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Group, I asked for information on block scheduling and several people asked for copies. To make sure I do not overlook someone, I am sharing the results with the entire network. Thank you for all responses. I'm sharing them with the faculty at my building. Betty On Sat, 8 Jan 1994, Betty Dawn Hamilton wrote: > LM_NETters, > > Our Principal's Advisory Committee is exploring various block scheduling > possibilities. The one that seems to fit our needs has scheduled classes > on alternating days. If you are using such a plan, will you advise us: > > 1. How do you schedule teacher conferences (every day, every other day , > all at the same time at the end of the day, etc.) > > 2. If your athletic program is last period, does it meet every day? > > 3. If blocking increases your schedule to 8 periods (from the usual 7) , > do your teachers have fewer students dispersed over the 8 periods or do you > have fewer teachers? > > We will look at options, present the information to the faculty, and then > submit the plan to the Site Based Decision Making Committee as > consideration for next year's Campus Improvement Plan. > > Thanks for any ideas. > > Betty > bhamilt@tenet.edu *********************************************************************** > I am an instructor at a high school in Austin, Texas. Our school seems to > be headed in the direction of block scheduling. I am looking for > information (research or personal experience) which supports the block > model in which students finish a "year of study" in one semester via > extended class periods. > > Our principal is leaning toward the "every other day" model in which > students attend different classes on different days of the week. The > students still finish a semester of work in one semester. > > I would like to hear about the pros and cons of each model. > > I am especially concerned about the total student load per teacher with > the "every other day" model. As I see it, if I teach six different > sections, I have the potential to have a 180 student load. > -- > Perry Willis psw@tenet.edu > Anderson High School 512-345-5020 (Work) > 8403 Mesa Drive 512-338-1293 (Fax) > Austin, Texas 78759 512-477-2663 (Home) *************************************************************** Perry: We are in our first semester of block scheduling at Wilson Jr/Sr High School. Ours is on an every day basis for a full credit in one semester. We have band 1st period and athletics last period and each are 50 minutes long. Other courses are 90 minutes long for one semester. Courses like government, health, and economics, are over in 9 weeks. (we just finished our first mini-semester (9 wks). Out of 100 students 7-12 we lost only 6 to failure during the first 6 weeks. Each high school students has three subjects besides band and athletics (or other electives). Students 7-8 have band or desktop publishing first period and 2 academic courses before lunch. after lunch their schedule consists of 3 50 minute periods. Each teacher currently has 90 minutes of conference and planning, but this may change in the spring. Students like the longer class periods and suprisingly, so do our teachers. Bob Williams, Principal Wilson Jr/Sr High School Wilson, TX 79381 ****************************************************** >A team of people from our school recently visited Champlin Park High School in the Anoka Hennepin school district north of Minneapolis. They have a four period block schedule with 85 minute periods. Students complete a year long course in a semester and teachers see half of their students one semester and half the second semester. Someone said it really was an eight period schedule with four periods each semester. They felt the advantages for students included having four classes at a time. Teachers worked with fewer students. This is a new high school in second year of operation. I believe it has around 2200 students. The principal is David Bonthuis (612) 493-8900. David Sparks Blue Earth Area High School 315 E. 6th St. Blue Earth, MN 56013 in%"dsparks@vax1.mankato.msus.edu" *************************************************************** In response to the person who wondered if the sitcom environment has caused shorter attention spans- I heard someone mention that years ago when speaking of Sesame Street. My feeling on the block scheduling is I can see how it would take awhile to get settled into having the longer classes, some teachers have followed the same lesson plans for years becuase they work. Rewriting the plans to last 2 hours and keep them interesting will be a task. Wouldn't longer classes allow for more hands on experiences? My middle schooler learns so much better when teachers use hands on. Judy ORahood ************************************************************************** The biggest problem that we have faced with our 90 minute block courses(which meet every day for one semester-for a full credit) is one of dealing with transfer students. At the end of our fall semester our students will have a year's credit in some courses and none in others. This becomes a problem for them if they transfer, with the biggest burden being placed on migrant students. Teachers probably need more conditioning than students. I have found in a few cases, that the periods are not fully utilized, especially from an active learning standpoint, which was our original intent in implementation. Overall, students and teachers have supported our plan and have already asked through Student Council and Campus Based Planning that we continue with it next year. Bob Williams, Principal Wilson Jr/Sr High School Wilson, TX ***************************************************************************** Betty, In answer to your block scheduling question, I would like to say that my 6th grade daughter seems to love it. In watching her do her homework and other school preparation I think it works very well. She goes to 4 classes each day. All classes are every other day, no matter how vacation days fall (eg. if they have Friday off for some reason, the Monday class schedule is opposite what the Thursday schedule was. Her school labels the days Green Day for 1st-4th periods and Yellow Day for 5th-8th. Teachers get a conference period every day, so they still have 6 classes to teach. The conference period might be at a different time the two days. Several of our schools are changing to the block scheduling and all seem to love it. Barry M. Bishop Pasadena ISD, Texas bbishop@tenet.edu **************************************************************** Subject: Re: Block Sched & Teacher Conf I am sending you a copy of our schedule. Our scheduling requirements are different than yours, I believe. We run 8 blocks and all students take 8 courses. Teachers are scheduled into 7 blocks of classes with one block for prep time. We are running a morning CONTACT which is our teacher advisor time and we also have an 18 minute Tutorial time for students to work on homework, etc. This is a time when peer tutoring/helping can also occur. I am sending a copy of our schedule which is on a 4 day cycle. If this is of use or you have questions, feel free to contact me. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bruce Chisholm, Principal c/o Bert Bowes Junior Secondary School 9816 - 106 Street Fort St. John, B.C. Canada V1J 4E6 (604)785-6717(w) (604)785-8890(h) FAX: (604)785-5043 Internet: bchishol@cln.etc.bc.ca (This file must be converted with BinHex 4.0) :#94TE@9dB@*XC3""9eG3690A5`%!!!!)r`!!!8DB3J!!!!N!+`!%!Bi#2J!!!!! !!3!b3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!NIj*J#D!!-!!!")!%J!!!!!!YS#+2rKrq)#q3*'!dF &+!2m!!)!!!")!%J!!!!!!YS#+!!"!!!!C!!!!!%!!3%"!!!!!5F2!!%!!3!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!L!"N"N!!!!!!!!%!!!!!!!!!!!!!"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"US!!!" i!(J!H!"i!!!!!!!!!!%!!3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!$4`!!!@3!!!!&!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!-!!!!r`!!$k-!!!qK$k-!!!!!!!-!!`!*!!!!!!!!!#i!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!J0!!!!!!!8!!!!!`!-!!-!!!!!!!%!!!!!!!!!!3! !#!-!!!Y[!!$rr`!'!!!!4qZN!%G!J3MQ3)%HUJ!!!!!!!!Q1!!!!!3!!!8B!!!& '!!!!&!!!#Bi!A%#!QRa!J*S+!&dTSJ!XfH`!!!!!!!!!!3"G&FSJ!!"E!&Y!J*S +!&c3-!!XfU`!!!!$!!!!!3"G&FSJ!!"E!&X,j'"j!!!!!!J!!!!,!!!!!!!!!!! !!&d9bJ"G&FSJ!!"E!&c2d!"+PX3!!!!"!!!!2Q"j!!!!!!J!!!!,!!!!!!!!!!! !!&d9bJ"G&FS!5TCD!!!!2Q"j!!!!!!J!!!!,!!!!!!!!!!!!!&d9bJ"G&FS!5T0 B!!!!!!"GM4B!!)"("!!!'%-#!!!!!!!!!!!"e!!!!"X!SJ$U!6)"HQ"("4`!,`) !!`i"rd*&8P3J3NpA49-J5P9158p5)&0&3dp14%&5@5"63dK26d`3!J!$$!Ar)%F %'!!49%P0494"3Na&)$%j16-[164J4`3B!!B#!!--!2q!4`3!!"K'!J!!!!!!!!! !!G3!!!!E!+)!kJ%b!ATJ4`3B!#3#!!--"Ip%39N#!!--"2m*!J!$$!Ar-3Nb#6- *0!N#!!--!2q!4`3!!"K'!J!!!!!!!!!!!G3!!!!E!+)!kJ%b!ASJ4`3B!!#!4`3 !!"a'!J!!!!!!!!!!!G3!!!!E!+)!kJ%b!AS!M!#`B%F%'!"*!J!$$!$r!J!$$!$ r!J!$$!$r!J!$$!$r-$Jk06-#!!--!2mJ,5!`16S`-#!Y#3N*+LSU+LSU+LSJ3dp 19%&$9#!U+LSU+LSU+S"("!!!'%B#!!!!!!!!!!!"e!!!!"X!SJ$U!6)"HQ"(""J !"J)!!``!ri"("!!!'%B#!!!!!!!!!!!"e!!!!"X!SJ$U!6)"HL"(""J!&c!j1M! c)#dJ-6!k-63J,3P"#88*33P&)%F%'!!!J%F%!!!D4J)!!!!!!!!!!!(8!!!!'`# L!1S"-J&k!)aJ4`3B!%%#!!--!2m#!!--!2m#!!--!2ma-$Sa0#!Y)$%`1M)f)#d J#3NU+LSU+LSU+LSU+L"#8N9"5b!U+LSU+LSU+LSU+L"(""J!!#"(""J!'$%`1M) i)#dJ-6%k-cNJ,3N*3JP'#83*5)"("!!!'%B#!!!!!!!!!!!"e!!!!"X!SJ$U!6) "HL"(""J!!)"("!!!)%B#!!!!!!!!!!!"e!!!!"X!SJ$U!6)"HJ#(!03"(!&NB%F %'!"F-6%k0$)J,5!a-MS`-#!Y)#!J)!)!!``!r`)!!``!re499%p558j(!J!$$!$ r#9499%p558j(#3)!!``!r`)!!``!re499%p558j(!J!$$!$r)#!*9&986e**6NH !4`3!!"K'!J!!!!!!!!!!!G3!!!!E!+)!kJ%b!ATJ4`36!!B#!!-+!2q!4`3!!"K '!J!!!!!!!!!!!G3!!!!E!1S"-J&k!)aJ4`3B!&d#!!--!2ma-MS`-#!Y)$%b1M8 `)#d#!!-+!2m*+L!U)#SJ+L!U)#SJ+L!U)#!U)#SJ+L!#!!--!2p-98j$5!)!!`S !rb!U)#SJ+L!U)#SJ+L!U)#SJ+L!U)#SJ+L#!4`3!!"K'!J!!!!!!!!!!!G3!!!! 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My attendance supervisor has asked me to post the following question: Our school system is considering going to 4 period/semester block schedules. We currently have a policy that states 7 unexcused absences results in loss of credit. What are school systems on block schedules such as the one proposed doing for absentee policies in regards to unexcused absences and loss of credit? Debra Warren Tuscaloosa, Alabama *************************************************************** From: Sandra M Barron <sbarron@tenet.edu> We have had block scheduling for 2 years at Tomball. 8 classes alternating days. On Monday a "compact" 8 period day is run with all classes meeting. Tuesday-Friday alternate schedule 1 and 2. If there is a holiday, workday, etc. the "compact" day is dropped to even out days. We currently require 24 credits for graduation, 28 class slots are available over four years. Athletics and band meet every day thus taking 2 class slots per year. This is during period 5 or 6 in middle of day everyday. Teachers have a conference/duty period everyday, the state mandated 45 minute conference plus 45 minute duty time--lunch, hall, tardy office, attendance office, departmental supervision etc. etc. We've had many visitors to our campus last year and this. Last year was rather hectic but this year has been great with most faculty and staff positive on the change. It works well for lab classes and in the library. If you would like to contact our administration, call 713-357-3220 Robert Todd, principal or Linda Schuelke, Dean of Instruction. Sandy Barron Tomball HIgh School Tomball, Texas *************************************************************** From: "Gail A. Richmond" <grichmo@eis.calstate.edu> Subject: Re: Block Sched & Teacher Conf (fwd) Hi, Betty, Scripps Ranch High School opened last fall for its first year of operation. We have focused on _Second to None, a Vision of the New California High School_ for our guiding principles. Block schedule was implemented. Our district, San Diego Unified, has 18 other comprehensive high schools. Most run a 6-period day, beginning class at 7:30 and ending at 2:10. (Of course, buses determine the schedule!!) We received a waiver from the state to convert 8 staff development days into Interdisciplinary Team Planning Time (IDT) each Friday morning. We have periods 1-3-5 on Mon and Wed, 2-4-6 on Tues and Thurs, and on Friday we have late start. Teachers begin at their normal report time of 7:15, but classes don't begin until 8:45 and attend all six classes. To further complement matters, we have a 40 minute advisory on Monday through Thursday just beofre lunch, but that done _not_ meet on Friday. In order to make time equal for all classes, we have 6A days (all six classes plus advisory) on 7 days throughout the year to cover Monday holidays, etc. We also have staff development minimum days 4 time per year, which also have a special schedule. Sounds zooey, but people and especially the students, have adapted extrememly well. I can send a copy of the schedule to you as soon as I have my scanner set up to scan it in. Athletics: Since there is long block, and the usual period for athletics is 6th period, we haven't had too many problems. We did move tennis outside the school day. But since we finish at 2:10 anyway, our biggest problems were the fact the football field wasn't finished until November 1, and our gym still is not complete. Next year will probably provide a better example of how things will go. We do have one SDUSD school that has used block schedule for 15 years--not identical to ours, but similar. We still have the same number of teachers as we would have if there wre no block. Teachers have no prep period two days per week. Our regular faculty meetings are once per month on Monday after school. But we do have weeekly group time--for technology inservice, school-to-work transition inservice, department or interdisciplinary team planning time, etc.--every Friday morning. Yes, we still have a lot of meetings outside the school day. We have an advisory committee that meets monthly, as well as a staff planning committee for IDT time. We have a GATE advisory, comprised of teachers, students, and parents that meets outside of the school day. Our site governance council meets one evening per month. So, the day is still long, but the quality class time has increased. I think it is great! Hope this information helps you out!! . . . Gail ******************************* ** Gail Richmond, Librarian ** ** Scripps Ranch High School ** ** San Diego, California ** ** Voice: (619) 621-9020 ** ********************************************************************** From: Robert Williams <rlw> Subject: Re: Restructuring of School Day The biggest problem that we have faced with our 90 minute block courses(which meet every day for one semester-for a full credit) is one of dealing with transfer students. At the end of our fall semester our students will have a year's credit in some courses and none in others. This becomes a problem for them if they transfer, with the biggest burden being placed on migrant students. Teachers probably need more conditioning than students. I have found in a few cases, that the periods are not fully utilized, especially from an active learning standpoint, which was our original intent in implementation. Overall, students and teachers have supported our plan and have already asked through Student Council and Campus Based Planning that we continue with it next year. Bob Williams, Principal Wilson Jr/Sr High School Wilson, TX **********************************************************************