returns

Posted: 1/20/04

By David Heiller
Argus News Editor

The Caledonia School Board voted 5-1 at its January 12 meeting to stick with four-period days at the high school for next year .

Chuck Schulte, who voted no, lobbied for switching to a seven period day. He argued that the four-period day is not challenging the higher-achieving students.

Naomi Fruechte thought the board needed more time to research other options before make a major change. ìWe arenít looking at other ways to skin the cat,î she said. She said she wanted to leave the door open for creative thinking, so she made the motion to stay with the four period day for another year and keep looking for new options.

The subject of scheduling took up the most time at the 2-1/2-hour-long meeting in the high school media center.

Next yearís four period schedule will contain a change recommended by high school principal Cory Klabunde. He said that ninth and tenth grade English and social classes could become ìskinniesî during blocks one, three and four.

For example, in one 90-minute block, 25 students could take 45 minutes of social studies with one teacher, then 45 minutes of English with another teacher.

Klabunde said that he had researched a plan currently in place at Central High School in La Crosse that had block scheduling on some days and seven periods on other days. But his staff was hesitant to go with it for several reasons, he said: they would be losing a preparation period; the sharing of non-certified staff with the middle school would not work; and it was inconsistent.

Teacher Janelle Field-Rohrer added that teachers had a lot of unanswered questions, and wanted to see it and understand it better.

Board member Charlie Wray said the hybrid schedule addressed the pros and cons of block and seven-period schedules, and he thought the board would still have time to research it. But superintendent Jim Tool said a decision was needed that night or else there would be a back up on scheduling and unrequested leaves. He also reminded Wray that the modified schedule would take a memorandum from the Caledonia Education Association because of the loss of a prep period.

Dave Klinski and Suzanne Roesler both spoke in favor of keeping the four period day.

Schulte was not swayed by their arguments. He said four period days have no proven track record. ìWeíve been resisting this for years,î he said. ìThe board is afraid to move off-center. The four period day has not worked in this district, for whatever reason.î

Roesler said that the problem is not with the schedule, but rather with actually teaching the students. ìIt really is depressing,î she said. Challenging the top students would trickle down to the others, she said.

Klabunde said that this would be addressed as teachers do curriculum reviews. He said he is also looking into offering more college-bound classes.

Mary Frank said that experiential learning is a powerful way to learn, and is best accomplished in a four-period day. She said people have to look beyond ACT scores. She recommended that a long process should take place where a committee of teaches and board members can look over the options.

ìThe top 25 percent are not being challenged,î Schulte responded. ìItís very unfortunate that this district sits here with its head in the sand.î

High school principal Brian Doty said that in his 11 years at the school, he had not seen a superior, nationally-ranked performance. He said there is not much data to support the superiority of either an eight or four period day.

Tour of SmartLab

The board took a 30-minute break from the meeting to visit the Creative Learning SmartLab in the middle school. Teacher Jen Snook explained the theory and benefits of it.

The lab has seveal components, including five ìtechnology work/learn islandsî that teach more than 30 technology-oriented things like circuitry, video imaging, automotive design, and engineering.

Middle school principal Brian Doty said it was a rich transdisciplinary approach. ìThis is the coolest,î he said. ìIt just isnít out there, but itís here.î

Snook said there is only one other program like it in Minnesota, at Centennial High School in Circle Pines. She said it is popular with the students, and it will grow as students get used to it.

The board also stopped into the weight room to see modifications that have been made. A group of volunteers removed a wall, which increased the size of the space into what had been a storage room. Weight lifting and exercising that had been done in the hall and in another storage room can now be done in the weight room. Carl Fruechte, who initiated the remodeling, said it will be complete as soon as mats arrive for the floor.

School athletic trainer Josh Cooper will come up with a design for placement of equipment, Fruechte said.

Superintendent search

At the end of the meeting, the board discussed the status of its superintendent search to replace Tool, who will leave on June 30.

The deadline to apply was January 15. Envelopes will be opened on January 21. About 18 people had applied as of January 12.

Settlement with teachers reached

The Caledonia School Board approved a two-year contract with its teachers at its January 14 meeting.

The teachers will receive a 2.7 percent salary increase in 2003-2004, and 2.9 percent in 2004-2005.

A beginning teacher with a bachelor of science degree will earn $29,364 the first year. In the 2004-05 school year, a beginning teacher will earn $30,216.

The top end of the 14-step schedule for a teacher with a masters degree and 30 credits is $50,102.

In total dollars for the district, the new contract will cost about $190,000 in 2003-04, based on the staffing level of last year. ìMost of the cost next year will not be anything close to that because we will have some reduction in staff due to decline in enrollment,î superintendent Jim Tool said.

Under the new contract, the school district will pay more of the premium for insurance coverage. The district will pay for 36 percent of the premium on family coverage, which is up from 24.6 percent in the previous contract. The premium of each family plan is $15,240, of which the district will pay $5,500. This is about $1,750 more per person with family coverage.

Board member Chuck Schulte said he was troubled by part of the contract that allows teachers to have until August l to submit their resignation without having to pay a potential fee of $1,000 for recruitment and replacement. The previous deadline was July 15.

Schulte said this would not help the district reach the goal of getting into the top 25 percent of schools, because the district would not be able to get high quality teachers at that late date.

Superintendent Jim Tool said it was a trade-off, because the district received improved language relative to Title One staffing. Under the new contract, Title One teachers will be able to work more after school and into the summer, which will lessen the times that they need to pull students from class. Title One, a federally funded program, works with students who need extra help in math and reading.

The board negotiators were Tool, Dave Klinski, Mary Frank, and Charlie Wray. Negotiators for Caledonia Education Association were Keith Hollatz, Sue Link, Jon Lilliquist, Janelle Field Rohrer, and Roger Knutson.

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