Baldwin High School’s Partners program will change next year, with a goal of increasing access to more students in more classes.
The Partners model pairs students of varying abilities to promote inclusion. Currently, the Partners program is only offered for Partners PE and Partners Ceramics. However, next year the program will open up to include more electives, expanding options for participating students.
Eric Janksoki, Baldwin’s transition coordinator, said the new Partners program will be designed to give students as many chances as possible to participate.
“The plan for next year is to revamp Partners a little bit — to offer it for some new electives that we haven’t had in the past. Part of what we’re trying to do is target more students who want to take Partners but maybe want to have that experience outside of PE, art, or music,” Jankoski said.
The goal of this new Partners model is to revamp and expand the program.
“We’ve done Partners this way for 20 years, so I think we’re just looking for ways to inject some new life into things and maybe bring in some new people,” Jankoski said.
Students interested in being a partner will complete a Google form to indicate which Partners classes they are interested in. The counselors will then match Partners participants of varying abilities, depending on what classes they are both interested in.
This system will make the scheduling process easier for counselors to manage and match students, Assistant Principal Brandon Whitfield said. He said he is excited for the opportunities this new Partners model will open for students.
“What we’re trying to do next year is provide more targeted opportunities,” Whitfield said. “In the past, since I’ve been at Baldwin, kids who have significant needs have only been allowed or able to participate in Partners Phys Ed, Ceramics, and Music. So we’re really trying to expand that to other classrooms.”
Furthermore, the new Partners program will offer an additional half credit per semester beyond the credit for the course itself.
“Another big benefit is along with being a partner you’re going to receive a half credit,” Whitfield said. “That’s something new that we haven’t done in the past, but that I think will really benefit our students.”
Under the original model, the Partners classes featured many pairs of students who had been teamed up to work together.
That may not happen in some classes next year, where there might only be one pair of students who signed up to participate in Partners. The goal is to still try to group many pairs of partners into certain classes – but for students who are unable to fit those classes into their schedule, the new model is a great alternative, Whitfield said.
Physical education teacher Tim Laughlin hopes that this new flexibility, paired with new year’s new block scheduling, will clear up scheduling issues that the Partners program has dealt with in the past.
“To try and get an entire class in that period is not always easy. You not only have to organize a teacher, you have to set up a period, you also have to set up (paraprofessionals) to help in that class,” Laughlin said. “So it’s been a challenge for us. So that’s what we’re hoping – that this design will give us an opportunity to provide more flexibility.”
Outside of classes, students will also be able to be a partner in places like the Baldwin Bean and the Innovation Shop. That way, students who have a full schedule will still have the chance to still participate in Partners.
Next year, the high school plans to keep the Baldwin Bean open all day, which would be made possible by the broader chances for students to be partners.
Whitfield says the chance to grow this program is the most exciting change.
“We’re just really excited about trying to expand on what we’ve always done here. We have a great Partners program and we just want to expand and give more opportunities for kids,” Whitfield said.
The new program not only aims to open up opportunities for students, but also to find students who are truly interested in being a partner, Whitfield said.
“We’re trying to identify students who truly want to be partners for students with needs and trying to coach them up to be the best partners they can be,” he said.
Freshman Molly Porco wants to take Partners classes next year.
“I want to join the Partners program because I love helping people and I think it would be fun to help partners in a class,” Porco said. “I am a bit nervous for this new schedule to start, but I am sure it’ll work out just fine[.]”
Laughlin hopes that these changes will provide the best possible education for students.
“Education is in constant change. You have to be willing to wrap your head around it,” Laughlin said. “Twenty-something years ago there wasn’t a Partners PE class, and we said this has to change. We have to do better for our students. So that’s the game plan here: to do better for our students.”
