BP to try flexible grouping in elementary schools
Bethel Park School District will start implementing more flexible grouping strategies in its elementary schools.
The school board approved at the regular meeting Oct. 25 an agreement with the teachers’ union to change the schedule to allow for the initiative, which administrators have dubbed “Hawk Time.”
Administrators hope the strategy will challenge advanced students with enrichment opportunities and provide remediation for students who need more help. Students in kindergarten through fourth grade will be placed in small groups, perhaps a mixture of different classes, so that the instruction can be tailored to their performance levels.
“We think it will help us provide a more customized learning approach,” district spokeswoman Vicki Flotta said.
Hawk Time will be a scheduled class period during the school day. Teachers will use the time to reinforce what they already teach in the classroom in the areas of English language arts and mathematics.
Educators hope that Hawk Time will help students meet the state’s Common Core standards for those areas.
Flexible grouping will be phased into the curriculum gradually and Flotta said the practice should be fully implemented by the final nine weeks of the school year.
In another matter at the Oct. 25 meeting, the board thanked the Bethel Baseball Association for its $8,000 gift, which will be used to purchase materials for new dugouts at the baseball field on Black Hawk Drive. The district’s maintenance staff will construct the dugouts. BBA also stepped up a few years ago by raising $10,000 to rehabilitate the field.
“It symbolizes a great partnership we have between the school district and our community organizations,” said board President Donna Cook.
The board also:
• Promoted Dan Sloan from assistant athletic director to athletic director at a salary of $60,000 a year. Amy Scheuneman served as Bethel Park’s athletic director for about 10 years before resigning in July to become athletic director at North Hills High School.
The position Sloan previously held, assistant athletic director, will be eliminated. Director Pam Dobos dissented on that motion, citing concerns about the workload, but the measure passed 8-1.
• Accepted the retirement of Richard Kapusta, school psychologist, effective Jan. 25.
• Hired Samantha Parks as an English teacher at the high school while Kristen Kincak is on leave of absence. Parks will be paid $49,350 a year.