SOUTHWICK – Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional High School (STGRHS) Principal Pamela Hunter is seeking guidance from the School Committee on how best to comply with a mandate from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges(NEASC).
Hunter said part of NEASC accreditation is that every student must be enrolled in at least one heterogeneous classroom grouping.
Heterogeneous grouping is a type of distribution of students among various classrooms of a certain grade within a school. In this method, children of approximately the same age are placed in different classrooms in order to create a relatively even distribution of students of different abilities, as well as different educational and emotional needs.
Hunter suggested creating two heterogeneous classrooms – world history and English.
“One class would give us a limited acceptance rating,” Hunter said. “Two classes would get an ‘acceptable’ rating, and it elevates to exemplary depending on how many classes you offer.”
Committee member Jean McGivney-Burelle questioned Hunter.
“I have concerns about this proposal,” she said. “When you have a range of students you end up teaching to the middle, or below that.”
Hunter said more advanced students would still be able to take accelerated classes.
“I believe students should be challenged,” said Hunter, adding that the heterogeneous classroom grouping would give teachers the opportunity to use training they have participated in recently.
Hunter said there would be pre-Advanced Placement, Advanced Placement, and College Prep courses. She said world history and English are basic level classes she believes would fit well into the NEASC criteria for accreditation.
“Certainly though, we want some challenges and fast-paced courses,” she said. “Doing this would not cut anyone’s GPA and we would absolutely keep accelerated courses, and look to add accelerated courses.”
Hunter told the committee they have no choice but to create at least one heterogeneous classroom grouping to satisfy NEASC.
‘We could hold off and study it some more and get back to you,” said Hunter. “But we need to do this.”
The committee agreed to consider a vote at a future meeting.
