A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

"...there certainly was a potential there for [student] excellence that was untapped. And the parents were feeling that, and they were very angry that...this had been put into place overnight ...with no community involvement, no discussion, no warning."

--Parent

Chittenden South Supervisory District has been at the forefront of a number of school restructuring efforts. It has been cited nationally for its efforts to integrate technology into schooling, a focus on individualized learning, innovative grade and curricular structures, and its specification of "Essential Learnings." For many years, Shelburne Middle School has participated in some of the restructuring initiated by the district, particularly elements of the districts promotion of interdisciplinary learning. At the same time, Shelburne has been consistently noted as an exemplary middle school in the state and region due to the academic achievements of its students as well as innovative local programs.

Shelburne is a politically and culturally conservative community in many respects. When it comes to schooling, residents show great interest in the success and reputation of the schools, particularly the middle school. The image of the school is of an academically successful institution.

Although the Chittenden South district had been pursuing restructuring goals since the early 1980s, implementation of those ideas at Shelburne Middle School had been selective and "sparse" (as one informant put it) until recently. There were some difficulties perceived with this limited enactment of school reform. The perception among school administrators is that parents/families did not object to reform efforts, but wanted the school to provide skills and be implemented according to high standards.

A new initiative to clarify restructuring goals and plans to the community was undertaken by the schools. Recognition of this need was confirmed by focus groups conducted with approximately 75 randomly selected parents from the community. Parental involvement and general community concern have been channeled into and solicited by the middle school in a number of ways. A wide range of meetings, forums, "coffees" with the principal, and other communication activities were developed by the school in the past two or three years. A parent advisory group is in operation.

The thrust of planning has been to change the program to a nine year system divided into three year communities which guarantee the parent/family that the child will learn all that he needs to learn and that it will be done through the use of personalized education plans. The school board has established a "families as partners" policy as one of the implementation features.

Restructuring at Shelburne is thus very much in process. Major changes have been implemented on an interim or starting basis, but the process of school improvement is continuing, especially in light of the upcoming change in the school facility and structure. As was the case two or three years ago, community concern is high, and involvement opportunities are being provided in response.

Lessons

1. High community concern and involvement with school does not necessarily lead to easy relations or successful restructuring of the instructional program.

   Although the school has made extraordinary efforts for sharing information and establishing communication channels in the community, there still remains some confusion about restructuring.

2. Parent/family support is developed when they actively participate with school administrators to plan, review and have input into the instructional program.

   Parents/family members participate on school teams, but restructuring efforts are still in the process of developing support and identity among school constituencies.

3. Restructuring of schools is often chosen as the arena for political struggles.

   Genuine differences of principle and goals in the community regarding education and the role of the school in determining the community culture may be creating a situation of competing ideological conflict in Shelburne.

[Lamoni Middle School (Lamoni, Iowa)]

[Community School District 3 (New York City, New York)]