Principals Ask School Board to Give OK on Reconfiguring Junior and Senior High Schools

The move to transition the ninth grade into the high school could begin next year if school board members approve a proposal put forward by staff. 

Senior High Principal John Kreider asked the school board Monday to approve the reconfiguration of the schools, starting as soon as possible with a behind-the-scenes merging of the ninth-grade staff with the high school staff. 

"There's definitely a need for change," Kreider told the North Hills School Board members Monday.

Citing the results of a series of community meetings held in November, Kreider said that there was a consensus, after all was done, that there are many benefits to aligning the ninth grade more with grades 10, 11 and 12. 

"I think we eased a lot of tensions," Kreider said. "We kept that open ear and we continue to do so." 

In the proposal before the board, the ninth grade students and teachers will remain physically in the junior high school, but will be supervised by the senior high school administration. 

It may seem like a superficial change, said Superintendent Patrick Mannarino, but it's the start of the process and will align the ninth grade curriculum with the high school curriculum. 

"It's the mindset of you are in high school even though physically you are in the junior high," he said. 

School officials do not yet have plans for the physical move of the ninth grade to the high school building, said Tina Vojtko, spokesman for the district. 

If approved, the transition for the change in administrative supervision would take place beginning with the start of the 2012-13 school year, Vojtko said. 

 in the fall of 2011, after a decline in enrollment at the high school meant there was room for the ninth grade. 

The high school has the capacity for 1,687 students. Student enrollment for the 2011-2012 school year is 1,075. The district has an enrollment of about 350 ninth-graders who now share a building with grades seven and eight — though they occasionally attend classes at the high school.

Ninth grade transcripts are included as part of the students' high school performance. Along with aligning courses and resources to college preparation and career choices, moving the ninth grade into the high school building would allow greater scheduling and staffing flexibility, the principals said.

The school board will vote on the issue at its legislative meeting Monday, Jan. 23. The meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the junior high LGI room.