School board hears scheduling options

Potential class options, and the implications of each, were presented to Summerland Board of Education members, Nov. 9, during the board's regular meeting in Ewing.

Kendra Shrader, Summerland-Clearwater counselor, along with senior transition and business educator, Amy Selting, and Summerland-Orchard counselor, Denise Meyer, presented multiple schedule options.

While compiling data, Selting said schedules from schools of different sizes, within the state, were reviewed.

"We did take from the feasibility study conducted a few years ago," Selting said.

Current staff provided course offerings ideas, which were compiled into a course catalog.

Shrader said the idea came after visiting the Boone Central School website and continued to grow after assisting families while scheduling students, last spring, during the pandemic.

"It was kind of difficult. Some don't understand the progression of classes or some classes have prerequisites or graduation requirements, so we put this together," she said.

The proposed course catalog will eventually be available on the school website.

"It will help us evaluate programs of study to ensure we're meeting Rule 10 guidelines," Shrader said.

A potential eight-period schedule was highlighted.

With this setup, the biggest increase will be offerings in business and technology, family/consumer sciences, art and agriculture.

Another change shown in an eight-period schedule is utilizing the eighth hour for junior high athletics.

Meyer said, "Doing this would help with transportation. It would still allow for those junior high students to ride the bus after school and not have to be in practice after school."

According to Shrader, the feasibility study called for three English instructors and five combined math and science positions.

"We did throw in a few extra periods we pulled out of the Nebraska course catalog book to show ideas," she said. "But we also talked that's where either work-based learning or Multi-Tiered System of Supports or some other role could come into play. There are quite a few additional course offerings."

Transitioning to a four-day school week could be an option.

Selting said advantages include staff moral, cost savings, student focus and enrichment days.

She spoke with Nebraska schools currently embracing the shortened week.

"Each of the schools I talked to about the four-day school week had different reasons for doing it. Some did it on Monday, some did it on Fridays. Some didn't have a set day. It really came down to being precise on the school calendar," she said.

Banner County Public Schools uses a fifth day as an enrichment day.

"Students would come in and do whatever a teacher wanted to teach about," she said, noting they had 80% participation on the enrichment day.

For Conestoga Schools, cost savings were the driving force for implementing a four-day week.

"They were saving over $100,000 in transportation costs," Selting said.

She noted the model could have disadvantages, including daycare options, an extended school day and less absence opportunities.

"A lot of students say they aren't absent as much because they come back refreshed after having a little bit longer weekend," Selting said.

Shrader suggested a modified block schedule, which would provide longer lab and project class time periods.

"It allows us to take our regular eight-period day and mesh it with a block schedule.

"You get the advantages of block scheduling without all the disadvantages," she said.

Under this system, Monday and Thursday classes would be a normal eight-period schedule.

Periods one through four will meet for an extended period on Tuesdays. On Wednesdays, periods five through eight will hold classes.

Extended periods will total 94 minutes.

"On Fridays, it's a shortened schedule to get out at 2:15, which would allow for just over an hour for staff development," Shrader said.

The modified block schedule has four minutes less than a traditional schedule, according to Shrader.

"There's not really that big of a difference as far as how many instructional units. It's just rearranged a little bit," she said.

A modified block schedule would standardize testing periods, homeroom and early dismissals, while providing an equal amount of instructional units.

A modified block would mean three different bell schedules and could lead to more make-up work if a student is absent on a block day.

"If we want to be trendsetters and do something different that is still educational and does something for our kids, we should look at it," Shrader said.

The trio also introduced several basic ideas the district can implement that will benefit students.

Shrader said a homeroom concept was built into the hypothetical schedule.

The shortened period could be used to deliver announcements, complete drills or meet with instructors.

It could also be used for guidance topics, including social and emotional wellness, drugs, suicide awareness, digital citizenship and bullying awareness activities and assemblies, John Baylor test prep, Makerspace opportunities and library visits.

"We also talked about the importance of blending our three school communities and having activities and maybe, one or twice a month, for our kids to bond and connect since we'll all be under one roof," Shrader said.

Summerland-Clearwater currently runs a senior transition program, where students are able to participate in work-based learning opportunities or the Fridays @ Northeast program.

"It aligns with Rule 47 and allows us to start working toward creating career academies," Selting said. "We've had a lot of success with the program."

The program could be built into the new Summerland schedule.

Three instructors certified in work-based learning are currently Summerland staff members, including Selting, Patty Sukup and Jessy Hilkemeier.

Selting said a potential video production/broadcasting class could be introduced.

"That in itself, can be quite costly," Selting said. "We would like to create that as part of a class. We think that would be a great add-on to our curriculum."

Business instructors from all three sites met recently to write a grant to fund equipment purchases.

Meyer said another option could include early dismissal on Fridays.

Staff development, faculty meetings, safe schools training and MTSS work time could be built into the schedule.

"Getting out early on Fridays may decrease the need for early dismissals for sports and also decrease missed class time for that as well," Meyer said.

Superintendent Dale Martin said a lot of time and effort was put into scheduling options.

"There's a lot of things to think about. Good information. It's a good start on those discussions that will need to come," he said.