If you have a Mount Si High School student – or soon-to-be MSHS student – their school day will be a little different starting in the 2018-19 school year.
At the June 22nd school board meeting – and after 18 months of work – the High School Schedule Advisory Committee (HSSAC) recommended a new schedule model that will reset how high school courses are delivered in order to offer students more flexibility to meet increasing state graduation requirements.
The committee recommended a schedule model that will implement a 7-period day with two block days. The school board adopted that recommendation during the meeting.
With the new 7-period block schedule, high school students will have seven instructional periods on Monday, Thursday and Friday. Tuesday and Wednesday will be block days, when students attend fewer classes, but those classes are extended in length to nearly 90 minutes. Students will also have Pride Time (advisory) each Wednesday, where they can meet with teachers, meet with counselors, catch up on homework, etc.
In the new schedule model, teachers will teach 5 of 7 classes, which will give them more prep time each day. According to the schedule recommendation executive summary, that additional prep time will be used for office hours, professional development, collaboration, SIP building/department focus, interdisciplinary team time or revising scope and sequence (still to be bargained).
Most district across the state have or are moving to high school schedule models that allow students to take more credits. Beginning with the class of 2019, state high school graduation requirements increased to 24 credits – often referred to as ‘Core 24.’
A traditional 6-period schedule only allows students to take 24 credits during high school, making it tough for students to pursue electives that are part of their high school and beyond plan while still fitting in all state required courses. Core 24 also leaves little room for error if a student struggles to pass a course.
Again, the new schedule model starts at Mount Si HS in the 2018-19 school year.
You can read more details about timeline, advisory committee, changing graduation requirements, frequently asked questions and other schedule options that were considered on the SVSD website.
