AP article -- 9th grade as a separate school

[Beth in SW WA]

Sorry if this old news. Another reason to homeschool 9th grade (as if we needed another reason):

 

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hvLu707pMZvMA2Q-3jOvubHpuNlQD92O52P80

[Murphy101]

hmm....

 

I think it's interesting and very true.

However, the #1 reason I think they should separate 9th out is because those poor kids are really pressured to grow up FAST when shoved in an environment where approx. 75% of the student body (all those 10, 11, 12th grader!) is dating, driving, and so forth. There's a real low kid on the totem pole situations where they feel a strong push to act older and do older things to climb the social acceptance ladder. *shudder*

[LizzyBee]

hmm....

 

I think it's interesting and very true.

However, the #1 reason I think they should separate 9th out is because those poor kids are really pressured to grow up FAST when shoved in an environment where approx. 75% of the student body (all those 10, 11, 12th grader!) is dating, driving, and so forth. There's a real low kid on the totem pole situations where they feel a strong push to act older and do older things to climb the social acceptance ladder. *shudder*

 

That's probably true in today's environment. But I went to a grade 7-12 high school and never felt pressured to date or grow up early. For my friends who did date early, it was a disaster, so if anything, the rest of us were encouraged to wait.

[Renee in NC]

My oldest goes to a grade K-12 school and there wasn't any pressure for him to grow up faster by older kids. Maybe because they all "grew up" together?

[Murphy101]

no, I think I'm misunderstood here.

 

I'm talking a school of ONLY 9-12th grade, not the younger grades.

Yes, if they weren't low kids on the totem, if they weren't thrust in a new environment starting in 9th grade, if they grew up together from kindergarten - that woudl be very different.

 

However, MANY schools are not like that. At least in my state/area. You go K - 5th in one building/location of town for elementary. Then all those kids from all those various facilities go to ONE 6th - 8th center in another facility/location of town. Then all the 8th graders progress to the ONE highschool, which is for 9th - 12th for the entire district. So those 9th graders are the ONLY kids not dating, not driving, not being all grown up like. In some schools where the 12th grade graduating class alone is 900+, those 9th grader are basicly a few kids arounded by LOTS and LOTS of big kids and big kid pressures. kwim?

 

As I kid who went through such a system, I can say 9th grade was pure poo to get through. Runner up was 6th grade, which was the same scenario played on a younger scale.

[mcconnellboys]

Yes, that's being done in at least one high school in my town now. There are separate corridors/wings for freshmen so that they don't have to find their way all over the school while it's so new to them. It does also relieve some of the bullying, which seems to go on at all class change times in the halls and after school, etc. Most of the schools where I live have student bodies of about 2000.

[chiguirre]

I live in a district that borders Aldine (one of the districts mentioned). Our ISD got rid of the separate 9th grade buildings to have more high schools. It may be a fad that will turn around and then there will be great reasons to have the ninth graders mixed with upperclassmen (access to challenging classes, more extracurriculars, role models???)

 

In any case, 9th grade credits count toward graduation requirements and college admissions, so if you're planning on ps highschool you have to start in 9th grade anyway. If not, the school may or may not accept the 9th grade classes for credit and you may have to do summer school in order to graduate on time.

[FloridaLisa]

It's a 9th grade school within a school. I think I would actually like it though if I had kids in public school. But, then, I guess they'd have to mix in with the big group anyway. And, on second thought, I'm not sure segregating the 9th graders keeps them from much. It's all there.

 

Lisa

[Maverick]

This is so interesting--I had a completely different experience. I went to school in a town that had one elementary (K-6) one middle school (7 & 8) and one high school (9-12, about 450 kids total). I thought the transition to high school was a positive one. This is when grades really count on the permanent record, extracurriculuar activities such as sports and theater are available, etc. I mostly hung around with a group of 9th grade peers and we knew we weren't allowed to sit at the "senior" table at lunch :) but overall it was a positive experience.

 

In the area I live now we are an isolated valley with a river in the middle dividing into two school districts. On one side we have several elementaries feeding three 6-8 middle schools feeding one big (2500?) 9-12 high school. On the other there are several elementaries feeding a few 5-7 middle schools feeding one big 8-9 junior high and one 10-12 high school. Overall the school experiences of the kids I know are more positive at the 9-12 high school. I'm sure there are many contributing factors including the principals and teachers but from what I've heard the behavior at the 8-9 school is the worst in the area. I think asking 9th graders to act mature isn't unreasonable and they will live up to expectations, especially when it comes with additional privileges.

 

Very interesting article, Beth. I think the separation happens due to crowding more often than anything else, and I thought the last remark was especially telling--about how you don't want to have the same problems a year later by not providing support for 10th graders. Any time kids switch schools there is going to be a learning curve re: the procedures, not just the academics.

[Denise in NE]

I attended one of 3 (I think) 9th grade centers in Omaha NE back in 1976. This was, of course, due to forced busing in order to desegregate the schools, but the centers had some great benefits. For one, each center was divided into 3 teams or schools - each with its own sports teams, cheerleaders, etc... This provided more opportunities to participate! Also, each year everyone was the new student - no pressure- and there were loads of new people to meet. I know that forced busing ended in Omaha in 1996, but i don't think the 9th grade centers lasted that long - probably due to space issues.

 

Denise in NE

[Kareni]

You know you've become way TOO test conscious when you read the subject line of this thread and think that the AP stands for Advanced Placement!

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Michelle in MO]

high school consisted of 10th through 12th grades; junior high school was 7th through 9th grades. I actually thought that was easier----but I guess I haven't had personal experience with a 9th through 12th grade experience.

 

There is quite a difference between a 9th grader and a 12th grader, however.

[Holly IN]

I never had this problem back in my high school days. We had more of an issue with our own classmates in our grade level than we did with the upperclassmen. I guess it is a different era now...:confused:

 

Holly