At GEHS we have a full block schedule meaning that we have alternating days. Many schools have different types of schedules so why do we have this one?
Frank Bell, the principal, explained that he thinks that there is value in giving classes more time. Not only to give students more time to learn, but it also gives teachers the ability to keep students engaged by doing different things throughout the class period.
“There’s some obvious classes that this really helps with like baking and pastry or science classes, but we don’t underestimate what can happen in a math class or an English class once it’s chunked up,” Bell said.
Bell explained how he is aware that students and teachers also appreciate the schedule.
“I can tell you that whenever we do, for whatever reason, have a combo day, it’s not altogether well received here that both staff and students want to return as quickly as they can back to our full block schedule,” Bell said.
Bell listens to the opinions of others and doesn’t plan on changing the full block schedule anytime soon.
“I inherited a full block schedule my first year as principal. It was already in place and had been in place. I always ask my building leadership team of teachers and my Principal Advisory Council of students. What do you guys think we need to change right now? They all say, No, keep it full block,” Bell said.
Though he doesn’t plan to change anything with the schedule, it has been a thought he has had.
“I’m not convinced that a modified block schedule would be hands down better than what we do right now. So every once in a while I plant the seed with teachers and students and they don’t want to change,” Bell said
If Bell were to make a change he would include different voices in it.
“I have these voices around me, I have my administrative team and my building leadership team, which is a group of about 25 teacher leaders in our building,” Bell said. “I won’t do any big changes without their input, but it’s possible if 10 people [are] around the table, I could get 10 different opinions about something, and I might have to make a decision as the leader. It’s rare, [though], that I go outside the majority.”
An issue with the full block schedule is having to keep the blue and white days even if we ever have an interruption like a snow day.
“The goal is we need to get back on our blue and white calendar as quickly as we can. And best equate the minutes equal blue and white, right? So we don’t change the whole calendar,” Bell said.
While block scheduling may have its flaws, it also has many benefits. One of those benefits is having seminar almost every school day.
“We have seminar every day, and I get feedback all the time about [not messing] with seminars. [Students and staff] like their seminar,” Bell said.
While Bell is aware that a change to the schedule would upset some people, he always keeps it as a possibility because he wants to ensure he is doing what’s best for the students.
“I bring it up from time to time. It triggers a lot of our teachers,” Bell said. “The students don’t want it either, but as the instructional leader of the building, I got to [think] ‘is what we’re doing best for students and learning?’ That’s tough. I don’t want a convenient schedule that sacrifices your ability to be successful when you leave here.”
