Shop LocalSunday, April 22, 2012
After 15 years on block scheduling, Fulton High School is switching to an hourly schedule for the 2012-13 school year.
Instead of taking eight classes a semester — split into four classes a day and alternating days — students will take seven classes a day, every day. Principal Jason Whitt said district administrators decided to make the change based on input from the high school staff.
“We asked our teachers what type of schedule would be best for them, and what type of schedule would be best for our students,” Whitt said. “Our teachers overwhelmingly thought that the hourly schedule is best for the students. It was a faculty decision.”
He said the most important aspect of going to an hourly schedule is that students would see their teachers every day, “which allow students ... to get more dedicated attention.”
“To sum it up, it allows us to catch students who are falling behind more quickly — when you see a student every day, you see it quicker,” Whitt said. “Our students who need help need that.”
He said when students heard about the impending change, a number of them were worried about losing their study hall period — which Whitt referred to as intervention time. Because of those concerns, he said the school day at the high school next year will include seven class periods and intervention time.
“A lot of our students use that time and use it wisely,” Whitt said. “Since our students really feel a need for intervention time we found a way to keep it.”
Comments
Advocator 1 year ago
Wow, PolarBear you must be psychic. I understand why you couldn't send me a link to the change because there wasn't a link until now. You knew about the change to the seven period day at least ten days before it was announced or maybe it wasn't psychic on your part, but insider information. I think you have some very powerful person on the inside that you are getting the intel from. The important thing is the failed block schedule experiment is over. Thanks for getting it done PolarBear
PolarBear 1 year ago
Actually Advocator, the students was given a note about the schedule change about 2 and half weeks ago and then there was talk around the school about the schedule change for several months before that. So I'm not psychic, but it would be cool if I was.
Advocator 1 year ago
I have no kids in school and I don't hang out at the schools (people may talk), but I do remember the new principal at the HS Mr. P Whitt talked about doing away with it at least 3-4 months ago. It's nice to see that Mr. P Whitt asked for teacher input and listened. Many times, the people that make the changes in schools ask for very little if any input from the teachers who have to implement the changes. Who are these people? They are very little people that would serve no purpose in education except giving out meaningless drivel to ones really involved in the educational process. Educational changes like scheduling,etc. are cyclic like a big pendulum. Some time down the road some fool again will come along and say, wow, lets do block scheduling because it is the best way and so as DD would say, the cycle will be repeated,again and again. Bottom line, block scheduling is gone (for now).
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