York Superintendent Revises Scheduling Recommendation

By Amber Lester Kennedy Friday, October 22, 2010

Three days before the York County School Board will vote on a proposal to change high school schedules, the division’s superintendent has revised his recommendation.

Superintendent Eric Williams released a revision to his recommendation for the board to approve a switch to a hybrid 4X4 schedule for high schools on Friday afternoon. He recommends the board approve the change, but plan to implement the new schedule at only Bruton High, York High and York River Academy, allowing Grafton and Tabb high schools to retain their current schedules.

The new implementation plan reflects staff support at the respective schools, he said. “Since staff support is vital to the success of a schedule implementation plan, the positive attitudes of Bruton High, York High and York River Academy staff members toward the hybrid 4X4 play a key role in my recommendation to the board,” he said, adding that parents from those schools have also given positive feedback.

Under his new recommendation, the schedule format would not be implemented at Grafton and Tabb in the 2011-2012 school year, but could be implemented in 2013-2014 if it proved successful in the rest of the district. Williams said that implementation by phases will allow the division to collect and analyze data.

In fall 2009, a committee of students, parents, teachers, principals and staff members began researching high school scheduling options. In June, the committee presented its recommendation to the board to implement a hybrid 4X4 schedule at the start of the 2011-2012 school year.

If approved, the new schedule would feature four, 90-minute instructional blocks every day. Most classes would meet every day for a semester, starting with a new course load in the spring, but some classes (such as Advanced Placement and band) would meet on alternating days for the entire year. Under the current schedule, students take six 90-minute classes on alternating days and one 50-minute course that meets daily for the entire year.

One of the advantages touted by the committee is the opportunity to earn more credits. Under the hybrid 4X4 schedule, students could earn eight credits a year, rather than the seven credits earned under the current schedule. It also offers more time to re-take failed courses, and gives teachers more face time with students.

Parents have criticized the schedule for taking away opportunities to participate in performing arts, disrupting the study of foreign language, complicating the transfer of military students and making SOL testing more frequent. In his announcement, Williams wrote, “While no schedule is without disadvantages, my recommendation to the board is based on the belief that the benefits of the hybrid 4X4 schedule format extend to all students. With approval by the board, Bruton, York and YRA students would have the opportunity to take eight credits a year, take fewer courses at one time and take the courses they both need and are interested in as they work toward earning the credits that lead to a high school diploma.”

The York County School Board will vote on the proposal at its meeting, starting at 7 p.m. in the board meeting room at York Hall in Yorktown. To learn more about the proposal, click here.