Orientation for ninth-graders entering Allentown high schools next year will be much more extensive, as part of an attempt by the school district to ease the transition from middle schools.
A group of ninth-graders this year expressed concern to the Allentown School Board about problems in adjusting in the larger schools, asking for a return to a junior high school system. The board pondered a return to junior highs from a middle school setup but opted instead to initiate a program to help ninth-graders adjust.
The administration gave its recommendations for a more intensive orientation to school directors last night during the board's Education Committee meeting.
In addition to attending the regular orientation day before the first day of school, ninth-graders and their parents will meet with teachers and administrators in Allen and Dieruff High schools during July and August. The students will be familiarized with the schools' operations and rules, said Robert Klova, director of the middle and high schools.
High school handbooks will also be mailed earlier in the summer to new students, Klova said.
Several eighth-graders have already made trips to the high schools this spring to familiarize themselves with the schools. Klova said teachers have become much more aware of the transition problems and will focus their efforts on helping the new students.
Cynthia Knauer, the parent of a student, said she feels more can be done to help the new students. She suggested the district set up a program in which ninth-graders have an upperclassman "buddy" who could help them learn about the high school.
Klova said he would be interested in initiating such a program.
Dr. James Hirsh, a school board member, said the administration's initiative should only be the beginning of what should be done for the ninth- graders. "The board will be take a broad-based look at this," Hirsh said.
The Education Committee voted in April to establish a committee to study the problem of ninth-grade transition, but no committee has yet been formed.
In other business, the committee agreed to consider a request from the Cities in Schools program for $5,000.
The program, in which businesses and industries help bring community and social agencies into the schools, has operated in Allentown for three years free of charge. The money for the program has come from the businesses and industries.
This year, however, program officials asked the district for $5,000 so it could be eligible to receive $5,000 from the United Way. The United Way said it would donate $5,000 to the program if the district matched the contribution.
The committee recommended that the full board consider appropriating the money with contract stipulations. One of those stipulations would be that a representative of the school district serve on the Cities in School board.
Also, Dr. Glenn F. Smartschan, an assistant superintendent, announced that funding for curriculum projects in 1986-87 would decrease by 11 percent so more money could be provided for a staff development program approved for next year.
Curriculum projects include the gifted programs, final examinations and computer-programming instruction. The allocation for the projects for 1986-87 is $33,500.