BY JESSICA STEELEY
Clarkston News Staff Writer

Like “library” before it, “media center” may soon be history, to be replaced by “learning commons” and “learning labs.” The change is one of several curriculum proposals presented to Clarkston Board of Education, May 8.
The newly named centers would help improve educational technology curriculum at the elementary level, focused on building technology skills for students, said presenter Nancy Mahoney.
The labs would be more collaborative and innovative, staffed with instructional technologists, and media specialists and techs. Students would work on digital citizenship, digital literacy, tech readiness, library skills and researching skills, Mahoney said.
Another curriculum proposal was for students between the ages of 20 to 22 at Renaissance High School (RHS), who have extreme barriers to education, such as dropouts. There are currently four people enrolled in the adult education program at RHS, and Principal Christa Fons hopes to expand the program.
It provides online classes, flexibility in scheduling and modifies graduation requirements to the Michigan Merit Curriculum, which would allow students with 18 credits to graduate, as opposed to the 22 required for regular Clarkston graduates.
Fons has already interviewed more students for the program. One program aspect is to educate the older students separately from current high school students, so they’re not intermingled in a classroom.
Deputy Superintendent Shawn Ryan updated the board on Clarkston Schools’ Stars and Stripes Program. He wants to try out the program for fourth and fifth graders by pairing with Andersonville Elementary. The program is currently open to sixth through 12th graders.
Ryan said the program is for serious athletes. Students who join in fourth and fifth grade already spend 16 hours a week on gymnastics.
The program will allow them to get out of school 45 minutes earlier four days a week to join their older teammates at Stars and Stripes.
Joining the program will give them the same advantages of getting home from practice earlier, thus having more time for other activities, such as homework. They would miss their specials class by leaving school earlier.