Winnacunnet Changes Course Structure to Improve Learning

The Winnacunnet School Board moved one step closer Wednesday toward eliminating one of the big reasons why they feel the school can't shake its "School In Need of Improvement" designation.

The board unanimously voted Wednesday to implement yearlong math and English courses for all freshmen and sophomores starting in the 2012-2013 school year, which several members said they hope is the beginning of a shift toward teaching "core" classes year-round to eliminate the school's educational gaps.

"I know this is a big task, but we need to do something," said board Chairman Maria Brown. "It’s time."

's current trimester schedule allows students to take a "core" course -- math, English, science and social studies -- for only two of the three portions of the year, which several board members said they feel prevents students from connecting lessons and truly learning.

The district had already hired a consultant for roughly $5,500 to help implement a yearlong "core" course model after the school finished last year as No. 63 on the list of 81 New Hampshire high schools.

The initial plan for the yearlong courses was to implement them across all four "core" courses in 2013-2014. Multiple board members said Wednesday that plan wasn't fast enough, though, and said they wanted a motion for 2012-2013 because they felt the weren't on the "same page" as WHS Principal Bill McGowan and administrators, who said they needed another year to gather data and rework the schedule.

"If we don't try, we're not going to get it done," said board member Denyse Richter. "It’s not rocket science. It’s not brain surgery... Other schools do it. It takes the willpower. If someone doesn’t know how to do that... maybe we need another person. We're not inventing something that hasn’t been out there."

Richter attempted to call a motion for yearlong courses in all four "core" subjects next year — particularly science because this year — although McGowan and board members Henry Marsh and Wayne Skoglund said that wouldn't be possible due to the current schedule structure and budget.

McGowan said it would be possible to implement the idea for freshman math and English next year as the school already does that with Algebra 1 and a freshman English class, although he said he doesn't have time to rewrite the entire curriculum to support four yearlong courses before the start of next year.

Marsh agreed.

"The impact would just be catastrophic," he said. "It would just be beyond... to commission [McGowan] to do that, having been a school principal and experienced dealing with a schedule. It would be catastrophic."

Richter withdrew her motion after Skoglund called for the implementation of yearlong math and English courses in grades 9 and 10 next year, which he said is possible because this year's freshmen already take yearlong courses and could do the same next year.

Skoglund's motion carried an understanding the rest of the grades would follow eventually based on the feasibility of implementing those changes.

SAU 21 Assistant Superintendent Barbara Hopkins said the consultant's full report on what the district will need to do to make all "core" courses year-round will be ready at some point in December.

A date to publicly review that report will be set at the next Winnacunnet School Board meeting in October.