February 23, 1999
Tiffin board looks at fine-tuning elementary curriculum
By Cathy Willoughby
Staff Writer
Rather than learning the basics of social studies, science and health, the Tiffin city School district's youngest students may get a boost in reading and math skills.
Board of education member and program committee chairman Bob Joyce told the school board during Monday night's meeting that the committee seeks input on a program that would present material in math and reading only to children in grades kindergarten through second grades.
''We would focus on those skills at the primary level, so that the children are better able to master them,'' Joyce said. ''They would focus on math and reading skills, with other topics coming in as appropriate to reinforcing those skills. We are hoping that those basic skills will be strengthened by the time they are in the third and fourth grades.''
Joyce is hoping for input from parents, educators and the board. Board member Pat Hillmer said that on first examination, it seemed like a good idea.
''I would like to encourage people to think about it and get back to members of the administration or board members,'' she added.
President Chris English asked if the curriculum change could be done in conjunction with a looping project, such as the one now being tried at Noble Elementary in which students stay with one teacher for two grade levels.
''We should also look at the continuance of teachers with the young children,'' he said.
Some changes to the high school science curriculum also were proposed by the committee to the board.
Due to Senate Bill 55's heightened graduation credit requirements in science, Joyce said the proposal would separate two courses into four. Cellular biology, diversity of life and chemistry classes each would be divided into introductory and advanced classes. Environmental chemistry would be renamed environmental science.
Joyce said that this would allow students to complete their required two units of science by the year 2001, one in biological and one in physical science. And by the year 2003, students must have three science credits for graduation, one each in biological and physical science plus an elective.
John Bolte encouraged the committee to look at not just college preparatory or vocational course directions, but to look at the offerings in terms of what career options that the students may take instead.
''I'm afraid if we don't, we may lose kids in the middle who may need chemistry and physics for a career that they are interested in,'' he said.
Hillmer agreed that it could make a difference.
''When students see what is involved in the jobs that they wanted to do,'' she said, ''they see that those courses tie right into their career. If you don't, otherwise things become very academic and they don't seem to fit in the real world.''
Joyce also said that an evaluation of the new guidance counselor program at the elementary level is being conducted. He said that they will continue to gather data to evaluate the program that began last fall. Initial statistics reported were 794 contacts made for individual counseling, 109 group contacts and 128 referrals.
He said that he found it surprising at first that parents would give permission to have their child see a counselor, which is a requirement of the program.
''Yet a number of parents have written and called saying, yes, they want their child to be counseled,'' he said.