Evergreen Elementary School District 124

Sixth Grade Facilities Study

 

A committee of 6th, 7th and 8th grade teachers, along with administrators, met to review what research from several sources says about moving 6th grade children to the Junior High and transitional issues that may occur.

 

What are the benefits/program opportunities?

The Task Force has identified the following benefits of having our sixth grade students in the middle school:

  • Middle School philosophy is built upon the idea of addressing adolescent needs: social, emotional, physical and intellectual  
  • Middle School teaming philosophy provides teachers more opportunities to collaborate with other teachers and raise student achievement
  • Teaming allows for a greater opportunity to integrate subject areas for the students
  • Presently our 7th grade, students are transitioning into the Junior High.  In 8th grade, they are transitioning out.  Having to deal with transitions two years in a row is difficult for many students.  It would be beneficial for the students and the continuity of program and instruction to have students together for three years in school-wide program of study.
  • Students would have additional opportunities for acceleration in the areas of reading and math.
  • There would be an opportunity to expand program opportunities such as Foreign Language and Computer Technology.
  • Sixth grade band students would benefit from increased instruction due to the fact that the program is housed at Central and students would be together. 
  • Students would have more opportunities to participate in extra-curricular activities and clubs
  • School programs would be geared towards adolescent needs
  • Students would have additional opportunities to meet new friends after having been with the same children for a long period of time
  • We would rely less on temporary classrooms
  • A smaller enrollment at the elementary classrooms would enable the principals to have more time to be an instructional leader
  • By having all of the sixth grades together, grouping of students would be equitable

 

In order to ease their transition to the middle school, what would we provide?

  • Structuring the program so that 6th grade children are separated, similar to the 7th and 8th grades
  • Teaming would look different, including an advisory program that would be adjusted to meet their social and emotional needs
  • An orientation program that would include:
    • Building orientation
    • Academic expectations
    • Planning routes to school
    • Discussion of schedule

 

What other school districts in our SWIC conference are set up as a middle school of 6th- 8th grades?

  • Palos South – Palos Park
  • Orland Junior High – Orland Park
  • Jerling Junior High – Orland Park
  • Century Junior High – Orland Park
  • Prairie View – Tinley Park
  • Oak Lawn – Hometown – Oak Lawn
  • Conrady – Hickory Hills
  • Tinley Central – Tinley Park
  • Grissom Junior High – Tinley Park