Block scheduling considered for Park Junior High in LaGrange Park

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Updated: April 16, 2012 1:42AM

A proposal for block scheduling at Park Junior High School in LaGrange Park prompted a list of questions almost as lengthy as the presentation outlining the plan Feb. 9.

For nearly three hours the La Grange Elementary District 102 Board heard and asked questions about a plan to divide the school day into four 90-minute periods with an 11-minute advisory period, similar to homeroom, at the end of the day.

Under the fourth schedule change in as many years, students would take five classes a day instead of seven and have art, music and technology classes for only three weeks of each 12-week trimester.

Proponents said the longer class periods allow more time for involved projects or experiments, in-depth discussions and a multidisciplinary approach, as well as fewer disruptions due to passing periods.

The proposal calls for students having 90 minutes of math and language arts daily with 45 minutes each of physical education and foreign language. Students would alternate between a full block of science and social studies every other day.

For three weeks of each 12-week semester, seventh-graders would take music and eighth-graders would take art with projects relating to topics in their language arts class. Eighth-graders also would take a science, technology, engineering and math elective during three-weeks of a math class each trimester.

Park Principal Phil Abraham said the proposal was prompted by staff dissatisfaction with the existing modified block schedule of nine periods, which sets aside up to 81 minutes each for math and language arts, but only 33 to 38 minutes for science, social studies, physical education and exploratory subjects such as art or filmmaking.

Teachers had an additional class and more students to manage this year and reported insufficient class time for setting up and conducting projects. They also reported more difficulties with hall supervision and inadequate advisory time of six minutes.

Some of the additional burdens on teachers were because enrollment increased by about 100 students in the past four years, the principal said.

Teachers with the double periods said they liked the extra time for projects, and administrators explored ways to extend that to all classes with suggestions from a middle school expert on scheduling.

But board members said more time for study, and details are needed on the proposed schedule, including the experience of other schools, which have tried it.

“I’m hearing all the pros, but no cons,” said board member Jennifer Comparoni. “There’s a gap in information here. What were the trade-offs, the non-negotiables. I would feel better seeing your full evaluation.

“It’s clear this is a big, big change. We need to feel comfortable with the process.”

Board member Dawn Aubert said others affected by the plan should be consulted.

“It’s great we’re talking to staff, but we need to close the circle and talk to students and parents as well,” Aubert said. “At the beginning of the year, I heard from a lot of parents their child had a horrible time adjusting to longer periods.”

Abraham said groundwork for changing the 2012-13 schedule should begin in March, but board members said they needed more information to make a decision.

“That would be our fourth different schedule in four years,” Comparoni said.

She asked for data on how minutes for each subject were allocated in previous years, as well as what students are choosing to take for exploratories and how well they are accommodated, since the board values student choice.

Aubert said the board should also spell out its philosophy as a mix of middle school and junior high characteristics and what the district is trying to achieve at Park, such as daily foreign language classes. The board should set goals and adopt a schedule to accommodate them, not the other way around, she said.

Aubert and board member Matthew Scotty wondered about the level of student attentiveness during longer class periods.

“What’s the engagement level of the kids in the last 20 minutes after they’ve been there over an hour,” Scotty asked. “Are they hanging on or losing it?”

Abraham and Assistant Principal Joe Gage responded that students are involved in their learning and teachers are making the most of class time.

A science teacher and a math teacher at Park spoke in favor of the proposal, but a music teacher and a parent who teaches U.S. history at Lyons Township High School spoke against the measure.

The board could consider the proposal again at its meeting at 7 p.m. Feb. 23 at Forest Road School, 901 N. Forest Road, LaGrange Park.