Dear
Parents of Current 5th, 6th, and 7th Graders: March 10, 2008
As a result of declining enrollment, the RMS staff has been
working to be proactive with regard to the impact future changes
may have on our program. Our goal is to preserve and protect
our shared core values of high standards, choice, and exploration
for our students. After considering possibilities during the
past two years, we recently finalized a proposal that changes
our course schedule from semesters to trimesters (18 weeks to
12 weeks), starting with the 08/09 school year. Classroom teachers
strongly support this change. The Site Council will vote on
this proposal on March 18 and thus timely parent feedback is
important now.
Please note that the same no-school days on the 4j district
calendar will be maintained, and that our grading schedule would
remain closely aligned with the semester reporting schedule.
To learn more about this proposed schedule change, please view
the pdf's available to download below, or call the school
(687-3227) and request the information be sent home.
In an effort to provide clarification and to respond to any
questions and concerns you may have, we invite you to a meeting
hosted by members of the Roosevelt staff on Thursday, March
13, at 7:00 p.m. in our library. If you are unable to attend
but still have questions or need clarification on the proposal,
feel free to email staff committee chair, Marty Smith, at smith_ma@4j.lane.edu
or Morley Hegstrom, at hegstrom@4j.lane.edu. We appreciate your
participation.
Sincerely,
The Roosevelt Staff
Rationale
The
following is the rationale as outlined in our proposal, and
additional information about the proposed schedule change for
your review:
Teachers
who have experienced both semesters and trimesters feel
that 9 week classes are too short and that 18 week classes
(half a year!) are too long for the focus of middle school
aged students. This is supported by research.
The pairing of 9 week classes has been problematic because
sometimes students may not want to take both classes offered
in the pair.
Students often have to choose between 9 week and 18 week
offerings. If all electives were offered for the same amount
of time, students would have equal access.
6 of the 8 periods have only semester or year long classes.
Providing trimester courses those periods increases the
number of options for students.
In year long classes, students under the trimester system
are able to “reset the clock” every 12 weeks,
giving them a fresh start.
Moving
to trimester classes allows more flexibility in a student’s
schedule.
Further explanation of this proposal:
Though
the RMS schedule would be on trimesters, our grading schedule
would remain closely aligned with the district’s semester
reporting schedule.
Under the trimester system we would maintain the same no-school
days as the district has on the semester calendar.
Classes that are currently year-long would remain year-long.
All choice classes and elective classes would become 12
weeks in length.
Science classes would be 12 weeks in length and students
would take one Earth, Physical, and Life class plus two
additional 12 week science class during their 7th and 8th
grade years. 6th graders would have one Earth, one Physical,
and one Life class during their 6th grade
rotation.
The move to a trimester schedule will allow students and
parents a continued and genuine voice in designing their
schedules because of the way the board is organized ( 'The
Board' is the grid system which lists all the classes).
The trimester affords more flexibility and students won't
be locked into as many default choices. The trimester calendar
would allow an additional class in a sequence that is now
taught only twice.
Send questions and comments to the Web
Design Team Roosevelt
Middle School
680 East 24th Avenue Eugene, OR 97405
Phone: 541.687.3227
Fax: 541.687.3680
Attendance line: 541.334.4747
