New Schedule for Park Junior High School Students Approved

students will be getting another variation in .

Despite hesitation from some District 102 board members, the board gave its support to Park staff to change the school's class schedule in a board meeting on March 8.

Overall, the board believed that the administration's plan for a new schedule for the 2012-2013 school year was better than the schedule currently used, which teachers have said has not left enough class time for lessons in some cases.

The modified four-block schedule will consist of four 90-minute block classes, which will include math, reading/language arts, science/social studies, and a 90-minute block split between foreign language and physical education. Art and music will be taught three weeks each semester as part of the reading and language arts block and will be integrated into the class material.

Board member Dawn Aubert was vocal at the meeting regarding the timeline of the roll out. Aubert said she her research showed most schools made the transition to a block schedule in two years. Aubert said that she also worried about losing art and music as stand alone classes. She said she was in favor of integration, but as additional to the courses offered alone.

"This is not just a minor schedule change, but a big program change,“ Aubert said.

Superintendent Warren Shillingburg countered that the school essentially has been transitioning for a year, as the school moved to block schedule for math last year. Board President David May said he would support more funds if more training sessions, or workshops were needed for teachers.

Teachers at Park have expressed support for a block schedule in a survey from the administration. When the schedule was changed to accommodate the long math classes, class time for some teachers shrank to 38 minutes. , a Park science teacher told board members that the amount of class time was not enough to get through lessons, especially ones that required the students to work on labs or projects.

Board Vice President Joyce Fitch said she ultimately felt like she should side with the teachers, since they wanted the longer class times. However, she warned the administration that the board would be monitoring their progress and they would be held accountable.

Board member Jennifer Comparoni also said she was hesitant to support another change to the schedule without more time.

"I do not want to stay with a schedule that doesn’t work,” Comparoni said. "But I’m finding I’m having some of the same problems this year.”

Comparoni added that the change felt rushed to her as well and said, “It went from proposal to final presentation to the board in a month.”

Comparoni also said she worried about the school's financial situation and the impact of moving to block scheduling, and said it was a high cost model which could tie the hands of the board in the future.

In the end, the board signaled their support without a formal vote. Teachers at Park will begin training in April for the move to the block schedule, which will begin next year.