Here is an overview of the survey results by topic:
Bells/Blocks/Schedule
- Split the blocks so that students do not have to be in the same classroom for 80 minutes
- Looking for consistency from year to year
- The schedule needs to be designed with the students at the center
- The schedule should not be based on teacher requests
- Five day cycle rather than a 6 day cycle
Calendar
- Do not change the calendar for hurricanes or snow. Make up the days at the end.
Course options/structure/electives
- Science electives should be offered for more than one period/day
- Many students want to take a course that they can't take because of large class sizes
- More options so that we can keep reasonable class sizes
- Don't limit electives to periods 7/8
- Split English into two separate courses Literature and Language (separate courses, separate credits, teachers,etc.
Lunch
- Do not schedule lunch in the middle of a class
- Lunch in the middle of a class is not the best situation for learning
- Lunch in the middle of class disrupts the flow of lessons
Ninth period
- Even distribution of 9th period duties
- Bring back Study Buddies!
Rotating periods
- It's hard to have the same students at the end of every day, they're tired
- Alternate periods so that you don't see the students every day at the same time
- A rotating schedule would improve the school day and student performance
- Would especially benefit students in periods 7/8
Food for thought...ideas from other vocational schools
Schedule Variations
Principal’s Meeting
November 15, 2012
42 minute classes
Career enrichment course (takes the place of related
and includes career guidance curriculum)
Modified block (classes alternate every day ie: green
day/gold day/green day, etc.) Classes alternate (if one block on green day, two
blocks on gold day)
Pull-outs for career guidance, personal finance,
technology, language, music, art, phys ed, drafting, MCAS tutoring
Related in Shop
Related in Academics (if licensing programs)
Freshmen explore every shop for at least one day
A couple of schools (Whittier/Keefe) exploratory week
is ½ shop and ½ academics
Math both weeks for freshmen and/or sophomores
English both weeks for freshmen and/or sophomores
Foreign language instead of History/Social Studies for
upperclassmen
Restaurants close on the same day (Monday/Wed) each
week or not at all
PE is scheduled during shop to cover teacher preps
Literacy Coach (sorry, missed which school) is working
with all shops to design content area reading and writing lessons and DI
In most schools, students move shops until the
beginning of grade 11
Thanks everyone...enjoy your week-end!
Margaret
