MONROE - The Monroe School Board grappled with a decision of whether to spend $1,400 to fund a virtual school student's youth option request to take a music theory class at Berklee College of Music in Boston.
The board voted 5-2 Monday night to reject the request from a junior from the Monroe Virtual School to take Music Theory 101 at Berklee College. Youth option requests have been available for students to take courses a school doesn't offer and the district pays their tuition. Monroe School District Superintendent Cory Hirsbrunner said the virtual school offers an equivalent course, but the music class at Berklee is more rigorous. This came on the heels of the board listening to about a one-hour presentation on model schools that teachers and administrators attended last summer in Orlando, Fla.
The model school presentation focused on teaching students in more creative ways through technology and offering more rigor, building more engagement and worldwide relevance in courses.
"We have talked all night about rigor and we want to deny someone a more rigorous course," board member Michael Boehme said. "I think this is good for the community as a whole to have someone who can take a rigorous course and be a star student. If it was a football player going to the NFL, I think we would have a different response to this."
The course would be a dual-credit class and the student would receive high school and college credits. Board member Amy Bazley opposes the district paying for a special rigorous course if a similar one is offered. The district is planning to review its youth option request policy.
"I don't think it's our responsibility to make sure students can take more rigorous courses in college when they are at the virtual school," Bazley said. "As soon as we let parents shop around for the more rigorous college courses, I don't know if we are doing a good job of offering this to other students. I have a hard time if it is for one and not all. That's $1,400 we could use on something else. How many iPads can $1,400 buy."
Monroe Alternative Charter School Assistant Principal Melissa Wiegel said the student who made the request plans to build their career in music.
"I think we need to look at the rigor and the relevance of each (request) that is brought forward," Wiegel said.
Monroe Business Manager Ron Olson said the student's family has 30 days to appeal the decision to the state superintendent.
Board member Brian Keith said since he has been on the board, youth option requests were for students who wanted to take classes the district didn't offer. The board also denied a request for a student to take a Japanese class at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
"This is a huge issue," Keith said. "I think there is a lot of discussion that needs to happen before we approve this."
The board voted 5-2 Monday night to reject the request from a junior from the Monroe Virtual School to take Music Theory 101 at Berklee College. Youth option requests have been available for students to take courses a school doesn't offer and the district pays their tuition. Monroe School District Superintendent Cory Hirsbrunner said the virtual school offers an equivalent course, but the music class at Berklee is more rigorous. This came on the heels of the board listening to about a one-hour presentation on model schools that teachers and administrators attended last summer in Orlando, Fla.
The model school presentation focused on teaching students in more creative ways through technology and offering more rigor, building more engagement and worldwide relevance in courses.
"We have talked all night about rigor and we want to deny someone a more rigorous course," board member Michael Boehme said. "I think this is good for the community as a whole to have someone who can take a rigorous course and be a star student. If it was a football player going to the NFL, I think we would have a different response to this."
The course would be a dual-credit class and the student would receive high school and college credits. Board member Amy Bazley opposes the district paying for a special rigorous course if a similar one is offered. The district is planning to review its youth option request policy.
"I don't think it's our responsibility to make sure students can take more rigorous courses in college when they are at the virtual school," Bazley said. "As soon as we let parents shop around for the more rigorous college courses, I don't know if we are doing a good job of offering this to other students. I have a hard time if it is for one and not all. That's $1,400 we could use on something else. How many iPads can $1,400 buy."
Monroe Alternative Charter School Assistant Principal Melissa Wiegel said the student who made the request plans to build their career in music.
"I think we need to look at the rigor and the relevance of each (request) that is brought forward," Wiegel said.
Monroe Business Manager Ron Olson said the student's family has 30 days to appeal the decision to the state superintendent.
Board member Brian Keith said since he has been on the board, youth option requests were for students who wanted to take classes the district didn't offer. The board also denied a request for a student to take a Japanese class at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
"This is a huge issue," Keith said. "I think there is a lot of discussion that needs to happen before we approve this."