1. Warren Township Study To Examine Enrollment Project (STEEP) Education Committee Update March 7, 2016

2. Committee Goals/Deliverables Education Committee Goal: Determine the educational, social and emotional advantages and disadvantages of our current structure, identified reconfigurations models or any other alternative models Deliverables: Analyze against Models outlined in Project Plan (1) No Change (2) Close a School – move one into another (3) Close a School – Reconfigure Grade Levels (Multiple Options: One PK-5 and Two K-5 OR One K-3 and One 4-5 (4) Un-duplicate grades (One PK-1; One 2-3; One 4-5) Review and list educational advantages for each model Review and list educational disadvantages for each model Consider and list social and emotional advantages for each model Consider and list social and emotional disadvantages for each model

3. Our Guiding Philosophy The Mission of the Warren Township School District is to provide, through a nurturing, yet challenging environment, all students with an outstanding education that fosters academic excellence, healthy social and emotional development, and a lifelong passion for learning. In partnership with family, community, and staff, our strategic goals will guide our programs and actions so that students can exceed the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards at all grade levels, and leave the district confident in their ability to think critically and independently, and to succeed as students and productive citizens of the community and world.

4. Methodology The committee has parsed scholarly research with interviews of district teachers and staff, school administration, curriculum administration, special education administration, guidance counselors, and our interim superintendent. We have compared standardized testing results from different school districts in New Jersey as we compiled our research.

5. Definitions Duplicated: having the same grade in multiple buildings. Currently our K-5 schools are duplicated. Unduplicated: having all classes for one grade housed in the same school building. More than one grade may reside in that building, i.e., K-3. Grade size: the number of students which make up a particular grade level at a particular school. Class size: the number of students which make up a particular class within a particular grade; in other words, the amount of students learning in a classroom. Warren guidelines for class sizes are K, up to 20 students; Grades 1&2, up to 22 students; all other grades, up to 24 students. Transition: the event of a student progressing from one school building to another. Stability: the reduction of the amount of times a student would be required to transition. Parental involvement: parents’/guardians’ active involvement with the staff and PTO of the school. (i.e., “Parental involvement” as used in this report goes beyond parents’/guardians’ involvement with their child/children.)

6. Definitions Role models: older students who model good behavior and provide inspiration to younger students. Distribution: the amount of classes (homerooms) in a particular grade level at a particular school. Co-curricular: student learning experiences which support the curriculum that typically take place outside of the classroom environment. Extra-curricular: student activities or opportunities offered to students in addition to the school curriculum. Articulation: a smooth student transition from grade level to grade level. Varied: qualities that may be advantageous for some stakeholders, disadvantageous to others.

7. Our Findings MODEL ONE – CURRENT CONFIGURATION, DUPLICATED GRADES Four K-5 Schools One Middle School

8. Model 1 Advantages Stability Educational, Emotional, Social Role Models Emotional, Social Parental Involvement Emotional, Social

9. Model 1 Disadvantages Unequal Distribution of Grade Size Emotional, Social Larger Class Sizes in Younger Grades Educational, Emotional, Social Professional Development Educational Inconsistency in Co-Curricular and Extra Curricular Activities Educational, Social

10. Model 1 Varied Stasis in Social Group Emotional, Social Curriculum Educational Continuity vs. Change and Novelty Emotional, Social

11. Our Findings MODEL TWO – Duplicated, Closing a School Three (P)K-5 One Middle School (Grades 6 – 8)

12. Model 2 Advantages Stability Educational, Emotional, Social Role Models Emotional, Social Parental Involvement Emotional, Social More Equal Distribution Educational, Emotional, Social Increased similarities among co-curricular activities Educational, Social

13. Model 2 Disadvantages Professional Development Educational Transitional Year Educational, Emotional, Social

14. Model 2 Varied Stasis in Social Group Emotional, Social Curriculum Educational Continuity vs. Change and Novelty Emotional, Social

15. Our Findings MODEL THREE – UNDUPLICATED, KNOWN AS THE PRINCETON MODEL One PK-Grade 1 School One Grade 2 and Grade 3 School One Grade 4 and Grade 5 School One Middle School (Grades 6 – 8)

16. Model 3 Advantages Equal Distribution Educational, Emotional, Social Maximum Consistency of Program Educational Maximum Consistency of Extra and Co-Curricular Activities Educational, Social Professional Development Educational Grouping of most developmentally-similar grades Educational, Emotional, Social

17. Model 3 Disadvantages Least amount of Stability Educational, Emotional, Social Role Models Emotional, Social Parental Involvement Educational, Emotional, Social Transitional Year Educational, Emotional, Social

18. Model 3 Varied Impermanence in Social Groups Emotional, Social Change and Novelty vs. Continuity Emotional, Social

19. Our Findings MODEL FOUR –DUPLICATED/UNDUPLICATED HYBRID One PK-Grade 3 School One K-Grade 3 School One Grade 4 and Grade 5 School One Middle School (Grades 6 – 8)

20. Model 4 Advantages More Equal Distribution Educational, Emotional, Social High Consistency of Program Educational Consistency of Extra- and Co-Curricular Activities Educational, Social Parental Involvement for Youngest Grades Educational, Emotional, Social Professional Development Educational Grouping of Developmentally-Similar Grades Educational, Emotional, Social

21. Model 4 Disadvantages Transitional Year Educational, Emotional, Social Less Parental Involvement for Grades 4 - 5 Educational, Emotional, Social

22. Model 4 Varied Transitions Educational, Emotional, Social Change and Novelty vs. Continuity Emotional, Social Impermanence in Social Groups Emotional, Social Role Models Emotional, Social Parental Involvement Educational, Emotional, Social

23. Our Findings MODEL FIVE –CHANGE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADE LEVELS Three (P)K – Grade 4 Schools One Middle School (Grades 5 – 8)

24. Model 5 Advantages Stability Educational, Emotional, Social Balanced Distribution for Grade 5 Educational, Emotional, Social Role Models Emotional, Social Parental Involvement Educational, Emotional, Social More Equal Distribution Educational, Emotional, Social Increased similarities among co-curricular activities Educational, Social

25. Model 5 Disadvantages Grouping of Developmentally-Dissimilar Grades Emotional, Social Professional Development Educational Transitional Year Educational, Emotional, Social

26. Model 5 Varied Stasis in Social Group Emotional, Social Curriculum Educational Continuity vs. Change and Novelty Emotional, Social

27. Appendix A A word about Research: Academic Research on Grade Level Configuration Researchers agree that generally the quality of the school and the instruction is more important than the grade configuration in viewing academic progress of students. Research has provided no definitive answer on the most effective grade configuration. There is no clear indication that any grade configuration is more successful than any other. What has greater implications of student success is influenced by leadership, classroom teachers, and daily instructional strategies. Each community and school district considers different factors when making grade span decisions and no one grade configuration is right for all.

28. Appendix B Social & Emotional Considerations for Students Stability vs. Transition Stasis vs. Dynamism in Social Groups Extra and Co-Curricular Opportunities Parental Involvement Exposure to developmentally different age levels vs. grouping with developmentally similar ages School-based friendships and socially rejected students.

29. This…. however, is about possibility, specifically the possibility that (K-8) education is on the brink of the best of times, if we so choose.” --Robert J. Marzano, What Works in Schools