Q&A: 7th-8th Grade Building Transition

Will the middle school students have recess?
The 7/8 students will still have recess. There is a nice, grassy area behind gymnasium which will be perfect for outside recess. The goal is to provide picnic tables, soccer nets, and a sand volleyball court. Over time, we would like to further develop this area to potentially include basketball hoops. Students will go outside in nice weather and be in the gym for recess during inclement weather.

What measures have been taken to assure parents that there will not be any bullying?
The teachers and administration have gone to great lengths to ensure safety of all our students. The majority of 7/8 classes will be on the first floor of the academic wing. All 7-12 teachers will be expected to be out in the halls during passing time. As we begin the year,
there will be a separate area in the morning for 7/8th grade students to wait for the first bell to ring. As always, Charlevoix Public Schools have a no tolerance policy for bullying. Situations that the administration is made aware of are dealt with immediately and effectively with the proper consequences.

How will busing and transportation work?
As of now, bus routes will be very similar next year, if not the same. There will still be a bus that drops students off at the middle school after school for athletic practices and/or events.

Will there be a reduction in extra-curricular opportunities?
All field trips, class activities, and athletic offerings will remain the same. There will be some new opportunities to join school clubs and activities that are currently offered to high school students (example: performing arts, future problem solvers, quiz bowl etc.).

Where will the middle school lockers be located?
All 7/8th grade lockers will be in the downstairs of the academic wing. Passing time between classes will be 5 minutes with the entire student body passing at the same time.

What will the lunch schedule look like?
There will be two lunches at the new building. The 7th/8th and half of 9th students will have lunch together. The rest of the 9th graders and 10th – 12th graders will have lunch together. Students are allowed 35 minutes for lunch.

What are the class sizes?
Class sizes will be a bit larger next year than this past year. Currently we have 7/8th grade divided into 4 sections each; next year they will be condensed into 3 sections each.

Will my classes change?
Most of the course offerings will remain the same, but we will be infusing more common core state standards. All students will have art, physical education and computers as main electives. However, additional electives will be offered in Spanish, Health, Robotics and Journalism to give students more variety in courses. In addition, we are working towards 8th graders being able to earn high school credit in various courses. This will allow students to take more elective courses and college credit opportunities during their 9th through 12th grade years.