Highs to get longer classes

By Thomas Greenberg
Posted 11/15/17

By THOMAS GREENBERG Eighty-four minutes might seem like a long time to be sitting in a classroom. But the school committee believes that creating a new four-periods-per-day schedule will have great benefits for the students in Cranston's high schools.

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Highs to get longer classes

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Eighty-four minutes might seem like a long time to be sitting in a classroom.  But the school committee believes that creating a new four-periods-per-day schedule will have great benefits for the students in Cranston’s high schools.

The change was officially agreed upon in a unanimous decision between the school committee and the Cranston teacher’s alliance Monday night. 

The terms of the change for the two high schools is that instead of the current six-classes-per-day at 47 minutes a session there will be a rotating blocked schedule with each class at 84 minutes long.  Each high school student will take eight classes total over the course of the year – four each semester, almost like a college schedule. Each core class will meet every day of the semester. The school will still meet in the allotted 7:37 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. slot, but will just have fewer classes for longer periods of time.

Superintendent Jeannine Nota said that each school will have informational sessions for parents in the coming weeks to communicate with students and families. Last night was the first step in communication, she said.

In the four middle schools, there will be seven periods per day at 47 minutes per class, with no skipping of classes at all.

The change at the high school level is most drastic, as students and teachers will now be spending more time in each of their classes and will go two full days between classes at certain points of the week.

The agreement wasn’t welcomed with open arms by everyone in attendance at the meeting.  Brynn Terry, a junior at Cranston West who said she was representing West’s newspaper, West Wind, spoke to the committee about concerns she had with the change.

“For students with independent learning programs, how would they benefit from 84-minute classes if they already have trouble focusing as is?” Terry asked.  “The new schedule is supposedly based on surveys and suggestions of students, but I know the majority of students don’t believe in schedules being blocked that long.”

It may be difficult for students, especially those with attention disorders or other learning disabilities, to focus on one subject for 84 minutes straight, according to the honor student at West.

But school committee chairwoman Janice Ruggieri said that “any aspect of the learning plans or any special accommodations were discussed and will be accounted for with the extra class time.” 

“The hope is that when students are in the classroom longer there’s more opportunity for project-based learning,” she said. 

As for the teacher’s side of the deal, committee members believe that this will work out for both teachers and students.

Daniel Wall, Ward 6 Committee member and a teacher in Providence schools, said during the meeting that he had concerns with the change as well, but has seen several versions of a block schedule during his time as a teacher and voted for the change because of the faith he has in teachers, administrators, and committee members.

Ruggieri also said that she knows teachers have had experience teaching longer classes and the benefits of the change outweigh the costs that may come with it.

“We want to provide opportunities that don’t currently exist because of the very rigid schedule we are currently working under,” said the Superintendent at the public meeting.  “When this is rolled out, I encourage you to keep an open mind because this will allow our students to expand their educations beyond the four walls of a school building.”

What the superintendent has in mind is a chance for students to “collaborate with local companies, business, industry, and higher education partners” that they couldn’t necessarily do under the current schedule rotation.  She pointed out that the extra class time will allow for a student to be an intern for a company, for example, during one of their class periods.

Ruggieri echoed Nota’s sentiments about new opportunity, especially with local collaborations.

“The hope is that when students are in the classroom longer there’s more opportunity for project-based learning,” Ruggieri told the Herald.  “We’re hoping there are partnerships with local companies where they would come into the schools to run a program [during the longer class periods].”

Ruggieri also pointed out that the students in the career and technical school will especially benefit from a rotating schedule because they will “have the opportunity to explore additional classes.”

Both Superintendent Nota and committee chairwoman Ruggieri agreed that the opportunities, especially in getting outside the four walls of a school building, are lacking in the current schedule, and the change will bring about immense benefits for the students of Cranston, despite concerns students have.

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