Lakeridge will Test Flex Schedule

This article appeared in the Daily Herald and is regarding the new remediation tool that was put into place at Lakeridge Jr. High School. I serve as chair of the Community Council for Lakeridge.


Lakeridge Jr. will test flex schedule


MICHAEL RIGERT - North County Staff
Lakeridge Junior High School is testing a new program this year aimed at better helping struggling students while extending enrichment activities to achieving students.
The flex schedule program will give students who need more help the chance to work in small groups with teachers on material they haven't been able to grasp. While they're catching up, the rest of the students will participate in a variety of activities, ranging from ballroom dancing and advanced art projects to academic competitions, said Lakeridge principal Garrick Peterson.

"We did an interest inventory of students and tried to match their interests" with education-promoting activities that would pique their interest, he said.

The program will last 30 minutes every other day. It replaces the time students spent watching Channel 1 programming or last year, a silent reading period.

"It was some news and a lot of commercials," Lakeridge Community Council chairman Tim Stay said of the television segments. The school community council is an advisory committee made up of school administrators and parents that helps make decisions concerning the school.

Peterson said Lakeridge decided it wasn't using the time as effectively as it could and began in the last few years to look for an alternative.

A group of teachers attended a conference in Chicago where the flex schedule program was presented as an option to traditional remediation programs such as summer school and after school programs, Stay said.

"By doing remediation during the day while the students are still in school, we [found] kids can get a mastery of the subject," he said.

The school is currently working with parents through events like Back to School Night to give an overview of the flex schedule so parents will understand the program benefits. Along with Lakeridge, Willowcreek Middle School in Lehi has also adopted the flex schedule on a trial basis.

"No class time is being taken away from students," Stay said. "We see this as a way to help those students who need remediation to get help right away and learn before they move on, as well as rewarding students who are grasping information and provide an accelerated learning opportunity for them."

Peterson said some students simply require more time to learn any given subject matter, or thrive in a smaller learning environment.

And dangling some attractive and fun options in front of kids' eyes to get passing grades in their classes is exactly the kind of positive reinforcement Lakeridge is looking for.

"That's the motivation side," Peterson said. "Hopefully, kids will want to be involved in something they really enjoy and want to be a part of it."

Stay said Lakeridge's test scores in recent years have shown a definite upswing and the flex schedule can only bolster that success.

"Our ultimate goal ... is to give students the education they deserve," he said. "We believe every kid can learn and that Lakeridge can be the highest achieving junior high in the district. I think we're on track to achieving that."