Block scheduling has become a hot topic in the RIH District following a presentation shared with the community on November 21. With the formal resolution up for consideration from the Board of Education as of December 16th, a new schedule for the RIH district is becoming increasingly probable.
The first consideration of a new schedule occurred in early 2023 when a committee of 39 staff members was formed to investigate how block scheduling could be used to “optimize learning, wellness, and school culture,” explained Superintendent Shauna DeMarco in a recent webinar. Until recently, though, the discussion of block scheduling has remained stagnant. As Student Council President Tristan Casella described, block scheduling has “been in discussion for many years; however, with the switch to a new superintendent and concrete administration, we plan on taking this step forward.” When Ms. DeMarco was hired this past August, the district revisited related documents, reintroducing the possibility of block scheduling for RIH.
The proposed schedule involves many changes to the structure of the school day, including a later start time, longer periods, and a four-day repeating cycle. The new schedule would adjust the school start time to 8:20 AM, rather than the current 7:40 AM. This adjustment aligns with research showing that “the teenage brain, even when it tries to get sleep earlier in the evening, doesn’t inherently shut down then,” explained Ms. DeMarco. Therefore, by pushing back the school’s start time, students can get better sleep, improving their energy and academic capacities. To account for inconveniences for parents, the district plans to open certain areas of the school at 7:15 AM for students, with security supervision, to allow for a relaxed breakfast, time to review academic studies or socialize with friends, and the opportunity for parent-provided transportation.
Another significant change within the proposed schedule includes a rotating drop-block cycle with 56-minute class periods. Each student would have eight classes, attending six classes per day–three-morning classes and three afternoon classes, which would remain during that time of day throughout the cycle. Over a four-day cycle, each class would meet three times. The rotation ensures that one morning class and one afternoon class are omitted each day, keeping the schedule balanced and varied.
Between morning and afternoon classes, students would have a unit lunch, in which the entire school would have lunch at the same time. Exceptions would occur for science labs, which would take place either in the first or last 20 minutes of lunch, depending on when the science class falls. For instance, if the science class meets during block three, the lab would take place at the beginning of the lunch period, from 11:18 to 11:38. If the science class meets during block four, the lab would take place at the end of the lunch period, from 11:54 to 12:14. Additionally, science classes will always meet the day after a lab, rather than being dropped, because labs often take overnight to see results.
Unit lunch also introduces an option for off-campus lunch for seniors, contingent on meeting criteria such as a C or higher in all their classes, strong punctuality and attendance, and excellent conduct, along with parent permission. If senior students follow these requirements, they will be allowed to leave campus during free periods, provided they sign in and out of school with their ID cards.
As the district considers block scheduling’s implementation, “the hope is for a smooth and easy transition for an improvement of student quality of life and gain from classroom opportunity,” describes Casella, citing the success of block scheduling in nearby districts. Superintendent DeMarco explained several reasons why she expects students and staff would benefit from the proposed schedule in her webinar. Firstly, the increased flexibility and variety provided by drop block scheduling allows students to have different classes at various times throughout the day, benefiting those with different engagement levels at different times. According to Ms. DeMarco, “having classes at different times in the morning or different times in the afternoon can really help with a student’s engagement. […] t’s not the same monotony that we face when we’re going through the same schedule every day.” Furthermore, Ms. DeMarco added, when we have someone, you know, potentially running late or […] leaving early, that’s not going to affect the same class”
Additionally, longer class times allow deeper learning, including increased hands-on applications and individual support. The additional 13 minutes per period are expected to have a substantial impact over the year, expressed Casella, explaining that “many studies show that depth over breadth of studies allows for a better retainment of knowledge.”
Furthermore, the longer lunch period has many benefits as well, providing another time for extracurricular activities and enhanced learning opportunities. During lunch, teachers will have the option to hold extra help and run clubs and other activities instead of simply before or after school. Even if students choose not to take advantage of additional opportunities during lunch, students will benefit from a universal lunch period as they will not have to worry about having friends during their lunch or even having a lunch period, in comparison to this year in which many students are facing no lunch at all due to scheduling limitations. According to Ms. DeMarco, unit lunch “fosters social interaction between students” and allows them to participate in extracurriculars during the school day.
Come September of next year, students may face significant changes to their current routines. Nevertheless, diligent research has contributed to the planning of this new schedule, making many school officials confident that the changes will benefit students and the school as a whole.
