Valley View District 365U to Discuss Math Curriculum for Middle School Students

           Most Valley View School District 365U seventh and eighth graders will be required to take algebra if the Board of Education approves a proposal presented to them Tuesday night.
          "We've been doing a lot of talking about increasing rigor," said Assistant Superintendent Faith Dahlquist, pointing out that moving algebra into the middle schools is a natural extension of changes made this year in the math program at the high school level.
          The proposal, which will be considered at the Dec. 13 Board of Education meeting, would require next year's 7th graders to take what is now considered first semester high school algebra. A year later, 8th graders will begin taking what is now considered second semester high school algebra.
          "This way, the high school math entry level for most freshmen will be geometry," Dahlquist said.
          Brooks Middle School has been piloting a middle school algebra project that Assistant Principal Jane Ellingsworth feels has been a great success.
          "The students are very excited that they're not doing the same old, same old," Ellingsworth told the school board. "Seventh grade is a great time to start. The sooner we start it, the better off our students will be."
          The proposal calls for the purchase of 700 algebra books ($49,000) next year to be used to supplement the 700 high school algebra books the district already owns. In addition teacher training as well as testing and training development will cost just over $19,000 and the district will have to buy $36,000 worth of graphing calculators. Dahlquist said some of the training and the calculator purchases may be covered through grants.
          "This is the kind of creative, innovative thinking we need," board member Richard Gougis said.