Fargo middle school students will have more opportunities to take a broad range of classes starting next year.
School leaders shared a draft of the new middle school curriculum with the School Board on Tuesday night.
In addition to the core areas of language arts, math, social studies and science, students will be introduced to other academic and vocational themes.
Class variety is fundamental to a successful middle school model, said Superintendent David Flowers.
"I guess you could call it 'mandatory exploration,' " Flowers said. "By taking different classes, they may learn something about themselves or ignite an interest."
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Key to the concept is what school leaders call an "opportunity hour."
Next fall, students in band, choir and orchestra will use the hour to rehearse. Students who need reading and math help also can receive it at that time.
Starting in 2007, however, every student will spend the hour at one class or activity, ranging from an art class to building model airplanes to learning how to play chess.
Board members appeared excited about the concept.
"I just think it's a great idea," said board member Rick Steen.
Students also will take set exploratory courses.
For example, sixth-graders must take music, physical education, art and a combined health and family and consumer science course. Seventh-graders will take music or visual arts, physical education, a survey of world languages, theater arts and a technical education class.
Eighth-graders will take music or a study hall and physical education.
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They also can choose between taking a year of a foreign language or a year of art, theater arts and career and technical education.
The year of foreign language will be worth a full credit. A full language credit is now split between the eighth- and ninth-grade years.
New middle school curriculum is just one of the ways the district is preparing for its transition to identical grade configurations on the north and south sides. Other transition updates shared on Tuesday:
- Carl Ben Eielson Middle School, Kennedy Elementary and an addition to North High are on schedule to be completed by midsummer, said Dan Huffman, assistant superintendent. Supplies could be moved into some classrooms earlier than that.
- Teacher assignments are expected to be completed by Jan. 31. Support staff are being asked to state their building preferences.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Erin Hemme Froslie at (701) 241-5534
