By Samantha Connelly.
Students are currently filling out a choice of subjects form to accommodate the transfer to an eight period schedule for the upcoming school year.
“The way I understand it, the eight periods were made so students can have more choices,” said Emme Siburt, instructional specialist and incoming principal for next year. “We have students that a lot of times are forced to choose or not choose certain classes.”
The decision to have eight periods a day was in discussion last year, the goal is to give an opportunity for students to take different classes rather than just taking the required classes to graduate. This pushes the emphasis of extracurriculars, especially fine arts, that are otherwise unavailable for students to take due to not having space in their schedule.
“Other districts, like Wylie and Jimned, have already been doing eight periods a day,” counselor Sandra Wuorinen, said. “There’s a lot of benefits to having eight periods a day. I really think it’s going to help a lot of our students.”
One of the goals of this class schedule is to help students with deciding which endorsement they want to pursue. There is also the hope to help students recover failed credits, whether that be a product COVID-19 or from years past.
“It’s also a good time for us to look at the class schedule with the Lift coming soon,” Siburt said. “We want to make sure students have the opportunity to take those expanded classes as well.”
The expectation is that less students, as well as less accelerated classes, will be in summer school after this next school year. Accelerated classes are for students to advance in the credits over the summer. However this summer, before the next school year starts with the extra class, it is unclear if these classes will be offered due to COVID-19.
“We know that summer school is going to be larger than usual this year due to remote-learning and just the overall lack of different things we’ve had going on since March of last year,” Siburt said. “They are just waiting to look at the numbers to know if we can take care of our recovery students and still have enough staffing and room left for accelerated classes.”
A bell schedule is still undecided and many different options are being looked into by counselors and administrators. However, unlike Wylie or Jimned, seniors will still not be allowed off the campus.
From Siburt, students and teachers alike have shared reactions of excitement as well as some apprehension. Student numbers may increase in classes as well as an extra teaching period. Chemistry teacher, Paula Everett, expressed her concerns with the new period regarding her ap class, with the wish to double-block those classes instead of having another class period.
“Every student that I’ve talked to is excited about the opportunity,” Siburt said. “I haven’t heard a student have a negative comment about it.”
