Principal in Favor of Block Scheduling at NHS

Located on the 20th page of the are a few short paragraphs that spell out a potential change to the scheduling at Naugatuck High School.

“If the (Board of Education) increases instructional time under the block schedule above an average of 222.5 minutes of instructional time per day per two week cycle,” the contract stated, “the parties will bargain over any impact as required under the Teachers Negotiations Act.”

Switch to a block schedule? Well, not right now. But this provision — which was approved when the board voted in favor of the Naugatuck Teachers’ Association contract last week — means the teachers have agreed to the potential change. 

Currently, NHS students attend seven periods each day of classes, plus an additional period for lunch, during the seven-hour school day. Each period is 44 minutes.

But under a block schedule format, the students would instead be in classes for roughly 80-minute periods, reducing the number of periods a day to four. The idea is still being examined, however Principal Janice Saam, who recently assumed her role as head of the high school this year, said this something she has researched for years, and would like to see happen.

“This is the right thing to do for our students,” she said.

Whether or not the district moves forward with this initiative, Saam emphasized that it wouldn’t happen without careful planning. In researching the format, she said she has observed how other schools conduct their schedules utilizing the block format, and she is arranging so that NHS teachers can visit those schools to see how it would work.

“It may or may not happen next year,” Saam said, indicating when such a format could be established. “I really want (the teachers) to visit the schools, and find out about the pros and cons.”

If the school did change to a block format then, according to the above agreement, the teachers would be agreeing not go back to the bargaining table to seek additional compensation.

“So, as I understand, there would be no additional compensation,” said Board of Education Chairman David Heller. “That was the issue when we first brought (the contract) forward. There were proposals back and forth, with both sides agreeing to what we agreed to in the contract.”

Typical formats for block scheduling following the “A/B” structure, Saam said. Under this format, she said students would attend their first round of classes on A days — meaning Monday, Wednesday and Friday — while their second round of courses would be on the B days — or Tuesday and Thursday.

Saam said a potential block format would likely model that of another school that already has one in place.

“I’m all about not reinventing the wheel,” she said. “So if I could find something out there that’s working or that’s a good model, I’d go with that.”

Among the reasons to switch from the current format, Saam said the state is now moving to require 25 credits from Connecticut students to graduate high school. Under a block format, students would be able to take eight credits a year, meaning they can easily graduate with 32.

Also, certain classes warrant more time for instruction than the current 44-minute format. Saam noted that often time science labs that begin on one day often aren’t finished until the following school day because the class length is too short.

The same thing goes for AP courses. If teachers want to facilitate an actual AP exam situation, it’s possible to do that in 80 minutes — but not in 44, Saam said.

“In a block schedule that lab would be built in,” she said. “It opens up more opportunities and more time to talk together for grade-level partners.”

As far as student reactions, Saam said the block scheduling hasn’t been brought up in any public format as of yet, however she has talked about it with the high school’s Parent Student Association and the Student Council. She said both groups didn't have any glaring opposition to the idea, although the students did pose some questions such as how it could affect their homework levels.

And as far as the board is concerned, Heller said it is in favor of the format.

“We discussed it over the teacher’s contract, the principal and the superintendent think it’s a good idea,” he said. “So if the principal thinks it’s a good idea then so does the board. I know Mrs. Saam while she was the associate principal had done a lot of evaluations — put together a whole committee to evaluate the high school scheduling, the way it works and the ways it could be better.”