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5th Grade Parent Questions

 

How big are the class sizes amongst the different academies?

  • All of our academies have approximately the same number of students assigned to them leading to the same amount of students per class. The average class size is about 17 students. This number may be greater or smaller depending on the class or time or time of day. Elective classes (music, pe, etc.) tend to be larger while core classes (ELA, science, etc.) tend to be smaller. 

 

What are the expectations for time spent on homework for each academy?

  • This will vary by teacher, not necessarily by Academy. Some of our academies are structured so that students can work at their own pace which may lead to a student having no homework or a lot of homework depending on their choices. All academies have time built into their schedule to allow for students to be able to complete their assignments and get extra support if needed. 

 

What is the grading system for each academy?

  • All of our academies use the Parkway School District’s method for reporting grades found in Infinite Campus. Students will receive a grade for their academic progress as well as a grade for their academic responsibility. How a teacher arrives at this grade is up to the individual teacher, not necessarily a specific team. Many teachers and some teams will use standards based grading to track academic progress. This will be communicated to families on a regular basis in addition to the updated grades found in Infinite Campus. 

 

Which team has the most incoming students and the frequency of team switching?

  • Since the personalized learning academies have opened each personalized learning academy has been filled by the first day of school. There is not a large discrepancy between the frequency of academy changes to or from all four academies. The overwhelming majority of students have remained with their original selection for their entire middle school career. 

 

How flexible is the personalized pathway within the academies? For example, can assessment types be adjusted to fit a student’s needs?

  • The goal of each academy is to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their learning in whatever way is best for them. How flexible a teacher will be on a type of assessment is based on the individual teacher and the student’s needs. In each academy you will find teachers using a variety of assessments to help identify what standards a student has mastered. In Design, students will be co-creators of their assessment while the other three academies will likely provide multiple assessment options for their students to choose from. 

 

How much screen time does each academy provide kids?

  • The amount of screen time is similar on each academy but the way they interact with their device may be different. Every student is provided with a Chromebook to use while at school. All academies use Schoology to house homework, grades, and online resources, and cell phones are banned during the school day in accordance with Missouri law. On the Legacy Academy a student would expect technology to be used as a tool within a teacher-directed environment. Students use a mix of traditional paper/pencil, hands-on activities, and digital platforms. On Empower technology helps students track their "Learner Profiles" and set personal goals. Screens are used for project-based learning and making "Project Pathways" connections.Design may use screens primarily as tools for co-designing where students use devices to research real-world problems, create digital projects, and collaborate with peers on creative solutions and on Flex students would use technology to help them to work through their individual learning paths efficiently, allowing for more flexible use of physical space.

 

What is a day in the life like in the design academy?

  • Home (Community & Check-in): The day begins with a "Home" period. This isn't just a homeroom; it's a dedicated time for building community, checking in with teachers (co-creators), and setting goals for the day’s projects.
  • Core Seminar 1 & Math: Students transition into their first academic blocks. In the Design Academy, these are often Seminar-based. Instead of a year-long fixed curriculum, students may choose specific seminars (rotating every 6 weeks) that cover required state standards through the lens of a particular project or real-world problem.
  • Lunch & PE: This is a vital part of the day where the "Academy walls" come down. Design students head to the cafeteria and gym to eat and play alongside their peers from the Legacy, Flex, and Empower academies. This ensures they remain fully integrated into the larger Central Middle School social fabric.
  • Design Time: This is the heart of the academy. This block is an open, flexible period where students work on their self-directed projects. You might see:
  • One group filming a documentary for an ELA/History project.
  • A student using 3D modeling software to prototype a solution for a local community issue.
  • Teachers acting as "coaches," moving between groups to provide feedback.
  • Electives: The day typically ends with two elective periods (like Band, Choir, Art, or World Languages), which are taken with the general school population.

 

Are there any data collected or interviews with students on the efficacy of the different learning styles? Do 9th graders report feeling more prepared for high school because of exposure to the different styles?

  • The creation of the personalized learning academies was based on research and applications from the following authors and institutions. Specific research, including interviews with high school students has not yet been conducted. 
  • Caitlyn Tucker
  • Katie Novak
  • John Spenser
  • AJ Juliani
  • Andrew Easton
  • David Lee
  • Institute for Personalized Learning
  • Aurora Institute
  • Education Reimagined

 

Can you request to be on the same team as your friends?

  • We encourage students and parents to make the choice of an academy based on how a student learns best. In any of the four academies there is no guarantee that a student will have classes with their friends even if they are selected to be in the same academy. Once a student has selected their academy and placements have been assigned each student will remain on that academy for a minimum of one year. Students will be able to select a different academy each year they are in middle school, although changing academies is discouraged due to negating the positive effects of being placed on a multi-grade level team that loops with their teachers. 

 

Once you're on an academy, do you stay there all 3 years?

  • Once a student has selected their academy and placements have been assigned each student will remain on that academy for a minimum of one year. Students will be able to select a different academy each year they are in middle school, although changing academies is discouraged due to negating the positive effects of being placed on a multi-grade level team that loops with their teachers. 

 

 What is the percentage of children that get their 1st academy choice? What percentage get their 1st or 2nd choice?

  • The percentage of students who get their first choice is constantly shifting year-to-year based on the number of students who sign up for each academy. Students who select the Legacy Academy will automatically be placed in that academy. Students who select one of the other personalized learning academies as their first choice will be put on an enrollment list. If the number of students who request an academy is lower than the spots available then all students will get their first choice. If the number of students requesting a specific academy is higher than the spots available then all students who selected that academy as their first choice will be placed into a lottery for the available spots with names selected at random. Students who do not get their first pick will then be added to the list for their second pick and the process repeats. If a student wants to be placed on a waitlist for their first choice they can email our grade counselor to be added to that waitlist after all academy placements have been finalized. 

 

Does the elementary school team have input into the academy for incoming students?

  • Not at the middle school level. We encourage you to include the elementary team in your decision making but they are not a part of our process to ensure a fair process for all students. 

 

What is the number of incoming 6th graders that will be placed into each academy?

  • This number changes from year to year based on our building enrollment and our need to balance enrollment on all of our teams. Our incoming 6th grade enrollment for each personalized team has been as low as 28 and as high as 40. There is no limit to the number of students placed into the Legacy Academy. 

 

How do the class sizes compare between all of the Academies?

  • Class sizes are equal across all four academies. 

 

How do you ensure students have opportunities to socialize with students from other academies that are not their own? It seems like they are very isolated from one another.

  • 6th grade students from all four academies will eat lunch together as well as be in elective and PE classes together. Students that are on the same team will not necessarily have the same classes as each other. We strongly encourage families to not make academy selections based on friends but rather on how a student learns best. Once a student is enrolled into an academy they will not be allowed to change until the following school year.