How WFISD might solve its middle school problems

Deborah Dipprey (standing), Wichita Falls ISD executive director of school administration, gives a presentation on middle schools as Dr. Donny Lee, superintendent, and trustees listen during a School Board meeting. Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024. George Svoboda/For The Times Record News

George Svoboda

For the Times Record News

Oct. 10, 2024, 7:30 a.m. CT

The Wichita Falls ISD School Board heard about issues with the district’s middle schools and possible solutions during a special meeting Tuesday.

The three middle schools, Barwise, Hirschi and McNiel, struggle academically in STAAR testing. Barwise and McNiel are also struggling with overcrowding. Barwise is 37 students overcapacity, and McNiel is approaching capacity. However, Hirschi's enrollment sits at 459 students, 641 under capacity.

The district has met with faculty, staff, community members and stakeholders to find solutions, Deborah Dipprey, WFISD executive director of school administration, told School Board members during the meeting.

Deborah said parents and staff generally agree on issues and solutions but have different priorities.

She said teachers focused on the middle schools' overcrowding and the need for collaborative staff meetings.

On the other hand, one concern of parents and community members is possible changes in attendance zones.

"They talked a lot about the attendance zones, about what that looks like, and could they align with the two high schools? Is it appropriate to have a feeder pattern that is clear all the way from K to 12?" Dipprey told trustees in the meeting.

Another concern among the district and the community is the lack of support for sixth grade students adjusting to middle school.

"They've been treated more like babies, so to speak, in elementary and fifth grade," School Board member Diann Scoggins said. "We have a sixth grader now that has to know what time to get to their class and get to the lockers and all that."

A common idea stakeholders have floated is designating one campus as either sixth grade only or exclusively dual fifth and sixth grade, giving younger students space to mature before entering a campus with teenagers.

Another possible solution is the introduction of pre-athletics for sixth grade students, which are extracurricular sports that prepare students to join teams later in their academic careers.

"The focus would be more on letting kids explore various sports to see what they might be inclined to participate in going forward," Dipprey said.