New High School Schedule Will Give Students More Time in the Classroom

The Scheduling Review Committee presented the proposed 2012 changes to the schedule to the during the meeting on Monday night.

The Scheduling Review Committee looked at best practices for scheduling locally, nationally and internationally.

Currently, the high school schedule has 8 periods at 43 minutes each, in a 6-day cycle. Teachers noted that the limitations of this schedule include the 43 minutes time restrictions, some classes “dovetail”, such as science labs, PE, and study halls. There’s also no opportunity for remedial and enrichment or advisory for students.

Teachers in a survey showed a desire to have longer classes while maintaining the same amount of course options for students. They also wanted to increase access to enrichment and remedial periods.

The proposed schedule has 6 periods with 8 student courses in a 6-day cycle, where 4 days in the cycle, the class meets for 58 minutes and for 2 days in the cycle the class meets for 80 minutes.

AP Science classes will additionally have a 48-minute lab period in place of an enrichment/intervention block.

Two enrichment/intervention blocks will be available to students, as well. The board asked that these blocks would look like. Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Michael Marchese, said the Committee saw these as short, couple week, study groups, specialized projects for interested students and more. Student would choose the type of enrichment course, as they need them.

He added that this provides a greater flexibility to balance course options as well as fulfills the Board’s goal of 21^st Century Learning as it focuses on project-based learning and teachers and students are not facing the 43-minute period constraints.

He said the high school will hold a parent information night on the new schedule for parents of 8^th grade students through current high school students.