Campus Views: Mixed reviews for block schedule

As if high school wasn’t confusing enough, students now have to apply the alphabet to the days of the week. 

For those who don’t already know, Whitefish High School progresses through the week on a block scheduling system (the block). This means that on “A” days (Monday and Thursday) the same four classes are visited, 90 minutes each; on “B” days (Tuesday and Friday) students attend three 90-minute classes with two 45-minute study halls; and Wednesday is a “C” day which runs a traditional seven period schedule.

Basically, there are four out of five days in the week that have fewer, longer classes, and one day in the middle that is jam-packed with every class.

There were many incentives to instill this schedule in Whitefish High School, but that doesn’t mean it was originally accepted by everyone. There was quite a struggle with strong cases for and against, but in the end the school board favored the block.

Now, the first year of adjusting to the block is over and the second year is underway with some alterations including the change of the “C” day from Friday to Wednesday in an attempt to quell some of the hubbub at the end of the week.

Sophomore Galen Jamison thinks this is a positive change because students who often miss Fridays for sports don’t miss tests given on “C” days, which is pretty common. He doesn’t deny the fact that these traditional days are still hectic no matter where they are placed during the week, but he believes “having a traditional day in the middle of the week balances things out.”

In his opinion, some subjects benefit more from the block than others.

For instance, music and math need daily repetition, while longer periods are more advantageous for science and practical arts like woodshop and cooking.

Junior Julia Houston agrees that for science classes it allows more time to conduct labs, and she adds, “[the block] provides opportunity to learn things more in-depth.”

In her ideal schedule the traditional day is eliminated completely.

Although the learning experiences in the block may be more comprehensive for students, having such lengthy periods for music classes can lead to mental exhaustion.

“Students get really fatigued after playing for an hour and a half,” Jamison explains, “They can’t practice that long.”

However, since last year, it seems there have been changes in the way these classes are being conducted.

Houston feels that “the music department is doing a lot better job of accommodating the block schedule and adjusting to the students.” It seems that even though the block isn’t designed specifically for music classes to excel, teachers are adapting to the conditions.

The faculty continues to gather feedback from the student body and consistently discusses how to refine the rough spots. Maybe this article will even prompt the community to contribute some ideas for the block.

Well, the students have spoken: the block schedule is an advancement, but there’s still room for improvement.

— Cassidy Grady is a senior at Whitefish High School