In the end, the organizers gave one teaching slot back to Sienkiewicz in exchange for receiving fewer youngsters, resulting in a smaller class size, and Connections debuted in the fall of 1995. The 180 Connections students vow to show up prepared and on time. Uniforms translate as burgundy tops and black pants or skirts. Grades are given for tests, papers and oral presentations, a practice that distinguishes Connections from the many other small schools that rely on other forms of assessing student performance, such as portfolios of their work. The extra time affords more instruction, with 5th-graders getting 90 minutes a day in both reading and math or science.
Connections also is characterized by an upbeat group spirit.
We are somebody. There is a peer-mediation process to resolve disputes, and older students are frequently paired with their juniors, following a Connections emphasis on cooperative learning. Every other Tuesday, for example, Smith's 5th-graders do phonics drills and read The Weekly Reader to the Connections kindergartners. As lead teacher, Smith chairs the Friday morning staff meetings and runs interference with Sienkiewicz. But Dee tempers herself and talks to Linda diplomatically.