Q. How is this new staffing model expected to affect class sizes? There is a lot of talk of cutting staff, but little discussion of how that will affect the number of students in each classroom. This is an important piece of the puzzle, as we all know that class sizes have a direct and substantial effect on both learning and feelings of community within the classroom.
A. Thank you for the question. Our building leaders are reviewing their discretionary funding and are prioritizing their allocations to maximize the adult to student ratios. Through a combination of grade-level reconfigurations, blended learning approaches, revisioning the roles of paraprofessional staff services, and the shared use of available spaces, programming is being developed that will focus on targeted instruction that allows instructors to conduct small group instructional activities, and create opportunities for students to experience personalized learning activities and in-class support. This revisions how we are looking at the use of all adults in the building to deliver instructional services. As classroom spaces are redesigned, we are looking at how we can create the feelings of community with a differentiated staffing model that works to preserve supportive adult connections at a time when we are experiencing a reduction in available fiscal and human resources.
Q. In my experience, budget reductions are almost certain to translate into reduced staffing and support services for my elementary-aged students. In order for us to realize our goals for Vision 2031, it is critical that our youngest learners have all the resources needed to be academically, socially and emotionally ready for their bright future. My questions are: If we are in a critical budget year, why do I continue to see jobs added at the administrative and TOSA levels in Hopkins? How does the % of the budget in Hopkins that is spent on TOSAs and admin compare to neighboring districts?
A. Thank you for the question. We have not increased administrative positions in any of our school sites. There are a few key roles at the schools and also at the district office that we are trying to transform as well as increase or improve internal realignment. Some ToSA roles (in IDL, coaches, etc), we will evaluate based on individual and system student learning or program needs. As we look toward the redesign of some of our resources, we'll try to use existing resource in diffferent ways to preserve classrooms positions (for example, using Title II and/or Title IV) to create opportunities for existing staff who we may otherwise not have the resources to retain. The goal is not to hire more administrators or ToSAs. The goal is to protect classroom teachers and preserve or maximize opportunities for our talented licensed staff to be retained and continue working in Hopkins.
Q. When we went through budget cuts last year, keep elementary class sizes low were a top priority. Through this new budgeting process, it appears the class sizes could be quite large, especially at schools like Glen Lake and Meadowbrook where there is not as much Compensatory funding allocated. How will we keep our same quality of student relationships and stay competitive with other school districts with such an increase in class size? Is there a possibility that this increase in class size will be reconsidered? Is there a cap of students in elementary classrooms?
A. Thank you for the question. Our predictable staffing model establishes a minimum level of funding that establishes a base ratio. Discretionary funding is provided to each building based on a buildings student enrollment. Discretionary dollars can be used to purchase additional teacher and paraprofessional positions. All available discretionary dollars have been distributed to sites for use in creating classroom learning that is student-centered and can be expended in ways that the sites feel deliver the most effective programming with the available resources.
Q. Three Questions: 1. As elementary Talent Development teachers move from meeting the needs of highly gifted students to providing enrichment lessons for all students, how will we ensure the needs of our students performing significantly above their grade level peers are still being met? 2. How will changes in Talent Development programming be communicated to families? 3. How are we staying competitive with surrounding districts who offer multiple layers of Gifted and Talented programming when we are currently moving away from accelerated mathematics, enriched/TD reading groups, and pull-out programs targeted at our students with conceptual skills beyond their grade level peers?
A. Thank you for these questions. 1. We want to ensure that all of our students grow in their learning, whether they are at, below, or above grade-level. Currently, we are exploring different ways of personalizing student learning so that we can meet students abilities where they are at and grow them. This could involve multi-age learning experiences and blended learning models which capitalize on digital tools, collaborative real-world problem solving, and teacher-led inquiry. 2. The Interim Director of IDL is currently working with our Communications team to develop descriptive information for our caregivers and community. Anticipate information in the next week or two. 3. We will offer programming that accelerates and personalizes learning for scholars across the entire school day, rather than just math and reading.
Q. How will push in models for student reading and math support be measured and supported? This will be an example of do more with less, and specifics about this model will be needed early on for it to be most effective.
A. This is a great question. As we continue to strive to be a data-driven decision making organization, any new model we try will need to be measured for efficacy. This is part of the Lab Operating System - IDL will support site teams to determine appropriate measures for success as well as assist in collecting that data and analyzing it. This will ensure that we are actually solving the problems we set out to solve.
Q. As we reimagine several aspects of a typical school day experience, from success metrics to space and place, how are we working towards more continuity and consistency in those reimagined elements from elementary to junior high to high school?
A. Thank you for the question. It's a great one. Our Innovation, Design, and Learning department is building a Learning Framework (LF). A LF is an alignment tool that provides explicit direction for school reimagining and system redesign. The LF will help us work toward consistency across schools, and will help us engage in horizontal and vertical alignment. This is because the LF will tell us what elements of teaching and learning we all need to cohere around, and what kinds of practices no longer belong in our spaces.
Q. As a parent of a likely future Hopkins student, and as the spouse of a Hopkins employee, I would like to thank Dr Mhiripiri-Reed, her Cabinet, building leaders, teachers and staff for their hard work to help realize Vision 2031!
A. Thank you!
