announced the plan<\/a> earlier this month. Sixth grade students will join seventh and eighth grade students in the new Wyoming Area Middle School, which will be located within the Secondary Center.<\/p>\nThe move will also include curriculum changes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel that this will be a very beneficial change for our students,\u201d Pollard said.<\/p>\n
Crystal Smith, an Exeter resident and parent of a child in the district, asked the board to table the vote, requesting more time for community dialogue and thoughtful planning prior to a decision.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis could be an absolutely wonderful thing for our district, but the timing feels rushed, the engagement feels limited,\u201d Smith said, noting there was limited notice prior to the vote. \u201cTransparency allows teachers, allows parents, allows community members to have some input. It doesn\u2019t seem like they want that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pollard, after Tuesday\u2019s meeting, said that as a parent, he understands that change is difficult.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve reviewed our enrollment. We reviewed our financials and our building usage, and this is what the data is driving us to, the decision to be made,\u201d Pollard said.<\/p>\n
The plan is for sixth grade students and teachers to have a dedicated space in what is currently the \u201cmath wing\u201d of the Secondary Center.<\/p>\n
Middle school students will be located in a designated area with their own stairwells, hallways, bathrooms, and lunch period. Pollard previously said they will be separate from high school students whenever possible.<\/p>\n
There will be curriculum changes to reflect middle-level state educational standards, with the theme of the middle school being \u201cfind your path.\u201d There will be increased instructional blocks for literacy and math, and an advisory period for executive function and social-emotional learning.<\/p>\n
Pollard said Tuesday the next steps are to invite fifth graders to tour the building, coordinate classroom moves, provide teachers with curriculum changes, and host an open house over the summer for parents.<\/p>\n
The district must also submit a reconfiguration application to the Pennsylvania Department of Education.<\/p>\n
\u201cBased upon the information I have available right now, there is no reason for them to reject it,\u201d Pollard said.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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