Creativity thrives as schools cut back
Volunteer-taught classes enrich kids and save money
March 21, 2007
In one classroom at Derby Middle School in Birmingham, students are using colorful paint to make large signs that will hang in the hallways. A few doors down, they're practicing their sign-language skills. And downstairs in the cafeteria, a lively group of kids is trying to keep up with the dance steps on a video screen above them.
This is a snapshot of what you'd see during Derby's Explore classes, a way to offer students a variety of activities at a time when many electives are getting the ax as school districts wrestle to control budgets.
Last year, the Birmingham Board of Education made a difficult decision to switch from a seven-period day to a six-period day in middle schools. The cost-cutting move saved $1.3 million, but it also meant students could take only one elective class, instead of two, and teachers had one less period in which to plan together.
Less planning time means fewer teachers are needed, said Ric Peterson, a consultant with Peterson Public Sector Consulting, based in Okemos. He has been in dozens of school districts in the last year, and in most, the idea of reconfiguring the school day to save money was either being considered or implemented.
"If finances continue to be tight, then you're going to see more," Peterson said.
The West Bloomfield School District restructured its middle school day last year, as did Grosse Pointe Public Schools. Rochester Community Schools made the move about four years ago.
In some schools that have made such a change, arrangements are made for students to start late one day a week to give teachers time to plan with their peers. But in Birmingham, the program not only satisfies teachers' planning needs, but students' needs as well.
At Derby, students take classes such as Banner and Sign Making, Sign Language and Dance Dance Revolution every Wednesday afternoon. And while they're taking these classes, their teachers are planning together.
What's different about the classes is that professionals from the community volunteer to come in to teach them, meaning the district gets an opportunity to offer exploratory classes with the only cost being for materials. The budget for the program is $8,000.
"This is a time in their life when they're trying new things, new skills they're going to use the rest of their life," said David Simpson, an assistant principal at Derby and coordinator of the program. Berkshire Middle School, also in the Birmingham Public Schools, has the same program, but calls it Activities and Enrichment.
Lauren Almeranti, 12, was initially unhappy that she wouldn't be able to take a second elective. She'd had plans to take Skills for Living, a home economics class.
"But I think this is more fun than Skills would be," said Lauren, a seventh-grader at Derby.
Caitlyn Ciemniecki, 11, signed up for the sign-language class because she has a relative who is deaf. Now she's looking forward to showing off what she has learned.
"It's fun and it's exciting to learn how to sign," said Caitlyn, a Derby sixth-grader.
At Berkshire and Derby, the classes are offered in three six-week terms. And with classes such as acting, scrapbooking, babysitting, jazz band, recreational sports, finances and digital photography, it's no wonder Wednesday has become the best part of the week for many students.
"It's one of the things I wait for the entire week," said Derby sixth-grader Tim Pearce, 11.
Even parents get why the kids look forward to the 49-minute classes.
"They're so academically pushed that just to have a little break is exciting for them," said Dave Force, who along with fellow parent Julie Slavin was leading the dance class at Derby, where their children are students.
The program wouldn't work without the volunteers, who include parents, university students, business people and community leaders.
The Explore classes aren't as in-depth or academically challenging as a traditional elective class. But they have helped the district soften the blow of at least one budget cut.
"I see this as a way we made it work, trying to do what's best for kids," Simpson said.
Contact LORI HIGGINS at 248-351-3694 or lhiggins@freepress.com.
Copyright © 2007 Detroit Free Press Inc.
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