Principal Jane Todd: preparations underway for Reconfiguration at Redmond High

Principal Jane Todd presents to the School Board

Dear Parents:
I have been having what I think are Reconfiguration dreams. I'll spare you the details, but they are dreams in which I lose something I value (I find it again), I lose my patience, I lose my bearings and I get lost. And sometimes, in the way of dreams, things don't make much sense. However, and this is the important part: All the way along in those dreams, there have been people there to help me - people to pay my way, people to help me find what I had lost, people to get me home. And I wake up smiling. I hope that will be as comforting to you as it has to me.

To update you on some Reconfiguration doings:  Read More >>

A group of staff attended a three day training in Problem Based Learning. Problem Based Learning is at the heart of STEM programs (and other Career Cluster programs as well.) These staff members had an opportunity to learn what PBL is, how it applies to their classrooms (the 15 staff members from RHS represented every department in the building) and the promise it holds as we further develop our STEM offerings. They created sample PBL units of study that were impressive in their rigor, their connection to the "real work" going on the work places in our communities, and in their potential for student engagement.

Another group of staff attended a one day seminar in AVID. AVID is a program that identifies students "in the middle" and helps them gain the foundation necessary to access college level curricula while preparing them identify possible college majors, to research and apply to colleges, and to apply for financial aid. We will be meeting shortly with the state director for this program and will likely send staff for a more intensive training this summer with the hope of being able to start with one group of students next year.

A third group of staff will be shadowing an 8th grader at Redmond Junior High for a day in a couple of weeks. The goal here is to get an inside look at what it is like for a student at that age and what challenges those students may face in their transition to the high school.

Administrators and a small panel of students attended an assembly at Redmond Junior High the other day in order to answer questions and provide students with first hand information about high school.

Students are writing a "Stang Survival Tips" booklet for incoming students.

Junior high teachers who will be transferring to RHS will have a couple of opportunities during these spring months to work with our current staff in planning for next year.

We will be identifying a small group of incoming students and an equally small group of upperclassmen, the former in need of a peer mentor, and the latter able and wiling to serve in that capacity. We will be working this spring to develop a plan for some mentor activities next year.

We will be improving the signage in the hallways around the school.

We will be planning for a summer leadership experience for incoming students. More details to follow on this one.

We are gathering information on a "flex schedule." There has been some confusion on this. A flex schedule is different from double shifting. In double shifting, one half the school attends from 6:00 - 1:30, the other half the school attends from 2:00 - 8:30. That is NOT what we mean by a flex schedule. In a flex schedule, students and staff could opt to be on the current bell schedule (7:30 - 2:00) and that is when buses will run. They could also opt for a 6:30 - 1:00 schedule or an 8:30 - 3:00 schedule. We are just, to repeat, gathering information at this time.

Staff have been surveyed, and the majority has indicated a willingness to flex, with the preference being an even 50% who would opt for early and 50% who would opt for late. Students will be surveyed on Wednesday, March 7. If students indicate an interest and a similar split in preference, we would then gather information from parents. Assuming for the moment that parents and students are both in favor, we would still need to seek approval from district. I feel the need to repeat: we are just gathering information. No decision has been made.

There are numerous reasons why we have entertained this idea - reduce overcrowding in the drop off area of the parking lot at the start and end of the school day; provide an opportunity for students who need to work to support themselves to take an early schedule, work more hours and still have time for homework and sleep; provide an opportunity for students who are not awake, no matter how open their eyes appear to be, at 7:30 to have a later schedule, thereby reducing absenteeism, tardies and loss of credit associated with first period; create a potential for more flexibility in the course of the school day so that, eventually, if we develop internship opportunities, some students could take half their classes, leave for an internship during typical business hours, and then return for the rest of their classes.

The construction, I am told, is on schedule and the additions look to be finished before the end of the school year.

And, of course, we are doing pre-registration for, making placement decisions on, and creating a master schedule for 1000 new students in addition to the 1000 who will return to us as upperclassmen. We are busy. We are tired. But we are also very energized and excited about this change. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about this, or anything else related to the work we are doing. As always, I am grateful for your perspective, your honesty and your support.

Sincerely,
Jane
Jane Todd, Principal
Redmond High School

Mustang Messenger, March, 2012

Juanita, Lake Washington, and Eastlake High School Administrators are invited to send their letters for publishing here.  Send to Bob Yoder:  redmondblog@gmail.com