Stock Defends 5th and 6th Grade Schools

Laramie County School District#1 Superintendent Mark Stock says people who assume an extra transition to 5th and 6th grade schools will hurt learning are missing a key point.

In general, extra school transitions are not good academically, it's only true when a student must transition by themselves to a whole new social setting. Stock says while being "the new kid in school" can be a disruption, when an entire class and group of students make that transition together, the effect is not the same.

A good local example is Deming-Miller School, which already has an extra transition but also logs some of the highest test scores in the district.

The plan for two 5th and 6th grade schools in each District #1 triad is part of an attempt to ease overcrowding and also create a smoother transition between elementary school and junior high school.