School Beat: Students Line up at Dawn for Schedule Changes

For the last three days, The Observer has gone to EHS for schedule help---all junior and seniors, some 200 students, had been sent letters asking for them to consult with guidance on possible changes to their 2006-7 schedule. My daughter is away at school for three weeks, so I thought I would substitute.

As you may remember, a late change in math staffing had caused changes in several areas, and many students were affected. The master schedule, the key thing in scheduling, was set in June, rather than in April--which would have been ideal.

For the record, Monday I arrived at 10Am, Tuesday at 7:07Am and today at 6:02AM. Today I was successful. Appointments are filled for the day--10 of them--by 7:01am to the first in line. Yes, the threatened hail storm may have helped me.

Mr. Keister explained that he visits for some days in June and some days in August as counseling days.

As I see it---The late budget process this year and the late setting of the master schedule has added stress to students, parents, and staff of the high school. I would like to see some additional counseling hours allowed by the school board to resolve as many of these schedule conflicts as soon as possible.

 

For next year, I would hope we could add the ZERO HOUR, and use it for TV instruction and even consider adding an additional hour between 3-3:45PM. This might be a partial solution. We need to go to the 7 period day or make an adjustment. It is a matter of math and combinations, not personalities.

The problem of course is that to make change, one would have to begin NOW. The class offerings are sent out in December. The teachers would have to be involved in negotiations on contracts. The master schedule needs to be firmed sooner. And yes the budget battles need to be fought and resolved sooner.

So---we need to move to the up-tempo game. Need to learn from last year. I believe we are ready to make the changes necessary to make things better for all.