Elementary schools in the Arundel, Crofton, Old Mill, Severna Park, and South River clusters will launch the innovative Enhancing Elementary Excellence (Triple E) program next fall, completing expansion of the project-based, student-centered program to every comprehensive elementary school in the county, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Bedell announced today.
The program offers an additional thematic instructional opportunity for students each week and provides elementary teachers with crucial added planning time. It was introduced at elementary schools in the North County cluster in the 2014-2015 school year, with plans to expand by two to three clusters a year over the ensuing four years.
Budgetary issues have stymied the expansion effort and in the current year, Triple E is offered in just eight of the 13 clusters. The expansion next year is made possible by reallocation of some central office positions and a change in the staffing model to align Triple E staff allocations with those in the other cultural arts areas of physical education, music, art, and library media. It will not require the County government to provide additional positions.
“This is an innovative and exciting program that has a proven record of engaging students in cutting-edge learning,” Dr. Bedell said. “Our team has been trying to fully expand it for nearly a decade and, with the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future drivers designed to support teachers to meet all students’ needs – now is the time to take a different approach to ensure every elementary school student in our county has access to this program.”
Triple E classes have a dedicated teacher, allowing general classroom teachers to have additional planning time while their students are engaged in the program, the same similar to the other cultural arts areas. To learn more about the Triple E program, click here.