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December 22, 2009
JONES-FARRAR MAGNET SCHOOL Update
Mrs. Jackie Nieukirk has been named as the new principal for the magnet school. She began December 7th and her office is located at Central Office until July 1st. Learn more about Mrs. Nieukirk here.
The IB Coordinator position interviews were held last week and a recommendation to the Board is forthcoming.
Potential magnet school teachers will be interviewed following the winter break.
“Accepted” applicants were notified 10 days ago, as were those few students placed on waiting lists and ineligible students (some applicants were older than rising 4th grade). Families are asked to commit to magnet school attendance by January 11th. Exempt from that deadline are the current Kindergarten applicants, who may wait until HAPP notification to respond. November 9, 2009
As families apply for the IB magnet school, several have asked about the school's curriculum. To get a better picture of what type of study each grade level undertakes in different subject areas, lesson plans from other IB schools are listed below. IB schools refer to lesson plans as "programs of inquiry," and two different schools' examples follow.
October 21, 2009
The Jones-Farrar IB Candidate Magnet School will enroll Kindergarten through 4th grade students in the Primary Years Program (PYP). The Primary Years Program is designed for younger students and focuses on the development of the whole child in the classroom and in the world outside. The Freeport School District joins hundreds of other schools which recognize the value and importance of this challenging curriculum. Schools all over the world readily acknowledge that IB PYP guides their students along the path of academic preparation and outstanding achievement. The program’s growth worldwide has increased from 178 PYP schools in the year 2004 to nearly 600 currently – an increase of 221%! The highly-acclaimed IB program translates to academic success for thousands of students around the globe. Parents are invited to enroll their child(ren) in this exceptional educational setting right here in Freeport. Applications will be accepted starting October 26th at Jones-Farrar Early Learning Center and also at each of the elementary schools. Apply early! Additional information is available at http://www.ibo.org/ or by contacting Stephanie Helms, FSD Communications Specialist, at 815-232-0369; stephanie.helms@fsd145.org
September 16, 2009
At it's September 16th meeting, the Freeport School District Board of Education unanimously approved International Baccalaureate (IB) as the selected theme for the new magnet school.
The district's IB magnet school will open its doors next August at the site of the current Jones-Farrar Early Learning Center, and will welcome students in Kindergarten through 4th grade. As a magnet school, there is no specific school attendance zone and families from all over the district are invited and encouraged to apply once the enrollment period opens. Information regarding the International Baccalaureate, specifically the details for this age group, may be found at http://www.ibo.org/pyp/curriculum/
September 11, 2009 The meeting will be held at the Freeport Public Library on Tuesday, September 15th from 6:30-7:30 PM. August 17, 2009 What's happening with the Magnet School theme decision? Four focus groups were held during June and July and offered attendees in-depth information about three potential magnet school themes: Performing and Creative Arts, International Baccalaureate, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). Additionally, to allow participation by those unable to attend an in-person focus group, FSD provided an opportunity to learn and share information through a virtual focus group, hosted on the district website. There is solid support for each theme, as 33% of focus group respondents indicated a preference for STEM, 30% prefer the International Baccalaureate option, while 24% chose the Creative and Performing Arts, and 13% did not select any of these options. The virtual focus group respondents were offered an additional choice - that of "No preference - I will enroll my student no matter which theme is selected." Of those responding online, 21% chose this "no preference" option. The recommendation of the Central office Administrative Team is for the Board of Education, after consideration of information presented by staff, including responses to questions and issues brought up at the August 19th or and September 2nd Board Meetings, select either the International Baccalaureate or the Performing and Creative Arts as the theme and focus for the magnet school. This recommendation is based upon a rubric comparing all themes upon the bases of Student Achievement, Research-Proven Effectiveness, Implementation, Cost, Transition, and Appeal, with each of the six areas assigned four points. From the possible total of 24 points per theme, International Baccalaureate "scored" 17.5 points, followed by Creative & Performing Arts at 17 points, and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) at 15 points. It is likely that many of the elements of the STEM theme could be readily incorporated into the Performing and Creative Arts and International school themes. Magnet School Extras It is being recommended that the following be implemented with either magnet school theme or focus:
What is a Magnet School? Magnet schools are excellent examples of how specialized programs can spark enthusiasm for learning and catalyze academic growth in students whose interests and aptitudes may not be fulfilled by their neighborhood schools. Magnets use themed instruction in such subjects as fine arts, leadership, and engineering to meet the needs of students from diverse backgrounds and interests. Typically, these schools offer innovative programs through a specialized focus or theme. They may emphasize subjects like science or the arts, or they may adopt distinct instructional models, like those of Montessori or International Baccalaureate programs. In addition to maintaining diverse student populations and advancing school choice, magnet schools are reversing declining district enrollments, turning around low student performance, and serving as laboratories for promising education practices. Magnet schools have developed strong national and local constituencies among parents and educators, who see them as vehicles for bringing equity and academic excellence to all students. Magnet schools provide appealing choices for families and students whose neighborhood school may not serve a student’s interests, talents, and aptitudes. By offering a specialized curriculum, they attract students from varied backgrounds, creating diversity within learning communities and providing opportunities for beneficial education outcomes. From Creating and Sustaining Successful K-8 Magnet Schools, Innovations in Education Prepared by WestEd for the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement; September 2008 Read the entire report, including case studies: http://www.ed.gov/admins/comm/choice/magnet-k8/magnetk-8.pdf Both magnet themes are widely represented throughout the United States and Illinois has multiple magnet schools utilizing each theme. Read about examples of each theme: (International Baccalaureate) IB General Information IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) http://www.ibo.org/pyp/documents/schools_guide_pyp.pdf Wildwood International Baccalaureate World Magnet School, Chicago http://www.wildwood.cps.k12.il.us/ John M. Smyth Magnet School, Chicago http://www.smyth.cps.k12.il.us/ Center for Inquiry, Indianapolis Eugene Field Elementary, Missouri (Creative & Performing Arts) Andrew Cooke Magnet School, Waukegan http://www.wps60.org/schools/cooke.php Buckner Performing Arts Magnet Elementary, Kansas http://www.usd259.com/news/schoolloc/Elementary/Buckner/Default.htm Gadsden Elementary School, Georgia http://www.savannah.chatham.k12.ga.us/schools/default.aspx?schoolname=Gadsden%20Elementary Nicholson Performing Arts Academy, Indiana http://www.70.ips.k12.in.us/default.aspx |
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