HUNTER HIGH
9TH GRADE
RECONFIGURATION
PROCESS SUMMARY
FROM THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY COUNCILS OF
KENNEDY JUNIOR HIGH, HUNTER JUNIOR HIGH,
AND HUNTER HIGH
THE PROCESS
Activity
Community interest and letter to district
administration expressing interest
Public town-hall informational meeting
Community input and survey
Date
April, 2013
October 8, 2013
March 3 –
April 10, 2014
Letter to district administration to
recommend the change
April 23, 2014
Presentation to the Board of Education
May 6, 2014
A REPORT ON THE HUNTER
NETWORK SCHOOL
COMMUNITY COUNCILS
School Community Councils for Kennedy Junior High, Hunter
Junior High and Hunter High
•  100% support from the Kennedy Junior High Council
•  83% (1 abstained) support from the Hunter Junior High Council
•  100% support from the Hunter High Council
Administration
•  All three are in support of the move
A REPORT ON HUNTER NETWORK
INPUT FROM STAFF, STUDENTS,
AND PARENTS
Survey
•  Survey given via computer to Parents, Students and
Teachers March 3 – April 10, 2014
•  Open for over a month: 479 respondents
How the survey was advertised
•  Links to the survey were posted on school websites
•  Phone calls were made to all Kennedy Junior High,
Hunter Junior High, and Hunter High homes
•  Postcards were sent to all Hunter Network homes
•  The survey was advertised on school marquees
ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF MOVING THE
9TH GRADE FROM KENNEDY JUNIOR
AND HUNTER JUNIOR TO HUNTER
HIGH?
Response
Percent
Response Count
YES 58.6% 279 NO 35.0% 162 I need more informa<on 6.4% 38 Answer Options
answered question
ALL RESPONDENTS
479
DO PARENTS AGREE WITH
MOVING 9TH GRADE TO HUNTER
HIGH?
Percent
Yes
No
Need More Information
0
20
40
60
80
DO THE TEACHERS AGREE WITH
MOVING 9TH GRADE TO HUNTER HIGH?
Yes
No
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
DO THE STUDENTS AGREE WITH
MOVING 9TH GRADE TO HUNTER HIGH?
Yes
No
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
THE RESPONDENTS
I am a
Answer Options
Parent Student Teacher/Staff member Community member Response Percent
Response
Count
70.9% 339 7.5% 36 15.7% 76 5.9% 28 answered question
479
MY CHILDREN ARE IN…
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
MOST COMMONLY VOICED CONCERN BY
THOSE WHO WERE OPPOSED TO THIS
PROPOSAL OR NEEDED MORE INFORMATION
Does Hunter High School have enough room to house the 9th grade?
•  Currently there are 6 relocatable classrooms at Hunter Junior High and 4 relocatable
classrooms at Kennedy Junior High.
•  Hunter currently has 2 relocatable classrooms that are being under utilized.
•  Twelve relocatable classrooms would be available for 12 additional teachers.
•  There are 4 - 5 rooms within the building that could be converted back into traditional
classrooms.
•  With 17 available classrooms for teachers funded at rate of 28.25 = 480.25 students.
•  This year Hunter High’s enrollment was approximately 2150.
•  Next year we are projected to be around 2050, down 100 students.
•  In the 2015-16 school year our enrollment 10-12 grades should be around 1950. A
decline in enrollment of approximately 200 students equates to 7 teachers.
•  Seven additional classrooms, due to a decline in enrollment, plus an additional 17
classrooms would give us 24 classrooms. (24 x 28.25 = 678 students)
•  During the 2015-16 school year we are projected to receive 356 students from
Kennedy Junior and 343 students from Hunter Junior for a total of 699 9th graders.
OTHER CONCERNS..
Is there room for additional relocatable classrooms at Hunter High?
Yes!
There is room in the west parking lot.
Double!Relo!
11!
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12!
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8!
3!
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9!
4!
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10!
Student!Parking!Lot!
6!
1!
7!
2!
Main!Entrance!
West!Side!of!Building!
Tennis!
Courts!
5!
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Restrooms!
OTHER CONCERNS..
Will my 9th grade student be in a relocatable classroom all day?
•  As mentioned previously there are 10 relocatable classrooms currently
housed at the junior highs.
•  We feel that this is all that will be needed at the Hunter High campus.
•  We DO NOT plan to make the relocatable classrooms into the 9th grade
academy.
•  We plan to house the 9th grade academy in the main building.
•  A 9th grade student may have the same chances of having a class
housed in a relocatable classroom at the High School as he/she had at
the Junior Highs.
2ND MOST COMMONLY VOICED CONCERN BY
THOSE WHO WERE OPPOSED TO THIS
PROPOSAL OR NEEDED MORE INFORMATION
Are the 9th graders mature enough to be housed at the High School?
“Freshmen online to graduate has risen from last year’s junior high data of 71.4%
to 80% this year at Granger High School.”
“To date the average GPAs of this year’s 9th graders is higher than demonstrated
at their home schools as 8th graders.”
“There have been 80% fewer suspensions of 9th graders this year.”
“Freshmen rarely receive office referrals from mixed grade classes. The bar is
raised by the older students.”
“Students are exposed to the expectation, language and protocol focused on high
school graduation and College and Career Readiness their entire freshmen year.”
COMMENTS
“I have 3 daughters and my position initially was to keep 9th grade in the Jr. High
because I don't want my daughters to be dating older, more mature boys at a
younger age. However, after speaking to a very dedicated high school teacher, I
realized the increased academic potential. I will teach my daughters how to have
appropriate relationships at home.”
“I think this really needs to happen my kids were robbed of the chance to go to GTI
in 9th grade! They really wanted to go and I think it would be a great chance for the
kids in the coming years!”
“As a parent it would be very beneficial for me to have my student in the high school
system since, all their grades are now being considered for graduation.”
“This is a great idea!”
“Thank you for considering this. I greatly approve of 9th grade students being in a
high school environment.”
COMMENTS
“I am highly in favor of the move because my 9th grade students
truly don't believe they are in High School and don't understand
the importance of their 9th grade year.”
“One thought is that I feel it would help the 9th graders feel more
a part of/connected to Hunter High School and be easier for them
to see that 9th grade grades do affect their readiness for college
since it is a part of high school.”
“Please approve this change. My 10th grade student would have
greatly benefitted from being at the high school in 9th grade. She
participated in sports and math at the high school that year. It was
difficult to transport her, sometimes twice each day, and she
missed regular class time at Hunter Jr to do so. Other students
would have liked to participate, but did not have the necessary
transportation during the school day to make it possible.“”
WHY DO THIS?
The Pros out weigh the Cons
“There is greater opportunity for students to take upper level classes, a
greater variety of elective classes, more involvement in athletics at a
higher level of play, more opportunity for active leadership roles, plus
greater and easier access to the Career Center and GTI. Accessing the
GTI is easier since all 9th graders are on the same block schedule at
Granger High School.”
Interventions and remediation (MTSS) “can be started immediately and is
ongoing throughout the school year. As soon as students need help they
can get it!”
SUMMARY
•  Any questions or requests for more information have been
addressed throughout the survey period
•  The community has expressed significant support for the
change
•  The community councils of Kennedy Junior, Hunter
Junior, and Hunter High, are in favor of the reconfiguration
•  Our PTSAs have also voiced support for this proposal
QUESTIONS?