Students who dropped out of high school or are struggling in the high school setting and considering dropping out have a new avenue to success in earning their high school diploma – while simultaneously earning credits toward college.
The Old Rochester Regional School Committee on December 10 gave approval for ORR to offer the “Gateway to College” program upon the request of ORRHS Principal Michael Devoll, who said he already has students showing interest in the program.
Devoll said one student of the 2014 graduating class dropped out of ORR before graduating and contacted Devoll that very day, looking for a way to return to ORR to graduate. When he told her about the tentative approval by the School Committee that evening, she was excited.
The Gateway to College program would allow her and other students to attend classes at Bristol Community College to earn high school credits toward their diploma as a dual enrollment program, and earn college credits at the same time. The students would be enrolled at ORR, but take their courses at BCC.
“This is a student that is ready to go,” said Devoll, saying that returning to ORR after a year removed, mid-year, would prove more difficult for her.
“And without the peer group, it would make it even more difficult for this student,” said Devoll.
There is no cost for the student to attend the program, which would be funded by the school district at $3,500 per semester, the same rate as a School Choice placement.
There is a rigorous admissions process, though, and prospective students who apply would attend one-on-one interviews, as well as submit essays and undergo placement testing.
Also during the meeting, Devoll introduced some changes to the ORR course selection of the high school program of studies.
In light of the committee’s approval last year of the four-year Physical Education graduation requirement, the school will now offer racquet sports, “Fitness for Life,” and give credit for out-of-school recreational activities such as dance, horseback riding, or YMCA membership.
Some music courses like Music Technology II and Intermediate Guitar will be eliminated due to lack of interest. Instead, students would re-enroll in the beginning level course and the instructor would adjust the curriculum individually according to level.
Also offered will be grade nine and ten ELA and Mathematics skills classes aimed at improving performance on standardized tests and building a stronger foundation for higher levels of math, such as Algebra II. The skills classes would be full-year classes, but only meet twice instead of four times during the school’s eight-day academic cycle.
New Science teacher Virginia Mattos will start offering a new Intro to Epidemiology class after students polled showed a significant interest.
ORR will also offer American Sign Language as a foreign language option for students who would otherwise not take a language. Devoll’s concern was students who graduate without the two-year foreign language requirement for college admissions.
Devoll said he researched other schools that offer sign language and found schools’ responses to be “all positive.”
If you build it, said Devoll, they will come.
“If you build it and they don’t come, we won’t run it,” said Devoll.
Also during the meeting, some teachers who offered to pilot the integration of the district’s new Chromebooks directly into their classroom curriculum told the committee how successful the move has been, saying they use the devices daily and the students love them. One of the teachers said his class has reduced its paper consumption to zero, while another said the students are more engaged and excited to learn.
The next meeting of the Old Rochester Regional School Committee is scheduled for January 14 at 6:00 pm in the ORR media room.
By Jean Perry
