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Middle school plans for smoother transition
By Chris Strunk
Last Updated: February 14, 2019

Adjusting to life at Valley Center Middle School has been difficult for some students.

That's why the school has developed plans to teach a variety of non-classroom skills to sixth-graders next year and refine its process of transitioning fifth-graders from the intermediate school.

"Something was missing for students coming to the middle school," Principal Pete Bastian told the school board during its meeting Feb. 11.

Sixth grade was moved to the middle school last year as the district adjusted grade configurations to make room at the elementary schools. They joined seventh and eighth grades.

The school will start a Ramp-up to Readiness program next year. Sixth-graders will be taught organization skills, how to cope with stress, how to use a planner, how to seek help at the school and other lessons.

They will be taught by sixth-grade classroom teachers during seminar time on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The web-based program costs $1,500.

To help transition students into sixth grade, the school will host school visits and parent meetings.

On March 5, half of the current fifth-graders will go to the middle school from 2:30 to 3:15 p.m. for an introductory meeting with administrators and counselors. The other half will do the same visit on March 7.

"The more we can familiarize them with that building, it's just going to be better," Bastian said. "… We don't want kids' first experience with the middle school to be when they walk into the building for the first time on the first day."

In addition, an enrollment meeting for parents of incoming sixth-graders will take place at 6 p.m. March 6. The school also will host an open house of sorts at the beginning of May so parents can see classrooms and ask questions.

In other action Feb. 11, the school board:

•Accepted gifts of $500 from the Valley Center Lions Club to high school athletics, $2,500 from Menocause to the intermediate school library, $1,000 from Menocause to the Hornet Cupboard food pantry, $500 from Menocause to the Student Advisory Leadership Team at the high school and $3,000 from Menocause to Hornets' Hanger.

•Approved the disposal of two gas stoves from the middle school, a vehicle and library books from Wheatland.

•Approved an early graduation request from Raigan Roth.

•Approved the summer driver's education program.

•Heard an update on action concerning education during the 2019 legislative session.

•Tabled until March 18 a review of board policy updates and additions.

•Approved the addition of a zoology class at the high school.

•Approved the purchase of English resources for the high school. Cost for the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Collections curriculum is $69,945.

•Approved modifications to the intermediate school report cards. Students in physical education, art and music classes will be graded on performance standards.

•Approved a staff recommendation to continue to use Fidelity Bank for the district's accounts. The district sent out requests for proposals. Fidelity's proposal had the best interest net of fees of the three that were submitted.

•Approved a bid of $32,683 from ATHCO for new scoreboards at the high school baseball and softball diamonds.

•Approved a bid of $37,805 from Hellas Construction for maintenance of the tennis courts at the high school.

The next board meeting will be March 18.





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