New superintendent proposes a hybrid classroom/independent study curriculum for remote campus’s middle-school aged students

ATASCADERO — In his second regular meeting as the Atascadero Unified School District superintendent on Tuesday, Aug. 19, Dr. Tom Bennett tackled the issue of Carissa Plains Elementary School, the most remote campus in the district.

In doing so, the superintendent introduced a new format for the board, devoting parts of the meeting to discussing certain topics in a round-table format. Bennett told the audience that while the meetings on the first Tuesday of the month would deal with mainly business items, with the meeting conducted from the usual spots on the meeting room’s dais, the meetings on the third Thursday of the month, like this one, would be more focused on study sessions and discussions on different topics.

Those sessions would be conducted with board and staff members seated in the middle of the room at tables making a square. Bennett said he felt discussing some items in this matter would promote transparency to the public for these sessions.

For the first topic in this format, Bennett and the board discussed the situation at Carissa Plains Elementary School (CPES). CPES is the most remote campus in AUSD, located 45 miles east of Atascadero proper. It is currently a K-5 campus, but parents and staff members from the campus have expressed a desire for the campus to hire a middle-school-level teacher and expand to a K-8 school, citing the long commute middle-school-aged students have to take and the time away from home.

Board members have expressed sympathy over the difficulties of Carissa Plains students and parents, but have said budget issues and staff shortages have prevented CPES from becoming a K-8 campus.

Bennett said that the first topic for the discussion was an appropriate one.

“With this format, I wanted to talk about subject with an ongoing concern with community and an important one to have conversation about,” he said. “When I first started, this was one of those issues: How can we support our families living in Carissa Plains?”

Bennett said he and his staff, along with CPES Principal Josh Aston, drove to Carissa Plains to meet with students, faculty, and parents on July 31. Bennett said he took away from the meeting, the school “has a warm community and school. They were very kind and gracious people, and they served us great food and everyone had a good time.”

Bennett and his staff, along with CPES Principal Josh Aston, visited the campus on July 31. He heard the parents’ concerns about becoming a K-8 school and the commute the sixth- to eighth-grade students have to take. However, Bennett felt expanding the campus was not an option at this point, citing the expanded curriculum at the middle-school level and the fact the district is currently operating at a deficit.

Instead, Bennett proposed a modification of the district’s independent study program, ACE, to work with the CPES curriculum for any sixth- through eighth-graders who would like to take part.

Bennett referred to the concept as a “Satellite Learning Lab.” Under the plan, the students would come to campus for core subjects, and then, after lunch, would be picked up by parents or other supervising adults at 12:45 p.m. to pursue their elective subjects. Support would need to come from the current CPES staff for financial reasons, electives would need to be developed and arranged outside the classroom, and the recess and lunch periods would be opportunities for socialization and physical activity.

“Having visited Carissa Plains, I see the struggles they have, but they have warm, loving people and great kids,” Bennett said. “What we’re looking for is a partnership to work within a financial and school structure and meet state requirements.”

During the subsequent discussion, board members had concerns about current staff and teachers being required to be support staff for independent study students.

“If current teachers are a support for these students, I just wonder if there’s a situation where the teacher is conducting her class, and then has to deal with something from the ACE student and take away from other kids in her class,” said Trustee Rebeka Koznek.

Other concerns voiced by trustees included the added responsibility of parents for picking up their kids after lunch and participating in their instruction, as well as the mixing of higher grades with lower grades, and the teachers’ responsibilities in that situation. Bennett replied that this program is optional, and students would have to apply and be accepted, and those who understand the added responsibilities.

“This will be considered a partnership,” he said.

Ultimately, the board was of the consensus that there was not enough solid information to go forward with the program immediately, but would like to get more info for consideration. A motion was made to direct Bennett and staff to look further into the proposal and bring it back at a future meeting. Motion passes unanimously.

The AUSD board will meet next on Tuesday, Sept. 8. Closed session starts at 6 p.m., and open session at 7 p.m.