by Michaela Lamb |

Upon hearing the news that there will be no more block scheduling next year, several students feared for the sake of their art and automotive classes. Without a blocked period, these classes would no longer have the time to complete projects or gain hands-on experience.
But rest assured that the administration knows what they are doing, and have taken several of these classes into account. The schedule is simply being revamped, to ensure that more students are able to get their first choice of classes, something that is not happening with the current scheduling system.
“Teachers teach on a blended schedule; some teachers have blocked classes, some have traditional classes, and what has happened with this is it has caused significant restrictions with students getting their first choice of classes,” Principal April Adams said.
With the new scheduling format, most classes will be taught at a traditional length: one period. A select few classes  be taught over a double period; for example, hours one and two, every day, for one semester and will be worth one credit hour.  This means that the classes that need longer amounts of time, like some of the art, automotive tech, and PLTW science classes, will be able to continue on as normal.
“Classes like art, culinary or music, you need that blocked class period because sometimes you’re setting things up, or you are learning something new, then you need to apply it… but for classes like English or math it isn’t necessary. No one can pay attention to a lecture for that long,” senior Natasha Rubinetti said.
This new scheduling style will indeed get rid of the two hour lectures in English and history, as well as vastly improve the percentage of students who get their first choice of classes.
“With a mixed schedule, about 67% of kids get their first choice of classes for the next year. With the traditional style schedule, about 92% get their first choice. Really, everybody wins,” Assistant Principal Brett Coffman said.
With choosing next year’s classes, keep these changes in mind. That one class that would not fit into a tight schedule may now be available.
“This is just a change in structure, not a change in curriculum,” Adams said. “But we really do believe that this is in the best interest of the student so that they have the most opportunity to take the classes that will help them graduate.”