When the school year begins at Easton Area High School this month, it will be the first time students are under what's known as "flexible scheduling."
Approved by the school board in February, the schedule switches the typical school day from nine 41-minute periods to five 80-minute periods.
The schedule would include a mix of classes that meet 90 days out of every semester, and those that would meet every other day. School officials have said it will allow students more time to put what they've learned into practice.
But the new scheduling has caused some administrative hiccups at the school. As the Express-Times reported last week, new schedules were supposed to go to students in late May, but didn't go out until the end of July.
That delay was due to the need to move teachers around in the wake of layoffs earlier this summer.
We're asking parents and students: Are you a fan of the new scheduling? Take our poll, and tell us in the comments.
Anonymous
10:47 am on Sunday, August 5, 2012
Block scheduling "should" be wonderful for student who want to double up & take 2 maths or languages in a year. It's great for doing longer experiments in science class or taking longer tests. I taught block scheduling for many years, let me say that block scheduling means LESS content for a course since they can only handle so much info at a time & most (not all of course) kids shut down after the 40 min normal time per subject. When they miss school they are even further behind because it is like missing 2 classes. Teachers who are not really excellent at preparing have many more class management problems. Students whose schedule gets messed up have a LONG study hall. The real problem is though, a school as big as Easton almost doesn't have a choice. Parents must accept the fact that the reality is, the big mass of students at Easton have many many problems in the hallway. The more classes, the more class transitions and therefore the more problems. If you haven't personally been in the hallways to experience this, you just do not have any idea what problems there are. I wish that somehow the block was only for the top track students who can handle sitting, but the reality is the block is happening because of all those in the school with a large lack of self control. Feel sorry for those not top track, but not a behavior problem. These students can do well, but help them organize, stay after for help or tutoring from the start! Also: NO MORE half days or "fun" movie blocks!