A lot of misinformation is being spread, and we want to address a few of the fallacies/assumptions about the CHS scheduling changes.
Specialized programming like BioMed, NJROTC, Pre-Engineering, Career Tech and Concurrent WILL CONTINUE to be offered at CHS.
Pre-Engineering WILL CONTINUE to be offered ON the CHS campus.
CHS WILL CONTINUE to offer Encore (it might look a little different, but we will continue to provide intervention and enrichment).
A 7-period day WILL INCREASE instructional time for each subject, improve learning, retention, and testing, and provide a more equitable education for ALL students.
Read below for more detailed explanations.
What will happen to our specialized programs, such as BioMed, NJROTC, Pre-Engineering, and Career Tech?
These programs WILL CONTINUE to be offered at CHS. Claremore High School’s transition to a 7-period day is designed to enhance student learning and achievement without compromising the specialized programs highly valued by students and parents, including BioMed, NJROTC, Pre-Engineering, Concurrent, and Career Tech. These programs play a crucial role in providing career pathways and specialized education, and there is a strong commitment to maintaining them.
The new schedule will create greater flexibility and open up more student scheduling opportunities. Instead of only being able to offer courses during specific periods, such as 1st hour or 4th hour, which may conflict with activities like band or athletics, the 7-period day will allow for more options throughout the day. This means that instead of just two opportunities to take a class, students could have four different options, making it easier to fit specialized courses into their schedules without conflicts.
CHS is forming a committee of teachers to help us think outside the box and maintain our diverse programming.
What will happen to Encore?
Encore benefits many students, particularly those who use it for enrichment or intervention. However, we also acknowledge that not all students have utilized it effectively.
Encore's benefits will be preserved in the new schedule. This ensures that students who rely on additional academic support will continue to receive it in a more structured and focused format. Our commitment to educational equity remains strong, and we are dedicated to ensuring all students have access to the resources they need to succeed.
How does this change affect instructional time?
It will increase instructional time and create a more equitable instructional for all students.
Increased Instructional Time:
More Minutes Per Year: The 7-period day offers significantly more instructional minutes per class over the course of the year. With an additional 3,558 minutes compared to block scheduling, teachers have more time to cover the curriculum thoroughly, ensuring that all essential topics are addressed. See the example below.
Continuous Learning: Daily exposure to each subject allows for continuous reinforcement of concepts, which is particularly beneficial for subjects requiring regular practice, such as math and foreign languages
Equity for All Students:
Balanced Learning Opportunities: The 7-period day offers equitable instructional time across the entire school year, ensuring no group of students receives less time in a subject due to scheduling differences. This uniformity is particularly important for students who may struggle with certain subjects and need consistent support throughout the year.
Avoiding Learning Gaps: In block scheduling, students may go several months without taking a particular subject, leading to gaps in knowledge retention. The 7-period day eliminates these gaps by providing regular, ongoing instruction, which is crucial for all students, especially those in the middle 70% who benefit from steady, incremental learning. It also aligns with state and national testing requirements, allowing testing to occur when the content is fresh.
Block Schedule Instructional Time (reflecting full and early out days)
Term 1 - 81 Days: 6,660 minutes of instructional time (111 hrs.)
Term 2 - 92 Days: 7,535 minutes of instructional time (126 hrs.)
Difference: The second term has 875 minutes (15 hours) more. This means the students in the first term are not getting the same instruction as students in the second term for the exact same class.
7-Period Day Instructional Time: This will provide an additional +3,558 minutes per class (59 hrs.)
Full-year 173 days classes: 8,897 minutes of instructional time (148 hrs.)
Additional +2,237 minutes of instructional time compared to Term 1 (37 hours)
Additional +1,362 minutes of instructional time compared to Term 2 (22.7 hours)
NOTE: This is an example based on a minimum of 53 minutes. The minutes may be slightly adjusted as the details are finalized.
Will this increase homework?
Not necessarily. The same amount of content will be covered but will take place over 173 days. Right now, that same amount of content takes place over 81 or 92 days (depending on the term) at an increased pace, so the quantity and frequency of homework are higher (same amount of homework—shorter time to complete it). A seven-period day over an academic year allows teachers to distribute assignments more evenly.
Over a year, you are taking 2 fewer classes than on a block schedule.
How will this affect graduation requirements?
The Oklahoma State Department of Education has recently updated its graduation requirements to provide greater flexibility in meeting each student's unique needs. This allows students to choose courses that align with their post-secondary goals and personal interests rather than being limited to traditional "required" classes. With this added flexibility, students will have more opportunities to pursue subjects that engage them and support their future aspirations, leading to more meaningful learning experiences.
Graduation requirements will be tailored to each graduating class to ensure alignment with these new standards.
How will a 7-period day help my students when they are absent?
Claremore High School’s transition to a 7-period day is designed to benefit students by making it easier for them to catch up when absent. In the current block schedule, missing just a few days can result in a significant loss of instructional time.
Absenteeism, a challenge faced by districts nationwide, is particularly problematic under the block schedule absences; whether it's a student or teacher, the problem is magnified.
For example, one missed day of classes in the first term is equivalent to two missed classes in a block schedule. This means that if a student is absent for three days due to illness, it equates to six days of lost instruction.
If you have more questions, email fridayswithfrazier@claremore.k12.ok.us.