Morgan Hill Unified School District officials announced Dec. 16 the inaugural team of teachers in charge of easing the transition of sixth graders moving from elementary to middle school campuses for the 2016-17 school year.
Teachers selected are: Tirina Barnes, Valerie Brown, Jewel Knofler, Melissa Moralez, Kelly Parker, Kerry Richards and Nathan Wincell at Britton Middle School; and Roya Gillani, Kelly Herell, Michelle Kopari, David Martinez and Darren McDonald at Martin Murphy Middle School.
“Through an interview process, recommendations and classroom observations, we have identified an initial team of 12 teachers that will be making the transition to middle school,” according to the Dec. 16 press release. “After returning from holiday break, our initial group will begin working as collaborative teams to adapt the core curriculum to the program.”
The district’s grade level reconfiguration plan was approved by the Board of Education by a 4-3 vote at the Aug. 4 school board meeting. A grade level reconfiguration committee, made up of parents, teachers, administrators and other stakeholders, recommended the change that was supported by the district leadership.
The 2015-16 school year is the final year that the district’s elementary schools will cater to kindergarten through sixth grade students. Under the new configuration, Jackson Academy of Math & Music and San Martin/Gwinn Environmental Science Academy will be K-8 sites (the Charter School of Morgan Hill is another K-8 site), while the remaining elementary schools will be K-5 sites with the two middle schools, Britton and Martin Murphy, adding a grade to become 6-8 grade facilities.
“These teachers exhibit a pioneer spirit in their enthusiasm to plan, collaborate and create a model middle school program,” the press release reads. “We are exceptionally proud of all our teachers and principals who are willing to take on this new endeavor.”
As part of the sixth grade plan, teachers will develop an elective “wheel,” as the district puts it, with “a greater variety of elective choices for sixth-grade students at the middle schools,” the release reads.
District officials plan to monitor sixth-grade enrollment numbers and fill remaining teacher spots to complete the process, according to the Dec. 16 announcement.
