Below is the text from the first of two placement letters that will be sent out this week. Friday’s letter will be a common one between HBSS and Coffin School that outlines specific placement criteria.
April 1, 2013
Dear Coffin School Families,
We are beginning the 2013-14 classroom placement process and I want to keep you informed as to how this will work.
At Coffin, we currently have ten Kindergarten classrooms, nine first grade classrooms and two multiage classrooms (grades 1 and 2). Placement is a complex process and staff will
be working together and weighing multiple factors over the coming months as we
build balanced classes. The goal of such a comprehensive approach is to set all students and all classrooms up for success. While parent input regarding
your child’s learning style(s) is always welcome, please know that we are not
able to honor specific teacher requests.
Kindergarten Families – Your child will be assigned to
either a first grade or a multiage classroom (approximately 19 current K students
will be in next year’s multiage). While our goal is to keep as many placement
options available to your child as possible, we understand that there may be
some families who may not want their child in a multiage classroom. Please fill out the form on the reverse side if you do NOT want your child considered for a grade 1 and 2 multiage classroom at Coffin. Should you want your child considered for multiage, you do not need to return this form.
Thank you for taking the time to assist us with placement. We plan to send home next year’s teacher assignments in early July.
Sincerely,
Steve Ciembroniewicz
Please check the box if you do NOT want your child in the
multiage classroom and return this form to Coffin School by April 11, 2013.
I do not want my child ____________________ considered for a multiage classroom.
Parent/guardian name: ____________________
This information will be treated confidentially. It is not in any way a formal commitment and at this point will simply be used for planning purposes. Thank you for taking the time to help us with the placement process.
________________________________________________________________________
Overview of the Coffin multiage program:
Our two multiage classrooms are each made up of both first and second grade students. The children come into the multiage program as first graders and leave at the end of second grade. They are with the same teacher for two years and remain at Coffin School
for second grade.
Over the two years the children receive the same curriculum as all first and second grade students. The focus in science and social studies one year is on the first grade
curriculum and the other year’s focus is the second grade curriculum. The two classes do projects together throughout the year. The only time they are separated by grade is for math instruction.
For more information about multiage:
http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content4/mixed.age.group.pn.html
