New Students - FAQ
Questions Most Often Asked About Middle School
1) Question: What is "Teaming" and the middle school concept?
Answer: Students are assigned to interdisciplinary teams of teachers who teach the following subjects: reading, math, science, social studies, and language arts. Groups of teachers share the same students and same schedule. Teachers on the team, because they share the same students, are able to pool their talent and knowledge to help each student develop to their best ability. Teachers and the counselors meet weekly to monitor each student's academic, social, emotional and physical progress.
2) Question: How are students assigned to teams?
Answer: Students are randomly assigned to teams. Students are divided equally by gender, feeder elementary school, band or/ or chorus selections, special programs, and abilities.
3) Question: May I request that my son or daughter be placed on a particular team?
Answer: Unfortunately, it is not possible to accept special requests for certain teachers or teams. All teams at Parkview Middle School are composed of outstanding teachers. Each team differs from the next because the personalities and styles of each team teacher vary. The same curricular objectives are taught by teams in the same grade level; however, the method of instruction, sequence of units, or projects may vary.
There are many school activities that allow students from the different teams to participate together. Friends are given the chance to meet before and after school, chat during lunch, and maybe see friends between classes.
4) Question: How much homework is assigned to students?
Answer: Although it varies depending on the type of classroom instruction being used to teach a particular concept, a good rule of thumb is approximately 30 minutes of homework per night. There will almost always be math homework. Language arts, reading, social studies, and science homework fluctuates depending on the current area of study.
5) Question: If my child needs enrichment or remediation in a certain subject but does not qualify for special education, what can be done?
Answer: Talk to your child's team or the specific subject area teacher first. There are many ways to enrich or remediate within the regular classroom setting. Our learning center and special education programs have time set aside for consulting with classroom teachers on a regular basis.
6) Question: What is Advisory?
Answer: Our staff recognizes that receiving assistance from adults is critically important for the intellectual and personal development of early adolescents as they make to transition from childhood to adulthood. The key element of advisory is to assure that each student is known well by at least one adult in the school to whom he or she may turn for assistance.
7) Question: If I sense that my child is having a problem adjusting to middle school, whom can I call for help?
Answer: If the concern is about a class, contact the child's team teachers. Often a parent-teacher conference will result in some good communication about the concern and ideas to help improve the situation. Guidance counselors, administrators, and exploratory teachers are happy to attend these conferences and add their perspective. When issues have social/emotional components, the guidance counselors are available to share ideas and other resources to help the students.
8) Question: When will students get their schedules and tour the Parkview building?
Answer: All students will be assigned to teams and scheduled into classes during the late spring and summer months. Next year's schedules will be distributed during our scheduled pick-up days in August. Parents will receive a summer mailing with information regarding registration, school fees, lunch accounts, etc.
9) Question: How do students new to the Ankeny School District register?
Answer: Students new to Ankeny schools may register at the Ankeny Schools' Administrative Office located at 306 SW School Street.