New changes coming to KMES

Schools across the state and country are always trying come with innovative ways to help their students learn better, and to be prepared for the future.

That’s exactly the case for the Kasson-Mantorville School District.

At Kasson-Mantorville Elementary School next year, there  will be changes made which will help students be prepared for middle school and high school.

Next year the third and fourth grade will be going with a platooning style of learning and teaching, where each teacher is responsible for teaching a different subject that they have a specialty in and students will rotate through subjects throughout the day while also having a traditional homeroom.

KMES principal Ariana Wright, explained that by going with this format they will be getting students prepared for the way middle and high school will be.

“Platooning is the sharing of teachers who specialize in subject areas. Our K-M Middle and High School Students experience this with teaching teams and departments for every subject area.  We know that elementary students need a different approach where they make connections with a homeroom teacher and have fewer transitions throughout the day,” Wright stated.

Aside from helping students prepare for upper grades, by going with this format it will also likely help students learn more in school.

“Platooning/departmentalizing enables our students to improve their academic achievement through teacher specialization. Research clearly states that teachers have the greatest impact on student achievement. Through platooning, teachers will have greater opportunities to collaborate on curriculum and student progress and to share their passion for specific subjects. Teacher assignments to specific subjects are also based on student achievement data. There is a strong correlation between high student achievement and teacher expertise,” Wright said. She also explained that by going with this style it will help teaches continue to progress through professional development. “Another benefit of departmentalization is  professional development can be targeted so that teachers can gain greater expertise and students will be exposed to different teaching styles,” Wright added.

Wright explained that like any new innovation they will monitor how it is working out and make adjustments going forward if needed.

“As with any instructional practice, we will reflect on the practice throughout the school year and make adjustments and improvements along the way. We truly believe that this new format will enhance student achievement outcomes,” Wright stated.