New block schedule to include 'flex' periods

Whitefish High School will have a hybrid block schedule involving a mix of standard and longer class periods next school year.

The Whitefish School Board voted unanimously Monday night to approve the new schedule. A committee of administrators and teachers presented four schedule options that all included extended learning times as part of different styles of block schedules.

Principal Kerry Drown said the current seven period class days don’t offer the opportunity for in-depth learning and collaboration.

“We want to maximize the limited time we have with these young people,” said Drown. “We compared what we’re doing now with what we can do to have a deeper learning environment.”

The selected schedule will be made up of seven class periods and one flex academic period with attendance rotating during the week. On Monday and Wednesday students will attend four different classes that will be about 90 minutes each. On Tuesday and Thursday students attend three classes for 90 minutes each, and also have an academic flex period that will be broken into two 45 minute sessions. On Friday, they will attend all seven classes.

Drown noted that no schedule is perfect.

“What we tried to find is where we are today in a schedule that has been around through the industrial age and beyond, and where we’re headed into this information age,” he said. “We tried to address the concept of extended learning.”

Trustee Nick Polumbus said the new schedule offers new opportunities.

“What makes Whitefish special is this ability to be specialized for our students,” he said.

The flex academic period is planned to be a mixture of opportunities for students. How exactly the period will be structured is still being determined.

Students in music classes will attend those every day during one 90-minute class period and also during one half of the academic flex period for 45 minutes.

Some students will be able to take an elective class, such as art, during the flex period. Other students will be able to work on homework or seek out teachers for assistance. Some students might be able to use the time for community internships.

Teacher Derek Schulz sees the academic flex period as an opportunity to meet multiple students’ needs, including setting aside time for teachers to meet one-on-one with students.

“It’s designed for the kids,” Schulz said. “That ranges from high achieving kids to those that need extra help. We want to be there for them.”

Trustee Shawn Tucker considers the hybrid block schedule as a good option.

“This is amazing that you were able to put together something that addresses everybody’s concerns,” Tucker said. “We have to make sure this flex time is used in new ways to engage students.”

Daniel Cameron, who severs as the student representative to the school board, spoke in favor of the flex time, despite comments from others who have suggested it might not be a good use of time.

“Just because new information isn’t being presented does not mean you’re not learning,” he said. “You’re building relationships and education in other areas of your life.”

Trustee Shawn Watts said the flex time offers something extra toward the district’s goal of making sure students are ready for the world after graduation.

“I’m totally comfortable voting for quality over sheer quantity,” Watts said.

In January, the school board approved exploring creating a schedule that including extended teaching and learning times to be implemented in 2014-15. At the time, the vote was met with mixed reaction by teachers, parents and students. Some supported the proposed plan, while several said it would be damaging to the school’s music department.

In the months since, several committees have been working to create options for a new schedule.

While multiple questions were asked Monday during the school board meeting, public comment on the matter was limited.

Parent Laurie Barron said that as a teacher herself, she prefers the block schedule and saw first hand the impact it had when a school she previous taught at made the switch.

“Our scores skyrocketed in one year’s time,” she said. “I also watched my most struggling students graduate on time because they had additional opportunities they didn’t have before.”

Parent Kathleen Woodward continued to question if block scheduling would be an improvement.

“I don’t know where the benefit is,” she said. “You’re going to teach more in-depth and that takes away from getting as far as you need to in a quarter or a semester. I worry about how you’re going to get everything taught to keep our kids competitive.”

Assistant principal Jackie Fuller said teachers have already been training to teach under the new schedule because extended learning doesn’t mean a 90-minute lecture.

“We’ve got to continue to develop our plan,” Fuller said. “The professional development is important to make sure our staff is well prepared to go into this.”