By signing this petition I encourage the Anchorage School Board to return to the middle school model historically implemented in the Anchorage School District which is the most developmentally appropriate for mid-level students.

The historically-implemented Middle School model in ASD of a seven-period day consists of each teacher instructing five of those periods and using one period to prepare for and evaluate lessons; the other period of team time is to meet with their team of teachers, communicate with students, parents, other teachers, and specialists to ensure each student is successfully progressing through the extremely difficult developmental period of adolescence. A Language Arts, Math, Social Studies, and Science teacher are in each team and have the same roughly 120 students. 0.2 FTE per instructional period for teachers is historically a given for the secondary level. This last year, midlevel had a 3.3% pay-cut per section taught, and ASD is continuing that pay-cut this year. High school teachers may soon have to follow this increase on workload and loss of compensation. 

The schools housing 7th, 8th, and sometimes 6th changed their names years ago when ASD implemented this model and the ASD spent millions of dollars training teachers. Using the name middle school conveys a certain approach that we no longer use. It’s misleading to parents and community members. Instead, these schools have regressed to the junior high structure that is less effective in meeting the needs of this developmental stage. Educator and student teaming, and all of the supplemental supports that go with this model, are lost. 

Comparisons between the models are the following:
Junior High

• Subject-centered 
• Emphasis is on cognitive development 
• Organizes teachers in subject-based departments 
• Traditional instruction dominates 
• Six to eight class periods per day 
• Provides academic classes 
• Offers study hall and/or homeroom 
• Classrooms arranged randomly or by subject or grade level 

Middle School

• Student-oriented 
• Emphasis is on both cognitive and affective development 
• Organizes teachers and students in interdisciplinary teams for collaboration and easily allows for project based learning across content areas
• Experiential approaches to instruction 
• Allows for block and flexible scheduling 
• Provides exploratory, academic, and nonacademic classes 
• Offers advisor/advisee, teacher/student opportunities 
• Team classrooms in close proximity

*Excerpt from Introduction to Middle School, by S. D. Powell, 2005 edition, p. 17.
https://www.education.com/reference/article/differences-between-junior-high-middle/

The Middle School model CAN be funded;
it is a choice of priorities and utilizing resources!