Luverne Middle School Teacher Gordy Hansen works with students in "How About a V8?" one of the more popular Encore Classes offered during fifth hour. Here, students learn how to "lube the shaft" on an engine they've dissembled.By Lori EhdeLuverne Middle School students are dancing, playing chess, propelling bottle rockets, working out and rebuilding engines — all in the name of learning.Those and more than 40 other special classes are offered to sixth- through eighth-graders as part of the Encore Class selection in Luverne.According to Middle School Principal Stacy Gillette, Encore Classes are offered as a special way to meet unique needs of middle school students."This is a time when students need to explore who they are and what they’re good at," Gillette said. "We came up with this to help us maintain our middle school identity."Encore Classes also came about as a practical way to address shrinking class sizes in the middle school grades."We could have cut staff and cut down to four sections," Gillette said. "But by offering Encore Classes, each teacher, as their fifth teaching assignment, is teaching an Encore class."In this way, Gillette said the special offerings aren’t creating added expenses outside of some start-up costs. Also, staff development summer grants are being used to develop curriculum.This is the first year Luverne has offered Encore Classes to middle school students, and Gillette said teachers are getting more in tune to what the students want and what the teachers are interested in teaching.She said Encore Classes help students on both ends of the learning curve. "We don’t have a gifted and talented curriculum anymore, so this is a good way to challenge our upper level children," Gillette said.For example, classes like Science Challenge and Mad Scientist push students’ abilities in a fun environment. Next year, Kara Ahrendt and Jodi Rops are considering co-teaching a Crime Scene Investigation class that would involve local law enforcement in fingerprinting.Classes like Math 101, also new for next year, offer remediation time for students who need to catch up to their peers.All Encore Classes are offered during the last hour of the day, and older students are given first chance at choosing classes.Some classes, such as an engine rebuilding class, "How about a V8," with Gordy Hansen, fill up quickly, but Gillette said students are told to list several choices in order of their preferences. By letting older students choose first, she said eventually, all students will get their first picks.The main thing, Gillette said, is the Encore Classes have made learning a positive experience for both students and teachers."It’s been a lot of fun," she said. "The kids have been excited about the classes and the teachers have been excited about the classes."
