Nelson School Combines Grades; Parents React

Multiple opinions were prevalent last week when parents heard about principal Jean LeBlanc’s new “multi-age” classroom program that combines second and third graders, and fifth and sixth graders, into the same class except for math.

Parents offered pro and con stances, and some in the middle. But many seem ready to give LeBlanc and her staff a chance to make the program work.

Endorsing the concept was Laura O’Donovan, with daughter Emma already in a multi-age class. Daughter Danielle, 11, will enter the multi-age fifth-sixth-grade class in August.

Earlier:

“Emma loves it. This is the first time this year I didn’t have to go to a parent-teacher conference the second half of the year, which is amazing,” said O’Donovan. “I think she’s learning more. The teaching process is still the same. I’m satisfied.”

But repeatedly expressing concern was Amy Ahmed, whose son Usef will go into sixth grade.

“He’s a very, very high level and a great reader,” said Ahmed. “I want to see him graduate here and go on to the higher levels. For me, I feel he might get behind (with younger children). I don’t want to sound selfish, but why not have a classroom for those higher-level kids?

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“I think sixth-graders should be sixth graders only, not mixing in with any other level. I wouldn’t mind with my second grader, and he has years to go. It’s not beneficial for a sixth grader. I am very concerned for Usef, because I don’t want to put him one step behind.”

Taking a kind of middle ground was Nancy Kleiber, balancing policing her two sons while trying to ask questions and absorb information from LeBlanc and teacher Mary Stankowicz, a Niles resident and 10-year Nelson teaching veteran.

“Obviously they have a game plan and we’ll see how it unfolds next year,” Kleiber said. “You can’t knock something until you try it. Obviously, she (Ahmed) was addressing about they’re going to look at students individually and keep them challenged.”

Class size also among parents’ concerns

But parents did not limit their feedback to the multi-age issue. Several comments addressed class size. LeBlanc projects multi-age classes at around 29-30 students, larger than desired, but still considered manageable.

One parent wondered why an assistant principal’s position had to be filled at the expense of more teachers, in order to cut class sizes.

“Running the school is not a job for one person,” LeBlanc said. “I’m not on the classrooms as much as I need to be.”

School already has 7 multi-age classrooms

LeBlanc reported in the school year soon to conclude, Nelson had one multi-age class in grades one and two, one multi-age bilingual class in grades two and three and five multi-age classes in grades three and four. But she is realigning the multi-age classrooms for the 2012-13 school year.

All students in grades two and three, and five and six will be in multi-age classrooms. Grades one and four will be single grade and smaller in class size. LeBlanc said the change seeks to promote early literacy in grade one and to provide additional supports for the higher demands of literacy in grade four as students move from learning to read to reading to learn.

Melzer School is entirely multi-age

“Multi-age classrooms have been used in our district for the past eight years with great success,” LeBlanc said. “In fact, Melzer School has been entirely multi-age since the 2003-2004 school year.

“Research shows us that every child progresses differently and has differing gifts for learning. Teachers in a multi-age classroom honor and promote these variances. Please be assured that teachers in the multi-age classrooms have already or will receive additional training on methods and practices to insure that teaching and learning are held to a high standard.”

In a multi-age classroom, students have the same teacher for two years. As a third grader moves on to fourth grade and out of the multi-age setting in the next year’s academic scenario, the incoming third graders will now become the older kids mixing with second graders.  One  advantage is the older students can serve as kind of leaders and mentors for the younger students.

“When they’re having literacy time, the kids might work in partner groups or they might read independently,” LeBlanc said. “They’ll have guided reading groups that will always  be determined by children’s reading levels.”

The multi-age system breaks up into grade-specific lessons for math, as that subject is sensitive to specific development levels of students.

A disadvantage of having first graders in multi-year classes is they are just adjusting to an academic routine after experiencing a half-day kindergarten, LeBlanc said.

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