Enrichment clusters, according to Principal Steve McDaniel, are non-graded groups of students who share common interests.
McDaniel said, "Today is our kick off for enrichment clusters. They are one part of our charter, and it's the part that we are most focused on today and this year as phase one, as we implement phase one, of a five year charter."
According to fourth grade teacher Amy Erickson, students are able to make the plans for the enrichment clusters.
"There are no set lesson plans; the students are in charge basically of what's going on in the cluster. They get to decide what they are going to do."
Erickson also said that the students learn life skills through participating in the enrichment clusters.
Erickson said, "This is real life authentic learning, getting away from the classroom."
Each cluster is responsible for producing a good or service at the end of nine weeks. According to Erickson, the cupcake cluster will bake cupcakes to sell at the school's fall festival and donate the proceeds to a local women's homeless shelter.
McDaniel noted that one result of the enrichment clusters is enthusiasm returning to students.
McDaniel said, "We are trying to bring that element of school back that we had back in the 60s, 70s, 80s, when we were in school. When school was much more fun and not so focused on a test."
Fourth Grade Teacher Amy Erickson Principal Steve McDaniel
Colleen Jager, with the Sciencemania cluster students
Teacher, Colleen Jager demonstrating a chemical change with baking soda and vinegar in the Sciencemania cluster
Cupcake cluster students decorated cupcakes and got to eat them.
Jackie McKroskey teaching the cupid shuffle to the footloose cluster
http://accesswdun.com/article/2011/9/242106