Block schedule for GBHS?
Teachers and principals given final say on adopting the four by four system
BY PAM BRANNON Gulf Breeze News news@gulfbreezenews.com

Rogers

Gulf Breeze and Navarre High Schools could go on a four by four block scheduling system next school year. It is up to the teachers and school principals now. Teachers met Monday night with Principal Sylvan Ladner and School Board Member Ed Gray at a faculty meeting, and are now considering a new and different option Ladner presented.

"Years back Gulf Breeze was on a seven period schedule where teachers taught six of seven periods - teachers would have to pick up an additional class and periods would be 63 minutes long, but they liked the new alternative and seemed to be leaning towards it," Gray says. "Ladner said the old system still allows teachers a planning period, and keeps students on a six-class schedule, but it would save the money the school board wants and keep the school schedule closer to status quo, a move parents are fighting for. We would have early dismissal on Fridays, and weekdays could run longer as well."

Santa Rosa County School Superintendent John Rogers addressed a standing room only crowd at last week's school board meeting about the block schedule.

"What we have set in our high schools right now works for us - some on block scheduling and some on the seven period day, teaching five periods. So why do we want to make a change? We don't. But to live within our budget next year and beyond, we must make a change."

Rogers said after a year of studying this and doing research, his staff committee came up with a report and a recommendation to the school board that they adopt a four by four block schedule, with teachers handling three classes the first semester and four classes the second semester. However, any school can opt out of that schedule.

Gulf Breeze High Assistant Principal overseeing curriculum, Angie Donlen, said Gulf Breeze High teachers are telling her they would like to stay with the sevenperiod day. The faculty meeting confirmed that fact.

"Whatever the teachers indicate they would like to do, it has to go to the school advisory committee for a proposal before teachers can vote on it.

"But from the previous discussions and comments we have received, teachers had said they wanted to try to stay with the seven period day of they could. And students also want to stay with that schedule."

Rogers explained that state funds the district only to teach six-period days.

"So to use the seven-period day and the block scheduling, because we feel our students get better education, it has been costing us about $3 million more a year than the state pays us," he said. "This year we had a $2.3 million cutback from the state, and this change would save us right at $2 million a year." Currently the north county schools are on block scheduling, including Pace and Milton and Jay High Schools. Gulf Breeze and Navarre High Schools are currently on a seven-period day, teaching five periods. With a four-by-four block schedule, students would have 85 minutes to each class and a year's worth of material would be covered in one semester.

Rogers said, "In all our research, we have found it is not the time in class that makes the real difference in how students progress, it is the teacher. Of course a block schedule takes more creative teachers to keep students' interest. But we have great teachers," Rogers said. "And there will be plenty of training for teachers who are not familiar with the block scheduling concept. That is why we need to make this decision right away, since scheduling for next year's classes begins in February and we need to start also scheduling some special training sessions."

Many parents from Gulf Breeze were at the school board meeting to voice concerns about block scheduling, voicing their concerns that block scheduling would cause a loss of electives or AP courses.

Richard Jesmonth of Gulf Breeze said, "My daughter took all AP courses at Gulf Breeze High and she is now in college, and it saved our family about $40,000. How can a student take that many AP courses in block scheduling? And now you will have a student take AP calculus in December and not take the AP test until May? It won't work. A lot of parents say if the block scheduling comes in they will send their children to private schools in Pensacola."

Rogers said under the state's six-period day students are required to get 24 credits a year, and under the seven-period day students get 28 credits. But under block scheduling they get 32 credits.

School Board chairman JoAnn Simpson said she was concerned about block scheduling when it first came into Pace High School over 10 years ago when she had children there.

"But I am now a fan, seeing it work close up. My children took AP courses and took the tests and got into college and it works great."

Board members voted to go with the block schedule for all high schools unless the teachers agree at any school to go with the waiver and stay with the seven period day.

The deadline for all schools to let the school board know which schedule they will be using next year is Jan. 17.

There will be a special school board meeting Jan. 24 to look at all the school schedules and make a final vote for what schedule is implemented at each school.