Changes for 2009-10.

During the past three years, many Bethany stakeholders participated in Validating the Vision, a thorough self-study and assessment of Bethany’s programs and activities. This work culminated in a five-year action plan for improvement in programming, professional development, finances, and church and community relations. During the 2008-09 school year, Bethany’s administration, faculty, and board focused particularly on the first priority and are ready to implement some major program innovations in 2009-10 to enhance students’ engagement and learning and equip them with skills to succeed in college and work in the 21st century.

(Download a detailed 34-page report in pdf format: Academic Program Plans for 2009-10.)

Mentor Program

A close community with strong teacher-student relationships has long been a distinctive value at Bethany. Building on that strength, a new mentoring program will pair each student with a faculty member for guidance and support needed to navigate middle and high school successfully.

Mentor-mentee pairs will meet bi-weekly during a scheduled time slot in the school day. The primary focus will be for faculty to provide academic support in helping students set goals, monitor and encourage progress, and guide students in exploring curricular and co-curricular opportunities that fit with their interests and skills. NWEA tests and KUDER career planning materials will aid this process.

Addtionally, mentors can be good listeners and friends, assist in problem solving, and provide an honest perspective on life, dreams, and personal gifts. Through these relationships, students can grow in their academic responsibility and spiritual, social, and emotional development. A distinct bond between student and mentor should develop as a result of this individualized attention.

Technology Scope-and-Sequence

To equip students with technology skills for the 21st century, Bethany, in conjunction with college professors, has identified skills  students should master by the end of high school—from basic word processing skills to appropriate internet use and personal information management.

Technology skills will not be separated from the rest of the curriculum, but will be integrated into all courses with a focus on experiential learning. Bethany has identified specific grade levels and courses for each skill and measurable standards to assess learning. For example, students will learn digital mapping in conjunction with middle school social studies.

Music Program Revised

A revamped music program will offer greater choice for students, equal opportunity for vocal and instrumental music, and new course offerings.

Grade 6 students will continue to take an introductory music course, while students in grades 7-9 can fulfill their music requirement by taking either vocal or instrumental music. Although music courses are optional for students in grades 10-12, they may continue to participate in instrumental music or audition for Advanced Chorus or the new Musical Theater course. Interested students may participate in both vocal and instrumental courses (easier in a new nine-period timetable).

Students will continue to have the opportunity to participate in large music festivals and small ensembles and to share their gifts in school, church, and community venues.

J-term

Over the past three decades, Interterm—one-week experiential-learning courses—has been a highlight for many high school students. Now it is getting even better! Middle school students will participate for the first time, and with the expansion and placement of these courses into the first two weeks of January, the new format will be called J-term.

With more than 70 hours of class time, J-term courses will qualify for 1 credit. This allows students the option of taking a required course to provide more flexibility during the other two semesters, or to enrich their course of study by choosing innovative elective courses in areas of special interest.

During the first week all classes will take place on campus 8:00-3:30. To broaden the opportunities available, high school courses may travel off-campus (and overnight) during the second week of January, or during the summer. Seniors will explore career interests through job shadowing during the first week of J-term and spend the second week on a class trip.

Senior Job Shadowing

Over the last several years senior Bible students have spent one day shadowing an adult on their job to gain insight into career interests as they prepare to enter the work force or consider college studies. While this has been helpful, many have desired a longer time to more meaningfully engage and explore prospective vocations. Incorporating job-shadowing, along with senior trip, into J-term will provide a natural capstone activity for seniors with age-appropriate experiential learning. While many will choose to job shadow locally, some may choose to do so elsewhere. Students will have specific objectives and requirements and can earn .5 credit.

AP and Dual-Credit Courses

To provide gifted students more challenging learning opportunities, better equip students to excel in college, and provide opportunity for students to shorten their time in college, Bethany is increasing its advanced placement offerings and planning to offer some courses in which students can earn dual high school/college credit.

Bethany currently offers AP Calculus, will again offer AP English (following a one-year absence), and is exploring other AP offerings for fall 2010. Colleges use end-of-course tests in advanced placement courses to determine college credit. Bethany is also in conversation with Mennonite colleges regarding dual-credit courses.

Middle School Program of Studies

To enhance students’ learning and better integrate technology into classes at each middle school grade level, Bethany is implementing an interdisciplinary approach to instruction. Enrichment courses, instead of being self-contained, will be integrated into existing core courses. For example, World Languages will be incorporated into social studies and health will be taught in conjunction with phys ed and science.

Timetable

Some of these changes have also made it easier to design a new timetable in which the middle and high school will run on the same daily schedule. This will provide better access to computer labs and other shared facilities, eliminate conflicts for teachers with classes in both middle and high school, incorporate music classes inside the regular school day (previously orchestra met after school), and provide a consistent ending time each day. Most classes will still operate on a modified block schedule (meet four times per week), though a few classes will meet every day.