It’s truly a new world in education. This week Anderson Community Schools invited students, parents, faculty and staff to fill out a questionnaire concerning what themes they would like to see available at individual schools.
Some of the choices included one dear to our heart, journalism and communications, along with character building, performing arts, dual language and many others. Parents are being asked whether they’d send their students to a school carrying these themes.
It looks as if lots of changes are coming to ACS. A couple of weeks ago, it was announced that the system is looking to close more elementaries and consolidate the high schools and middle schools. Now, these themes will offer intense study in certain areas beyond the traditional subjects of math, English, science and social studies.
As Micah Dean, assistant technology coordinator for ACS, said, “something new is coming and we wanted the community to be a part of this and wanted their input before we take any other steps.”
Such a thematic scheme for schools brings to mind the movie “Fame,” where students went to school, for singing, dancing and acting, especially since performing arts is one of the ACS themes mentioned. All schools are now in competition with each other. Since the state decided that students could attend any school they wanted and no tuition would be charged, schools have found themselves jockeying with each other to attract and maintain students. ACS itself has been hemorrhaging students this year and now feels it must offer something beyond the norm to keep students within its boundaries, which really don’t exist anymore.
This is a good idea in theory. In reality, however, such a nontraditional structure might find itself at odds with the ISTEP-driven curriculum and its emphasis on more fundamental subjects.
Still, the idea of themes should be pursued. It would certainly be attractive to a varied segment of students and could pull in students from outside Anderson. In fact, it would be safe to say that ACS is counting on that.
Niche schools can work, and at this time they seem to be relegated to charter schools, such as the academy in Anderson with its military theme. Since they can work, the public schools don’t want to be left out and are going to have to be creative in attracting students.
This can’t be an exercise in wishful thinking, however. If parents and students want these theme schools, ACS will have to deliver.
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