Innovating for the Future: December 4 Community Bulletin

BELLEVUE BIG PICTURE: INNOVATING FOR OUR FUTURE

Community Bulletin #6 – December 4, 2024

Below is an update on our innovation efforts! The Steering Committee has been designing possible changes to schedules, courses, and grading (“prototypes”) to support our identified priorities. Our first opportunity for parent input on the prototypes is December 14 after the PTSA Panther Market (1:15-2:15 PM at Bellevue Big Picture). See below for the link to sign up and for other dates! After gathering feedback in December and January, the steering committee will prepare a proposal for Superintendent Aramaki in February.

TIMELINE FOR FALL & WINTER

DESIGN PRIORITIES

The prototypes focus on these priorities:

1. Redesign the high school experience to increase personalized, interest-driven learning experiences on non-internship days, including a more student-driven approach to advisory.
2. Redesign the middle school experience to increase time in advisory, increase independent time to direct students’ own projects, increase learning experiences outside of classroom walls, and facilitate better connections between middle school and high school.

WHAT IS A PROTOTYPE?

• Prototypes provide concrete examples of changes that meet the design priorities, as a basis for community feedback.
• The final proposed design may combine different prototypes and additional design ideas (i.e., prototypes are examples, but not meant to be “the only choices”).

OUTREACH PLAN & FOCUS GROUP SIGN-UP

In December, we will gather feedback from school staff, students, and families. To sign up for a community-wide focus group on Dec 14 or 17, please click here! Additional focus groups will be targeted to specific areas or populations (for example - Special Education families). In late January, we are planning an all-community event to gather additional input on revised designs.

OVERARCHING GOALS

Our goals are to more deeply implement the Big Picture distinguishers in order to better serve students, especially those most marginalized, and make our school design more sustainable for teachers and staff. Our focus is on increasing equitable, interest-driven, personalized student learning.

OVERALL TIMELINE

We aim to propose an updated design in winter 2025. Phase 1 implementation will begin in fall 2025. Depending on what the proposed changes entail, implementation may be phased in over multiple years or grade levels.

THE BIG PICTURE DISTINGUISHERS

Questions? Contact Bethany Spinler at spinlerb@bsd405.org