Phillipsburg High School students will see major scheduling changes next year

Wednesday, January 13, 2010
By SARAH M. WOJCIK
The Express-Times

PHILLIPSBURG | It won't be easy, but the benefits outweigh the challenges for a major scheduling change at Phillipsburg High School, Principal Greg Troxell said Tuesday.

Starting next school year, the high school's block schedule in place since the late 1990s will give way to what is called a rotating block schedule.

Instead of taking four classes in 90-day semesters, students will take six different classes in an eight-period day all year long. Each class will convene three of every four days in a different time slot each day.

Troxell made the announcement about the adjustment at Monday's school board meeting and again Tuesday night, in front of about 50 parents during a monthly meeting with parents.

"Every school that's implemented this has gone through some growing pains," Troxell said. "Truly the rotating block schedule is really what we feel is the best fit for our school."

A key advantage of holding classes all year long is that students will be better prepared for end-of-course and state assessments, Troxell said.

Class length shortened

Classes will run 56 minutes rather than 84 minutes. Troxell said the block schedule period times were too lengthy and often failed to hold student attention, but the traditional 40-minute period provides too little time for extensive learning.

One downside is fewer lunch periods -- down from five to three periods a day. Troxell admitted crowded lunch periods will be a challenge in the current building but said they will be much smoother when students move to the new high school in 2013.

The change will also provide room for additional advanced placement courses, doubling the eight courses currently offered, Troxell said.

Initiatives enacted within the last 10 years at the high school have repeatedly failed to address the school's highest achievers, according to Troxell. The addition of more advanced placement courses should help remedy the disparity with other schools in the region.

"Our best and brightest students would be able to receive an education comparable to any school in the Lehigh Valley," Troxell said.

One parent, who didn't want to disclose her name, said she felt the schedule change was unduly confusing and "cruel." Other parents expressed some worry that the switch was too assessment-driven.

Benefit for athletes

Greenwich Township parent Lynn Smith said she supports the change. She said she was eager to tell her daughter, a participant in three different Stateliner sports, about the switch.

During the block schedule, Smith said her daughter continually missed a chunk of the last class of the day, and it was especially troubling when the subject was a difficult one. The rotating schedule will lessen the blow, she said.

Similarly, Troxell said the new schedule would help kids who fall ill during the school year. Missing a couple days during a block schedule semester can "be a killer," Troxell said.

As for the confusion of those first couple days in September, Smith has faith in the students.

"I think parents need to trust that their kids are smart enough to follow the schedule," she said.

Laura Krisanda, a Lopatcong Township parent and a teacher at Andover-Morris Elementary School, said the change will likely benefit test taking, but she worries about her daughter's senior-year opportunities.

Troxell assured parents that the coveted senior option --where students can choose to spend half their day taking college courses or working -- won't be adversely affected.

He also said special care would be paid to the class of 2011 to ensure those students' needs for senior year are met despite the scheduling change.