Schools

"Pathways" Designed to Give O'Donnell Middle School Students a More Well-Rounded Education

Enrichment-style classes in core subjects will be offered in place of structured learning this upcoming school year at the OMS.

This September students at the will have the chance to take a CPR training course, learn about world cultures and even take a class in managing money.

It is all part of a schedule change for this upcoming school year at the which will replace structured learning, which is essentially a study hall, with “Pathways,” which will offer students enrichment-based learning in core subjects like math, science, English, history, foreign language and physical education/health.

Students who are in band and chorus, or are in an academic lab, will still be able to partake in those activities, as traditionally scheduled.

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Examples of possible Pathway courses include managing money (math); ring of fire (science); web design (computers); poetry around the world (English); geography of the United States (history); world cultures (foreign language); cardio health (PE/health); and CPR training (PE/Health).

An additional Pathway is designated for students in band and chorus or in academic lab.

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Those students not in band, chorus or academic lab will take one Pathway class per term, for a total of four per school year.  Students will be assigned to these Pathway classes.

These classes will be graded, OMS Principal Wayne Hester said, but are not designed to replace traditional math, science, English or history classes—6th, 7th and 8th graders will still be taking classes in these core subjects.

These Pathway courses will take place during F-Hour (second to last period) for 7th and 8th graders and during G-Hour (last period) for 6th graders, in place of structured learning. They will be taught by current OMS faculty.

The addition of Pathway courses drew praise from the School Committee and from the Superintendent of Schools at a July School Committee meeting.

“With the addition of Pathways, you will be hard-pressed to find these quality of [academic] options at any school,” Superintendent of Public Schools Dr. Marguerite Rizzi said.

“Students will benefit incredibly from this,” Tom Colburn, the vice-chair of the School Committee added. “It’s a more well-rounded education [and students will] be better prepared for high school.”

Take a look at an example of a Pathway schedule in the media gallery above.


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