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|
by
Anthony Amato |
September
12, 2007 |
National
Attention on Reform Initiative
Spotlight on Kindergarten-eighth grade education
model as KCMSD eliminates middle school
 |
On
Thursday, September 6, I had the opportunity to sit down with
veteran ABC News anchor Charlie Gibson to discuss the District’s
new reform initiative. We discussed how eliminating middle schools
will change the dynamics of student performance, and how this
format is not new to the educational system. Most successful
private, charter and parochial schools are set up with just
this type of structure. I am a firm believer that if you put
students in an environment that allows them to become leaders
they will flourish throughout their educational careers.
Charlie also sat down with a few District students at Milton
Moore Elementary School to get their take on the K-8 initiative.
As with anything new, there may have been some hesitation and
anxiety about the change, but many of the students shared their
desire to stay in the elementary schools in which they had grown
up. Some students embraced the idea of becoming role models
to the younger students, while a few had hoped to attend middle
school. My team and I believe that most of our students will
look back at this experience with fondness and satisfaction.
We look forward to seeing test scores go up and an overall increase
in the confidence our students will posses when they embark
on their high school experience and, eventually, college.
Early in my career, I worked as a teacher and always enjoyed
being able to track students beyond the doors of my classroom.
Our strong team of educators and administrators are embarking
upon a unique journey and it will be amazing to listen to the
many stories teachers will tell as they watch their students
grow and become successful learners. I have already heard many
success stories from teachers who currently work in our K-8
schools. Data shows us that the test scores from these schools
that have used the K-8 structure for years are higher than those
from middle schools, demonstrating that this structure gives
us a steady platform to work from and proof that this model
does work.
I was grateful to have “World News with Charles Gibson”
take time to put the spotlight on the Kansas City, Missouri
School District and on our community. I am proud to have been
invited to be part of a community that is willing to invest
in its children and future. We should all be proud to have the
nation watching as we strive as a community to see our students
excel and become superb role models in today’s global
economy.
Amato’s
Corner is a biweekly feature in The Northeast News by Superintendent
Anthony Amato, with insightful information and analysis of education
trends and new programs in the Kansas City, Mo. School District.
We want your feedback. Please feel free to contact our public
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