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Fargo task force proposes shorter advisory, daily music and an 8th-grade high-school-readiness course
Summary
A 15-member middle-school task force recommended shortening advisory to about 18–20 minutes while lengthening other periods, providing daily sectional music options, and creating a new high-school-readiness course for all eighth-graders; board members pressed for details on world-language transitions, music scheduling for students in multiple ensembles, and development of the new course.
Dr. Gross presented a task-force-drafted middle-school schedule that aims to make advisory more intentional while shifting minutes to other instructional periods and extracurricular supports.
"Advisory was really defined in that workg group as small group meetings with students and a trusted adult," Dr. Gross said, framing advisory as relationship-building and a vehicle to ensure every student is connected and supported.
The proposed schedule shortens advisory to roughly 18'0 minutes, redistributes saved time to extend other class periods and lunch, and moves music instruction to daily sectionals and large-group options so students have consistent access. The draft also preserves opportunities for students enrolled in multiple music programs (band, choir, orchestra) by coordinating teacher schedules and rotating students during the same period.
For eighth grade, the task force would create a new high-school-readiness course on an every-other-day rotation with physical education. Dr. Gross described the course as building on current career electives and expanding them to include study skills, technology use, counselor time for four-year planning and early career exposure.
"This course is new but it incorporates many of the things that we are doing currently in an elective course and expanding upon that and giving that opportunity to all students," Dr. Gross said. She told the board teacher-design teams would be convened immediately to write standards and curriculum so the course could be ready for implementation next school year.
Board members raised operational concerns: how students who participate in multiple music ensembles would be scheduled (Dr. Gross said teachers would coordinate rotations), how students who miss a year of world language because of changed grade assignments would transition (administrators said students would have elective opportunities to take language in grade 8), and when the high-school-readiness course would be finalized (administrators said they will use the remainder of the semester and summer to develop standards and curriculum).
The presentation concluded with praise for the task force's consensus-building: the committee reported 100% agreement on the draft after a multi-year process. No formal vote on the schedule was taken at tonight's meeting; administration said it will assemble teacher groups to refine courses and implementation details.
