Scheduling Committee Meeting

February 4, 2008

Present: Brenda Waterhouse, Mary Reardon, Charlie Gasque, Arthur Zorn, Gail Conley, Tom McSweeney, John Pandolfo, Stefanie Cravedi, Lisa Lemieux, Linda Coleman, Jamie Coleman, Bob Phillips, Penny Chamberlin, Andrea Richardson, B.J. Griffith, Lu Turmel, George Drew

John Pandolfo – Modified Block

• Monday-Thursday – work on A/B system – 90 minutes
• All classes meet on Friday for 60 minutes
• G-Block – Mid day is a daily 60 mintue period (4 x per week)
• Allows fully scheduling students
• Doesn’t allow more frequent shorter classes

Questions:

• Are they all 1-credit, year-long classes? (Yes)
• Would it accommodate year-long and semester classes? (No)
• Would it increase class size? (Maybe, probably fewer choices)
• Could singletons be excluded from G block?
• Looks similar to Randolph

Pros Cons

Different lengths of classes Only one slot for short year-long classes

Class meet all year Tech start is too early

One-credit AP Classes possible What if we have 3 Monday – no days

Tech students can take 2 courses Difficult to schedule transient students

Study time is built in Can MacSchool manage it?

Mon-Thurs blocks are good for No time for IEP meetings, etc.

P.E., Driver Ed 90 minutes overwhelming to some teachers

Possibly days with no prep for teachers

Many sports absences

No acceleration or remediation

Less credit availability

Repetition

Cuts math class time

Jerry presented several common schedules from around Vermont. He urged the group to choose the #1 priority, pick a schedule and make it work.

Tom McSweeney presented the Montessori Approach and showed that it met our goals.

Current 4x4 schedule

Pros Cons

Easy to schedule Too many conflicts for advanced art

Morning available for meetings 2 credit courses

Students have only 4 classes at a time Morning block limits music

Works with Tech Sports conflicts

Allows students to catch up Driver Ed difficult to schedule

Serves transient population No structured study time

Minimizes No shorter length classes for remedial students

Allows JROTC to exist Doomed by name

Allows acceleration & remediation Difficult to engage students for 80 minutes

Teachers teach 6 courses Continuity

The group evaluated four schedules:

4 priorities 7 Block 4x4 with a twist Pandolfo Mod Block Current 4x4

Create schedule

that minimizes Y N Y N

conflicts

Opportunites

To accel or Y Y Y Y

remediate

Build in Y N Y N

study time

Allows common Y N Y N

groups of students

for teachers

Would we support 10 0 5 1

to explore further?

Question: Would you support exploring the 7 period day further? 16 yes (out of 17 present)