Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Alternative Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Haysville board briefed on rebranded Alt Middle School to serve students needing nontraditional setting
Summary
District leaders described a retooled alternative middle school model that pairs virtual core instruction with daily social-emotional learning, electives and an adjusted school day; plan starts with a single classroom next year at Haysville Middle School.
Haysville Unified School District administrators presented a rebranding and redesign of the district's alternative middle school program to serve students who need a different instructional setting than a traditional middle school.
District staff said the revamped Alt Middle School will blend virtual core coursework using Acellus with daily social-emotional learning (SEL) and LEADWORTHY/Capturing Kids' Hearts practices, provide access to electives such as PE and FACS, and extend the day slightly to better align with regular bell schedules. Jared Craig and Dr. Queen Reed described the model during the district's reports on learning.
The district said prior models had students arrive well after the standard start time and spend most of the day on a computer; the new model adds morning and afternoon SEL checks, in-person elective time, and an adjusted schedule (students reporting at 7:50 a.m. and leaving at 2:20 p.m.). The program will be housed at Haysville Middle School but will accept referrals from Haysville West and Haysville Middle School.
Next year officials plan to open with one class of approximately 15'16 students, fill the teacher vacancy with an internal hire if possible, and fill a classified position for support. Transportation will be provided by district vehicles as before. Staff said the redesign aims to allow successful Alt Middle students to transition directly to Haysville High School rather than attempting Campus High School first.
Board members asked about logistics such as staff planning time, electives coverage and transportation; administrators responded the district will coordinate plan time and continue district-provided transportation. The presentation was informational; no board vote was taken. Staff said they will monitor the pilot and consider expansion in future years based on outcomes and capacity.
