MONROE - Some students at Monroe High School next fall will be able to take a fifth-year Spanish or German course and receive dual credits including college credits through the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh's Cooperative Academic Partnership Program.
German teachers Kristin Bansley and Sarah Bleicher as well as Spanish teacher Michelle Kister made a CAPP presentation Monday night, and the school board unanimously approved the plan to start with the 2013-14 school year.
The district started offering Spanish Level 1 classes to eighth graders at Monroe Middle School in 2009. Those students are now juniors at the high schools, and the World Language Department at the high school endorsed the CAPP program.
"We really felt the CAPP program would be a good fit for the district," said Bleicher, who plans to teach the CAPP German course. "We wanted to give students another opportunity for that fifth-year class."
Students in the top 25 percent of their class, or with a grade-point average of 3.25 or with an ACT score of 24 or higher are eligible to apply for the course. Kister said the course costs $635 and students can earn five to 16 college credits. Students that earn a B or A in the class can earn 16 college credits.
Dan Keyser, the district's director of curriculum and instruction, said the district will continue looking at dual credit options including the Partners in Education program through UW-Whitewater. Keyser supports the World Language Department's proposal and sees it as a win for the district.
"This is a phenomenal opportunity that aligns with what we are doing in Monroe," Keyser said. "We are increasing the rigor and relevance."
Students in the dual credit course at the high school will receive remote access to the library and computer labs at UW-Oshkosh and will receive college discounts. After completing the CAPP program, students will receive a transcript from UW-Oshkosh. Students that take the course next school year will receive a grade from the high school and UW-Oshkosh.
Monroe High School Principal Rick Waski said students don't have to take the CAPP course for college credits. He said students can take the course to prepare to take the advanced placement exam or college placement exams. Scholarships to UW-Oshkosh are also available to seniors who take and complete the CAPP course.
Board member Amy Bazley and others questioned whether the dual credits through CAPP can be transferred to other universities. UW-Oshkosh has a program advisor that students can work with if they are transferring to another school. Monroe School Board President Bob Erb cautioned students seeking to attend an out-of-state college.
"If you look at a school not in the UW system, you should do your homework and make sure these credits transfer," he said.
The CAPP program was one of the first nationally credited programs that started in 1975. Teachers of CAPP courses at the high school are required to have a master's degree and substantial knowledge and experience, and they may request up to a $300 stipend to help with professional development activities.
Another development, and one that could impact registration at the end of January, is the district's Student Recognition Committee's work to develop a weighted grading system. The committee has had three meetings and has approved 15 courses for weighted grade 0.5 and 1-point add-ons starting next fall. Waski said there are seven AP courses and eight other classes that will be weighted when the course offerings come out in January. In August, the board approved a switch from a standard grading scale to a weighted scale for this year's freshman class.
The committee, which includes parents, students, staff, board members and administrators, received 16 proposals and will determine how the district will handle if a course is submitted in subsequent years as well as with long-term management issues.
Waski said it was important to get the standards set of what constitutes a 0.5 and 1-point add-ons so they are ready for the registration book offerings and set for a meeting with parents and students in January.
Monroe School District Superintendent Cory Hirsbrunner has been pleased with the committee's work.
"I think the parents in the community and the students added a different perspective," she said. "I think we should do that more (committee with every stakeholder) before we have big decisions like this."
In other action, the board:
• Approved the resignation of substitute coordinator Julie Holmes and the resignation of Brenda Marr, a cook at the high school.
• Accepted $4,000 from the Monroe Booster Club for baseball poles and the pitching mound.
• Accepted the Monroe United Methodist Church's $1,000 in Wal-Mart gift card donations to the Monroe Kids' Fund.
• Accepted six used overbed tables for each building's health offices.
• Honored Adam Burns for his technology support with the wireless system conversion at the middle school and the iPad deployment for sixth graders.
• Approved the appointment of Thomas Porter and Cyle Berndt, a sophomore at the high school, as library board trustees.
• The board was updated on the high school's Costa Rican Exchange program. There are 17 Costa Rican students that will arrive in Monroe Dec. 27 and stay for about three weeks. A group of 20 high school students will also go to Costa Rica this summer. Students pay $1,100 to $1,600 that includes plane tickets, transportation insurance, overnight stay, airport tax, transportation to and from Chicago and a class fee. Students visit geographical sites in Costa Rica, attend a Costa Rican school to talk with classes, complete 12 hours of orientation classes and are required to keep a journal of their experiences.
• Received an AFS exchange program update from four students staying in Monroe and attending the high school.
German teachers Kristin Bansley and Sarah Bleicher as well as Spanish teacher Michelle Kister made a CAPP presentation Monday night, and the school board unanimously approved the plan to start with the 2013-14 school year.
The district started offering Spanish Level 1 classes to eighth graders at Monroe Middle School in 2009. Those students are now juniors at the high schools, and the World Language Department at the high school endorsed the CAPP program.
"We really felt the CAPP program would be a good fit for the district," said Bleicher, who plans to teach the CAPP German course. "We wanted to give students another opportunity for that fifth-year class."
Students in the top 25 percent of their class, or with a grade-point average of 3.25 or with an ACT score of 24 or higher are eligible to apply for the course. Kister said the course costs $635 and students can earn five to 16 college credits. Students that earn a B or A in the class can earn 16 college credits.
Dan Keyser, the district's director of curriculum and instruction, said the district will continue looking at dual credit options including the Partners in Education program through UW-Whitewater. Keyser supports the World Language Department's proposal and sees it as a win for the district.
"This is a phenomenal opportunity that aligns with what we are doing in Monroe," Keyser said. "We are increasing the rigor and relevance."
Students in the dual credit course at the high school will receive remote access to the library and computer labs at UW-Oshkosh and will receive college discounts. After completing the CAPP program, students will receive a transcript from UW-Oshkosh. Students that take the course next school year will receive a grade from the high school and UW-Oshkosh.
Monroe High School Principal Rick Waski said students don't have to take the CAPP course for college credits. He said students can take the course to prepare to take the advanced placement exam or college placement exams. Scholarships to UW-Oshkosh are also available to seniors who take and complete the CAPP course.
Board member Amy Bazley and others questioned whether the dual credits through CAPP can be transferred to other universities. UW-Oshkosh has a program advisor that students can work with if they are transferring to another school. Monroe School Board President Bob Erb cautioned students seeking to attend an out-of-state college.
"If you look at a school not in the UW system, you should do your homework and make sure these credits transfer," he said.
The CAPP program was one of the first nationally credited programs that started in 1975. Teachers of CAPP courses at the high school are required to have a master's degree and substantial knowledge and experience, and they may request up to a $300 stipend to help with professional development activities.
Another development, and one that could impact registration at the end of January, is the district's Student Recognition Committee's work to develop a weighted grading system. The committee has had three meetings and has approved 15 courses for weighted grade 0.5 and 1-point add-ons starting next fall. Waski said there are seven AP courses and eight other classes that will be weighted when the course offerings come out in January. In August, the board approved a switch from a standard grading scale to a weighted scale for this year's freshman class.
The committee, which includes parents, students, staff, board members and administrators, received 16 proposals and will determine how the district will handle if a course is submitted in subsequent years as well as with long-term management issues.
Waski said it was important to get the standards set of what constitutes a 0.5 and 1-point add-ons so they are ready for the registration book offerings and set for a meeting with parents and students in January.
Monroe School District Superintendent Cory Hirsbrunner has been pleased with the committee's work.
"I think the parents in the community and the students added a different perspective," she said. "I think we should do that more (committee with every stakeholder) before we have big decisions like this."
In other action, the board:
• Approved the resignation of substitute coordinator Julie Holmes and the resignation of Brenda Marr, a cook at the high school.
• Accepted $4,000 from the Monroe Booster Club for baseball poles and the pitching mound.
• Accepted the Monroe United Methodist Church's $1,000 in Wal-Mart gift card donations to the Monroe Kids' Fund.
• Accepted six used overbed tables for each building's health offices.
• Honored Adam Burns for his technology support with the wireless system conversion at the middle school and the iPad deployment for sixth graders.
• Approved the appointment of Thomas Porter and Cyle Berndt, a sophomore at the high school, as library board trustees.
• The board was updated on the high school's Costa Rican Exchange program. There are 17 Costa Rican students that will arrive in Monroe Dec. 27 and stay for about three weeks. A group of 20 high school students will also go to Costa Rica this summer. Students pay $1,100 to $1,600 that includes plane tickets, transportation insurance, overnight stay, airport tax, transportation to and from Chicago and a class fee. Students visit geographical sites in Costa Rica, attend a Costa Rican school to talk with classes, complete 12 hours of orientation classes and are required to keep a journal of their experiences.
• Received an AFS exchange program update from four students staying in Monroe and attending the high school.