Results of a survey sent out in mid-May to Bromfield School teachers, students, and families showed more than half the respondents disagreed with proposed changes in the middle school schedule and ninth-grade English. Superintendent Linda Dwight told the School Committee that 203 people had responded to the survey, which is still open for more responses from the school community.
At Monday’s School Committee meeting, Dwight said most of the opposition to the middle school changes focused on the reduction of class time for world languages. She said the schedule is being adjusted to provide more learning time for French and Spanish. The additional time will come in the block at the end of each school day called WYN-WIN (what you need, what I need).
Besides having a regularly scheduled language class every third day, the adjusted schedule gives seventh-graders an additional, once-a-week world language class in the WYN-WIN period. Students with a special interest in French or Spanish will also be able to choose another, optional session each week in that time slot. Eighth-graders will be able to choose two extra, optional language classes in the WYN-WIN period, giving them a total of four periods of language instruction in the six-day rotating schedule.
Dwight noted that this is a pilot schedule for the middle school and will be reviewed during the 2023-24 school year.
At the high school level, the survey showed 60% of respondents opposed deleveling ninth-grade English. In response, Dwight wrote in her report to the School Committee, “We are modifying the decision for next year by continuing Honors English. All students will be welcomed into this level class, and teachers will use dynamic teaching strategies to meet the needs of all students, whether enrichment or additional support.”
In the public comment period of the meeting, several parents expressed gratitude that the school administration and the School Committee were responding to their concerns. But they also remained skeptical about the changes.
Parent Jim Boutelle thanked Dwight and the School Committee for listening to concerns, but then returned to the question of deleveling: “You’re calling it honors English, but it sounds like it’s still deleveling, just giving a different name to the course.” He said he doubted students of differing abilities would all get as much education as they could in leveled classes.
Parent Dot Samsi said, “I’m feeling heard … and changes are coming because of the communication.” But she still expressed concern about the speed of the schedule changes and the cuts to language courses, saying, “Other high-achieving districts consider world language a core subject.”
