“A Proposal for Time”
Considering a Rotating Schedule for HHS
November 2014
Holmdel BOE District Goals
2014-2015
Assessing the Allocation and Utilization of
Instructional Time Across the Content Areas
Determine the need for and benefits
of a High School rotating schedule
Identify educational implications/financial concerns
Share information with all stakeholders
Evaluation Committee
Josephine Blaha
Science
John Harkness
Family and Consumer Science
Geri Semenza
Health and PE
Owen Bonner Assistant Principal
Lauren Haverlin
11th Grade ‐ President
Hamzah Shaikh
9th Grade ‐ President
Jenny Chu
10th Grade ‐ President
Joe Clores
Guidance Jen Lee
Parent
Bill Loughran
Principal
Aaron Spellman
Math
Karen Strickland
PTSO ‐ President
Marianne Connelly
Visual & Performing Arts
Sherry McBride
Social Science
Kathleen Taylor
World Languages
Sean Dowd
English
Michele England
Assistant Principal
Robert McGarry
Assistant Superintendent
Ann Radziwanowski
Special Education
Ana Vander Woude
BOE ‐President
The Committee’s Role
The Evaluation Committee bears the
responsibility of evaluating the need for,
and possible benefits of, a rotating
schedule at HHS, as well as identifying
potential obstacles and other areas in
need of attention should the schedule be
adopted;
It will also make a recommendation to the
BOE for their consideration.
Evaluation Timeline
(Tentative)
November 3rd
November 11th and 12th
November 17th thru 21st
December 8th thru 12th
December 15th thru 19th
January 7th
January 14th
January 21st
January 28th
Committee Mtg.
Public Presentations
Site Visits
Pilot Week
Surveys
Committee Mtg.
Staff Meeting
Committee Mtg.
BOE Presentation
Disclaimer
This information session is meant to
provide an overview of what a rotating
schedule would look like here at HHS.
The BOE will make the
final determination for approval,
taking into account a number of factors.
Current Schedule
RED indicates a Lunch Period
M
T
W
TH
F
Total
7:25 ‐ 8:11
1
46
46
46
46
46
230
8:15 ‐ 9:01
2
46
46
46
46
46
230
9:05 ‐ 9:51
3
46
46
46
46
46
230
9:55 ‐ 10:41
4
46
46
46
46
46
230
10:45 ‐ 11:31
5
46
46
46
46
46
230
11:35 ‐ 12:21
6
46
46
46
46
46
230
12:25 ‐ 1:11
7
46
46
46
46
46
230
1:15 ‐ 2:01
8
46
46
46
46
46
230
Modified Rotating Schedule
Each day, 6 academic periods (3 in the morning, 3 in theafternoon)
surrounding a “Unit Lunch” (a period when all students take their
lunch break) are scheduled.
2 separate rotations are set in place (AM and PM), and classes
will meet 3 times over the course of 4 days (61 minutes).
Each day, one AM class and one PM class is “dropped.”
Every class will meet on Friday (45 minutes).
By the end of the week, classes will have met only 4 times, but for
basically the same amount of time as if it met for 5 traditional
periods.
Why a “rotating” schedule?
The rotating schedule is a way to add an extra class
period to a student’s schedule, while still providing time
for our students to “take a break” during the day to
attend to other important school matters.
It also allows us to do the things we must as a
comprehensive high school (safety drills, meetings,
assemblies) without unfairly burdening one period over
another.
Further, it allows us to schedule Extra Help and
Club Meetings during the Unit Lunch
Other Schools Who Use a Rotating Schedule
School
School
Chatham
(1)
River Dell
(31)
West Morris – Mendham
(4)
Madison
(32)
West Morris - Central
(11)
Sparta
(34)
Livingston
(16)
West Windsor-Plainsboro South
(35)
Kinnelon
(20)
Governor Livingston
(36)
West Windsor-Plainsboro North
(23)
Northern Valley – Demarest
(42)
Ridgewood
(28)
Watchung Hills
(50)
Current Schedule
Period
Class
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
English
Math
Science
PE/Lab
World Language
Elective
Lunch
Social Science
“Rotating” Schedule
Period
Class
1
2
3
4
‐‐‐‐
5
6
7
8
English
Math
Science
PE/Lab
Unit Lunch
World Language
Elective
“Free Period”
Social Science
PROPOSED Rotating Schedule
Monday – Thursday
Time
Minutes
M
T
W
TH
7:25 ‐ 8:26
61
61
4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1
2
3
8:30 ‐ 9:31
61
9:35 ‐ 10:36
10:36 – 11:24
48
Lunch
Lunch
Lunch
Lunch
11:24‐ 12:25
61
12:29 ‐ 1:30
61
1:34 ‐ 2:35
61
8
5
6
7 8
5
6 7
8 5
6
7
3‐7
2‐6
1‐5
4‐8
“Dropped” Classes
PROPOSED Rotating Schedule
Fridays
Time
Period Minutes
Total for Week
7:25 – 8:10
8:14 – 8:59
9:03 ‐ 9:48
9:52 ‐ 10:37
1 2
3 4
45
45
45
45
228
228
228
228
10:37 – 11:23
Lunch
46
11:23 – 12:08
5 6 7 8 45
45
45
45
12:12 – 12:57
1:01 ‐ 1:46
1:50 – 2:35
228
228
228
228
Why 61 minutes?
Why 45 minutes on Fridays?
These numbers are arbitrary; schools who use a rotating
schedule have periods anywhere from 57-62 minutes.
For us, it will allow us to maintain almost the same
number of minutes per week that we currently have.
While the schedule proposed does end up offering
slightly less class time per class per week, it also allows
for an extra class (or study hall) into the schedule, and
for a guaranteed lunch break every day.
Why the need for a “Unit Lunch”?
Taking the lunch period out of the academic day is
the single most important thing we can do, as it
guarantees that all students get a break in their day.
It also provides the flexibility to make better use of the
commons for greater lengths of time during the school
day, as we can schedule free periods that may serve as
“study halls” for students throughout the day in that
space.
When would Science Labs meet?
Schools that use a rotating schedule implement their
science labs in one of two ways:
- by “overlapping”, either in the first or the second half ,
the Unit Lunch by 30 minutes
- designating the extra period in the day as a “study hall’
and running science labs during that period.
What about students who take two lab
sciences? Will they ever be “back to back”?
No, they won’t.
We will troubleshoot for that when we
develop the master schedule.
Where is Everyone Going to Eat?
Students will have plenty of places to eat:
–commons and lower commons,
–gym areas
–classrooms during “Extra Help”
–designated hallways (400s,100s)
What data is there to suggest that a switch to a
rotating schedule is educationally sound?
Current data on rotating block schedules is based on 85-90 minutes
periods, and initial data shows that while scores may not have
increased, the school climate is improved dramatically.
Regardless, we are not advocating a change in schedule as a
means of improving scores; rather, we are advocating for this
change based solely on the desire to make available to all students
the best possible learning environment we can offer.
We have no reason to believe that our academic performance will
suffer and are confident that, should this schedule come to fruition ,
we would all thrive in it.
Summary - Benefits
All students are guaranteed a lunch break and can eat
lunch with friends;
Extra Help will be offered during the Unit Lunch period,
and Club /Activity meetings may also be held at that time
Classes are rotated, lessening the chance of “staleness”
No one period is overburdened when student meetings,
assemblies, etc;. are held;
Individual classes are longer, allowing for more in-depth
instruction and learning to occur;
Summary – Items to be Resolved
Instructional Issues
– meeting 4x vs. 5x per week,
– moving from 46 to 61 minute classes
Miscellaneous Issues
– Food Service
– Shared staff assignments between HS and Satz
– Transportation
Questions
“Rotating” Schedule
Period
Class
1
2
3
4
‐‐‐‐
5
6
7
8
English
Math
Science
PE/Lab
Unit Lunch
World Language
Elective
“Free Period”
Social Science
PROPOSED Rotating Schedule
Monday – Thursday
Time
Minutes
M
T
W
TH
7:25 ‐ 8:26
61
61
4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1
2
3
8:30 ‐ 9:31
61
9:35 ‐ 10:36
10:36 – 11:24
48
Lunch
Lunch
Lunch
Lunch
11:24‐ 12:25
61
12:29 ‐ 1:30
61
1:34 ‐ 2:35
61
8
5
6
7 8
5
6 7
8 5
6
7
3‐7
2‐6
1‐5
4‐8
“Dropped” Classes
PROPOSED Rotating Schedule
Fridays
Time
Period Minutes
Total for Week
7:25 – 8:10
8:14 – 8:59
9:03 ‐ 9:48
9:52 ‐ 10:37
1 2
3 4
45
45
45
45
228
228
228
228
10:37 – 11:23
Lunch
46
11:23 – 12:08
5 6 7 8 45
45
45
45
12:12 – 12:57
1:01 ‐ 1:46
1:50 – 2:35
228
228
228
228
Darren Groh
Principal – Chatham HS
Groh, who lives in Chatham and has been principal for
nine years, attributes his students’ college-level success
to the school’s “four-day rotating block schedule,”
which simulates a college routine. “It really is kind of a
college-prep schedule,” says Groh. “The students have
to budget their time. It creates better time
management.” The students also have a lot of freedom
to select their courses. “We are fortunate that our
students take education seriously,” Groh adds.
-- New Jersey Monthly, Sept. 2014
Marie Kousoulis
Former HHS Teacher, now working in Chatham
I must say that I am a big fan of the rotating schedule. It definitely took
some getting used to but, by now, I have it down. The students (even
my freshman who, coming from middle school did not have this
schedule, adapted very quickly) do just fine with it. Their work
gets completed and there is never any question of what is due on what
day. On the teacher end, I like it because I see different classes on
different days and at different times. It's much less taxing than teaching
5 classes every day. Some days I teach 3 classes, other days four
classes and five classes only on one day. There is more prep
time to plan lessons and grade and get work done (even though we do
have duty periods). So, I do like it.
Darren Groh
Principal – Chatham HS
On schools contemplating a rotating schedule:
“A year from now your students and
faculty will be wondering why you
didn’t switch to this schedule sooner..”
-- Madison HS presentation
PROPOSED Rotating Schedule
Monday – Thursday (PILOT WEEK)
Time
Minutes
M
T
W
TH
9:23 ‐ 10:18
55
55
55
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
10:18 – 11:08
50
8
5
6
7
8
5
6
7
8
5
6
7
3‐7
2‐6
1‐5
4‐8
7:25 – 8:20
8:24 ‐ 9:19
11:08‐ 12:03
12:07 – 1:02
1:06 ‐ 2:01
“Dropped” Classes
55
55
55
PROPOSED Rotating Schedule
Fridays (PILOT WEEK)
Time
Period Minutes
7:25 – 8:06
8:10– 8:51
8:55 ‐ 9:36
9:40 ‐ 10:21
1 2 3 4 41
41
41
41
10:21 – 11:05
Lunch
44
11:05– 11:46
11:50 – 12:31
12:35 ‐ 1:16
1:20 – 2:01
5 6 7 8 41
41
41
41