This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Schools

BOE Approves SEM Program for 2011-12 Academic Year

The Board of Ed approved implementing the School-wide Enrichment Model at their April 27 meeting.

The Board of Education (BOE) has voted 5-1 to implement , which supporters say will provide even better instruction for gifted students and also extend enrichment to the rest of the enrollment.

“We’re looking for the enrichment teachers to be a support system for the classroom teachers,” Superintendent Anthony Bivona said regarding the more collaborative relationship between educators in the SEM.

The school district has been considering the SEM since this winter after some parents expressed concerns about a proposal to eliminate the full-time equivalent of 1.2 positions for enrichment teachers for kindergarten through sixth grade.

Find out what's happening in Brookfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Assistant Superintendent Genie Slone said that over time there would be more staff available for enrichment at Huckleberry Hill Elementary School (HHES) and Center Elementary School (CES).

School administrators have said that differentiation of instruction occurs throughout the district and that classroom teachers could provide specialized activities for students in the Academically Talented Program (ATP).

Find out what's happening in Brookfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Bivona said that based on his classroom observations, he has been “very impressed” with the projects that are being assigned to students and the differentiation that is being used in the classrooms.

He said at Wednesday’s regular meeting of the school board that there would be considerable interaction between the classroom teachers, enrichment teachers and curriculum specialists on a variety of enrichment activities for students.

“I have a hard time being against something that is going to help more students,” school board Vice Chairman Rob Gianazza said.

During public comment, two parents urged the school board to delay action on the SEM.

Parent Laura Hancock said that, among other things, she is concerned about the “additional time that would be required of teachers” in using the SEM.

She recommended that the school board get more input from teachers about the program.

Bivona said the SEM “would not be a burden” for classroom teachers.

“It’s a school-wide approach to school improvement that has an organizational structure,” he said.

Slone said the current enrichment teachers have had discussions with administrators about the SEM since February and “are enthusiastic” about it.

Bivona said the administrators in the district and the school board’s Curriculum And Program Evaluation Committee (CAPE) received considerable feedback from residents about the SEM over the recent months.

Parent Megan Henderson said she questioned whether the SEM program had been “fully thought out” and if it had been determined how it would operate “on a day-to-day basis.”

She said she also was concerned about providing enough “training” for the staff members.

Slone said the district is providing professional development training on the SEM and that some of the staff members would be attending a weeklong seminar on the program that is held annually at the University of Connecticut at Storrs.

Over the recent months, other parents, particularly those with children currently enrolled in enrichment classes, have questioned whether those students would receive as much instruction to extend their skills.

“They’re concerned,” school board Chairman Ray DiStephan said in an interview. “They want their children to get what they need. They want them to be challenged and I understand that."

“However, it’s a well-researched program that has been in 2,500 schools and goes back at least 20 years,” he said. “It’s been re-evaluated and re-invented. I think it comes from a pretty strong background.”

“We’re not taking something away,” Bivona said.

He said that studies have shown that the top students “excel even more” in the SEM.

Bivona said the district should try to reassure residents about the SEM by “publicizing” the positive developments from the program as it progresses.

Slone said that all of the students at Whisconier Middle School (WMS) will continue to be educated under the current model.

School board member Harry Shaker cast the lone dissenting vote, saying that he thought the program would be successful but that he had reservations about approving it when it might have to be eliminated if the proposed municipal budget is defeated at referendum next month.

In response, Gianazza said the school board should approve the program, noting that the school district faces the possibility of lower budgets each spring when the budget referendum is held.

He said, for example, two years ago it had to determine how to manage its operations on a budget that was smaller than it was for the previous year.

“The program is good,” said board member Victor Katz, who indicated that he was “on the fence,” but ended up supporting the implementation of the SEM.

“Any new program is a huge undertaking,” DiStephan said. “I think we’re ready to take this on.”

Bivona said, as is the case with any academic program, there would be assessments done to evaluate the progress of the SEM.

On another topic, the superintendent said the district has an “ambitious” recruitment progress in place to find a successor to Brookfield High School (BHS) Principal Bryan Luizzi, who will leave in July to take a similar position at New Canaan High School.

Bivona said the district hopes to begin interviews for the position by May 19 and have two finalists about a week later.

The position is considered to be attractive since BHS was rated the 32nd best high school in the state in a 2008 Connecticut magazine poll and it is now its second year of a block schedule format that administrators have said has improved instruction.

The school also recently completed a $31.875 million renovation that included new science labs and two synthetic athletic fields.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?