News Summary

The new Springfield High School smaller school concept should boost student achievement, attendance, and graduation, said Springfield City Schools Superintendent Jean Harper.

"For students, it's a more personalized treatment," Harper said at the first of three public forums Monday night. "Students can learn and teachers can teach."

Each school will divide the 2,400-student population by floor and wing and have a core curriculum, teaching grades 9 through 12.

The district will decide what form the four schools will take in time for student registration for the 2008-2009 academic year, said Harper.

There are several different concepts to adopt for the small schools model, said Harold Brown, EdWorks executive director.

The district chose EdWorks, a division of Knowledge-Works Foundation, to advise it in the development of the small schools.

Other districts have applied themes to their separate schools, such as communication, business or the arts. The schools may also be divided by learning styles or multiple disciplines, said Brown.

Harper, however, said the district isn't going to duplicate services it already provides.

"We're not looking at academies or vocational kinds of schools," she said.

Though class sizes aren't expected to decrease, Harper said the students will benefit by learning in smaller communities.

EdWorks has a suggested time line for stages of implementation, but the district hasn't adopted one at this time, said Harper.

The new high school is a consolidation of North and South high schools and will open in September 2008 at 701 E. Home Road.

Another meeting is scheduled for today in the auditorium at South High School, 700 S. Limestone St., at 6 p.m. The third forum will be 6 p.m. Wednesday in the library of Schaefer Middle School, 147 S. Fostoria St.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0360 or vlough@coxohio.com