CV wrestles with six-period schedule

Between the pinch pots and sturdy mugs, Dane Knudson sat in his art class at Central Valley High School sculpting a clump of clay into a scenic pond.

The 16-year-old is taking pottery for the second year in a row, and his skill has greatly improved from last year.

What hasn’t improved this year, Knudson said, is the amount of time he has to devote to his art.

“It seems like we don’t have as much time to work on our projects,” Knudson said. “It doesn’t seem like you’re in class for very long.”

Knudson, like many staff and students at the high school, is still coming to grips with the schedule change implemented this year.

Last year, the Central Valley School Board voted to change the schedule at CV from a four-period, trimester schedule to a six-period, semester calendar because of budget cuts. University High School voted to keep its four-period schedule.

Every teacher at CV is teaching one more class this year, and class periods went from 90 minutes to an average of 54 minutes with longer periods two days each week.

“It’s been very hectic. We’re all very tired,” said art teacher Sue Mihalic. “I think the quality of the help I provide to my students isn’t as good as it was.”

Mihalic went from having 96 students to 160. She spends a few hours loading the kiln every day with student projects. Last year, she did it two or three times a week.

“The disadvantage is that I feel like I don’t know my kids,” Mihalic said. “I’m like the rubber ball at the end of the string, with the paddle.”

She said many teachers have more papers to grade, and less preparation time.

“What I sense right now is that we have to make adjustments,” said CV Principal Mike Hittle. “Even though we are all feeling the adjustments, we just haven’t gotten into our rhythm yet.”

Hittle said administrators are working on limiting the number of meetings and other administrative tasks put upon teachers to help them deal with the increased class loads.

“I can understand their frustrations,” Hittle said. “I told them last year when we set up the schedule that we knew what it was going to look like, but we didn’t know what it was going to feel like.”

The high school schedules first came under scrutiny in October 2003, when the board voted to eliminate one full-time teaching position from each school this year, and another part-time position in the fall of 2005.

At that time the board asked both schools to review the four-period schedule and consider other options.

The four-period trimester schedule can be more costly than a six-period semester because it gives teachers longer daily preparation periods and one fewer class each year. Central Valley schools are the only area schools to use it.

In November, teachers at U-Hi voted overwhelmingly (89 percent) to keep the four-period day. The board approved their request in January, after an emotionally charged debate, and voted unanimously to change the schedule at CV.

Teachers at U-Hi also agreed to modify their contract and to give up one trimester’s preparation period each year, and use that time to team-teach a class in their area of endorsement to create enough class sections to cover those lost in the staffing cut.

But those modifications haven’t been necessary so far.

Principal Daryl Hart said only two teachers are team-teaching a class this trimester.

“We were able to keep the schedule by maneuvering the master schedule quite a bit,” Hart said.

“The staff and community rallied together to keep their four-period day. It shows they believe very strongly in it,” Hart said. “It’s working because we really want to make it work.”

U-Hi has 200 more students than Central Valley this year, he said, and all the rooms in the building are being used as a result.

“Frankly, the four-period day helped with that because we only need the rooms four periods a day instead of six,” Hart said.

At a recent staff meeting at CV, teachers asked the administration how U-Hi could afford the four-period day, but CV could not.

“For those of us who weren’t totally on board with the change, we’re disappointed,” Mihalic said.

“When they built these two schools, they kept preaching equity and equality,” she said. “So (U-Hi) gets longer periods, less classes, more preparation time, but it won’t work for us. The question is where did we win?”

But not all students and staff are disappointed with the new schedule.

“I don’t mind it so much,” said senior Jesse Riley. “It makes the day go by fast.”

“And we start later so we get to sleep in,” said another student sitting nearby.

On Monday, Tuesday and Friday, school begins at 7:56 a.m. With a four-period day, students start at 7:35 a.m.

On Wednesday and Thursday school starts at 8:32 a.m. On those two days, teachers arrive early for access time with the students. The same is offered at U-Hi on the four-period day.

“My son seems to be thriving under the current schedule,” said Patty Weiser. Her son, Matthew, is a freshman at CV. “From what I understand, the four-period day wasn’t meeting student needs.”

A small group of Central Valley parents lobbied against the four-period schedule, saying it limits class choice, while U-Hi parents generally supported it. A survey mailed to U-Hi parents showed 85.2 percent favored the four-period day. Ninety-four percent of students were in favor.

“Personally I’m pleased as punch about the new schedule,” said parent Beth Miller, whose daughter is a sophomore at CV. “I think the kids have more choices, and there is less time in between classes.”

Because of the trimester schedule, some students would have several months in between core courses, and parents argued they would forget what they learned.

“Teachers would just get to know the students, and their learning styles, and it seemed like it was time for them to move on,” Miller said. “Personally, I think the kids are better off.”