The decision to move eighth graders to the high school has been placed in the hands of the students themselves.

“Students who are interested in applying for dual enrollment or the STEAM Arts program will attend Wareham High School as this will be the location of the programs,” said Superintendent Dr Kimberly Shaver-Hood at the School Committee Meeting on Wednesday night.

In December, Shaver-Hood proposed moving the eighth graders to the high school, but was met with dissension from many parents and students alike. However, some students were not opposed to the idea.

Shaver-Hood presented a new plan for approximately 80 eighth graders to make the move. Interested students may apply for the dual enrollment program and enrollment into a version of the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math (STEAM) program, which will be located in the high school. Though the current STEAM program at the middle school focuses on taking core curriculum outside the confines of the classroom, the high school program for interested eighth graders will focus primarily on the arts.

Eighth graders who are dually enrolled at the high school will take their full course load at the high school. The dual enrollment students, who number 37, have been taking advanced core curriculum at the high school in the mornings and returning to the middle school afterwards.

Shaver-Hood reported the results of a survey the administration conducted at the middle school. The survey asked students if they wanted to make the move. She said the survey found 27 students voted no and wanted to remain at the middle school, 42 students voted maybe, and 89 said yes, they wanted to move to the high school. There was also a survey conducted among the middle school teachers, which found 16 teachers against the move, and 39 in favor.

Of the 200 seventh grade students in the middle school, up to 80 could move to the high school next year. There will also be a movement of some faculty from the middle school to the high school.

Shaver-hood expects there to be 40 students enrolled into the STEAM Arts program at the high school, and believes the number of dual enrollment students will stay the same.

Scott Palladino, Principal of Wareham High School, is working closely with the superintendent on these developments. In a later interview, Palladino said that having the option is necessary because the switch will be good for certain students, but not all students.

If both programs receive less than 20 applications each, the STEAM Arts program is likely to not occur. However, Palladino expects the numbers will not be this low.

Last year and the year before, there have been approximately 70 applicants for the dual enrollment program.

This year, students will  be given points based on their grade point average (up to 20 points), attendance (20), disciplinary record (20), one teacher evaluation (10), an interview (10), and an essay (20). The top 40 applicants with the highest points for each program will be chosen. If more than one student places 40th, the students will be considered for enrollment.

Since the change would be modest compared to the initial proposition of moving the entire eighth grade, Shaver-Hood could take the initiative on her own, Chairman Geoffrey Swett told the audience. He stated that a School Committee vote would not be appropriate.

Applications were delivered to students Thursday, and are due by March 15 at the end of the school day.

There will be a parent night on March 10 at 6:30 p.m. that parents may attend to voice concerns, or ask questions.