Hudson High School plans changes this fall
A team of administrators, teachers, students, parents and community members have been meeting for the past year to discuss what the “high school of the future” would look like at Hudson. The Hudson Board of Education got a look at the first phase of changes being made at Hudson High School this fall.By: Meg Heaton, Hudson Star-Observer
- Students told school board members about their experience with peers in a classroom in Sweden
- Fourth-graders at River Crest became “buddies” with Indonesian students online
The Hudson Board of Education got a look at the first phase of changes being made at Hudson High School this fall.
A team of administrators, teachers, students, parents and community members have been meeting for the past year to discuss what the “high school of the future” would look like at Hudson. Members of the group researched other schools and made some on-site visits. They plan to roll out their recommendations for HHS over the next several months.
At last week’s board meeting, HHS Principal Laura Love and team members including associate principal Wendy Langer, teachers Chuck Bublitz and Laurie Harmon and student Alex Breismeister talked about “advisories.”
Beginning with next year’s freshman class, students will be divided into groups of 20 that will meet four days a week for 25 minutes each day with the same teacher. The group will stay together for all four years of high school.
The idea of the advisory is to create lasting connections between students and a staff member, support students’ academic success, help them develop life skills and personal growth.
The advisory does not take the place of school counselors but works with them to support students. The advisory will incorporate the curriculum now covered in the Freshman Year Initiative as well as provide time for the advisory teacher to meet with students individually and collectively on skill building and service projects as well as discipline and attendance issues.
There will be no reduction in instruction time will the implementation of the advisories. Love said that the time will be made up by the addition of seven minutes at the end of the school day beginning in the fall.
The board also heard from Transition team members Melisa Hansen, HHS School to Career Coordinator, and Houlton Elementary Principal Ann Mitchell. The transition team is focusing on helping students make the transition from middle to high school and from high school to post-secondary options.
The plan presented to the board is multi-phased and includes professional development, an instructional environment that supports independent and personalized learning and ongoing communication with the community.
Love reported that the budget for the initial year is just over $28,000 with the average cost of rolling out the new plan being around the same amount annually. Love said the money for the plan can be taken from the school’s current building budget.
The board also heard the district’s results on this year’s Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination, the annual state assessment that is mandated by the federal government No Child Left Behind Act for grades 3 through 8 and grade 10.
Hudson students continue to score above the state averages in reading and math with the majority of students performing at the proficient or advanced level.
Director of Learning Services Sandy Kovatch said a new assessment is expected in 2014.
Additional information is available at the district website at www.hudson.k12.wi.us.
RSS Feeds