to meet the new requirements,” he added. According to

to meet the new requirements,” he added.

According to Dr. Gangel and Robert Chappell, the former RCHS principal who is now assistant superintendent, eighth graders currently have the option of beginning a foreign language. For the first time this year, preparation for SATs was offered after school but the program was dropped when only two or three students indicated interest. And all RCHS graduates meet the computer literacy requirement through the computer training given in the mandatory physical science class.

There is no program now at either school specifically for the “culturally deprived” but both schools offer other remedial help and often the same youngsters in the math lab, reading lab and Title I programs, will fall into the category of “culturally deprived” as well, Dr. Gangel noted.

He pointed out that many of the areas covered in the new accreditation standards are not new at all. As an example, the standards stipulate that students be allowed to enroll in supervised correspondence courses, with the principal's approval, in subjects not available to them through the school's schedule. “That has been done by many school divisions when it's been determined that it was best for the student,” Dr. Gangel said, adding that schools should always look at what's best for the students. “This is not new ap a practice, just as policy,” he said, plaining that many of the new standards are just substituting policy for practice and as a side effect, requiring mountains of additional paperwork from local school divisions as proof of adherence to that policy.

Reading requirement not “total shock"

The new standards require that, beginning in third grade and continuing through grade 12, “students not reading at or above grade level.. . shall receive additional instruction in reading.”

Making the determination oh who is at grade level will not be difficult since state mandates require testing on this point for fourth,