The Snowflake Unified School District Governing Board met on Thursday, Aug. 14, and discussed the possibility of holding Saturday school at the Snowflake Junior High School.
Superintendent Hollis Merrell stated, “One of the biggest pieces that has helped to make our students succeed, is the re-teach session. This program is at the high school and gives every student an opportunity to learn a concept more than one time.” He noted that it is more difficult to implement at the junior high since junior high schools throughout the state have to go to school more minutes than any other grade. He said that when he first was hired as superintendent he went to the state to find out why but could not find anyone who knew the answer.
This policy change will create a credit system for core classes such as math, language arts, science, and social studies, and with a credit system, a credit recovery plan is warranted. The policy change would allow for a Saturday school for students with a failing grade in one or more core classes to provide immediate re-teaching of concepts and standards by a highly qualified teacher in those core subjects and gives students the opportunity to improve their current grade.
There would be two two-hour sessions on 20 Saturdays during the school year, 12 the first semester and eight the second semester.
SJHS Principal Brian Hoopes said that not all teachers are in favor of the new program. Merrell noted that teachers will receive additional pay for Saturday school.
In response to a question posed by board vice president Carole Owens, Hoopes explained that they felt Saturday school would work because it would be mandatory and the after school programs were not.
“Our plan is that if a student has a failing grade the first semester they would be pulled out of an elective the second semester and go into a teaching class, so hopefully the incentive is don’t lose Saturday and don’t lose an elective,” said Hoopes. “This is an opportunity to re-teach and re-learn and fill in the gaps. We don’t want it to be seen as a punitive session.”
In response to a question posed by governing board member Carol Palmer, Hoopes said there would be no transportation provided.
A motion to approve the policy change passed unanimously.
