As members of the Superintendent’s Advisory Council and students representing each high school throughout Indianapolis Public Schools, we have the opportunity to share our thoughts and perspectives with Dr. Ferebee on important topics in the district. Over a year ago, we learned of the plan to remove middle school students from IPS high schools. For many years, IPS has had combined middle and high schools where students as young as 6th or 7th grade were educated in the same buildings as high school students. We supported the decision to separate middle grades from high schools and believe that this change will be better for the development and learning of both middle and high school kids. However, this change revealed a significant challenge with the utilization of IPS high school buildings.
As students attending schools with low utilization rates, we understand why the district is recommending closing high schools. None of us wants our school to close, but we all support the idea that more efficient use of facilities could improve academic and extracurricular offerings for all IPS students.
Dr. Ferebee asked us for our perspective on what we would want to see in the schools that remain open and how IPS can best support students during the transition to four high schools. Here are our thoughts:
First, we shared the four remaining buildings would need to be excellent facilities. IPS campuses and buildings feel old and seem to offer fewer amenities than township schools that we have visited. By operating only four buildings, we want to see IPS invest more into each building, creating better learning environments, athletic facilities, visual and performing arts spaces and other after-school options.
Second, each school should add more programs, both academic and extracurricular. We believe that adding new AP classes, elective courses and career-themed programs at all schools could provide a range of options to challenge and interest each student in every school. Larger student bodies would mean more athletes in each school to encourage healthy competition, foster growth in athletic abilities and allow IPS to have more competitive teams in more sports than we do now. Not only would a greater number of students improve IPS athletics, it would also allow the district to increase the number and variety of non-athletic extracurricular programs for students. As of now, only certain schools offer programs like speech and debate, model UN, mock trial and STEM competition teams. We want to see all four IPS high schools offer a wide variety of athletic and other after-school options that engage students with different talents.
In terms of supporting students during the transition, we think it is very important for IPS to ensure that all four high schools will offer choice options. We’ve experienced a situation of “haves and have-nots,” where magnet and choice schools have a different reputation than “boundary” schools. We understand that every student will need an assigned school if they don’t choose, but we want to see every school have choice students as well as all schools serving students who don’t make a choice. Creating a level playing field for all schools and providing all students opportunities to choose will help smooth a difficult transition.
Lastly, we think it is very important for IPS to continue to listen to students. We would like to see student leaders play a role in planning transitions and making decisions for the four high schools. Students have the best perspective on the day-to-day reality inside of schools and can provide adult decision makers with important advice.
We appreciate the opportunity to share our thinking with Dr. Ferebee and encourage IPS leaders to continue asking students for guidance throughout this process.
Signed,
Andres Calvillo, Broad Ripple High School
Jennifer Cruz, George Washington High School
Curtez Hudgins, Arlington High School
Kayla Hawthorne, Crispus Attucks High School
Hunter Menser, Shortridge High School
Kiara Morris, Arsenal Technical High School
Brandy Taylor, John Marshall High School
Alexander Terrell, Northwest High School
