Thu 29 Jan 2009
Changes in requirements for next year mean the schedule at Eckstein next year will be different. The requirements are:
- full year science at all three grade levels (district requirement)
- an average of 100 minutes of PE per week for all students (state law)
Budget changes coming out of Olympia and the effect of school closures elsewhere in the district are unknown but may also affect the schedule.
To provide input to Principal Kim Whitworth, who is responsible for devising the schedule, the Building Leadership Team (BLT) has started gathering input from parents, teachers, staff and students.
Over the next month or so BLT will be sharing possible schedules to get additional feedback. The February 9th PTSA meeting (7:00-8:30pm, Library) will be one opportunity for parents to meet with Kim to hear more. You can also send email to schedule@ecksteineagles.org or add comments to this and other schedule related posts.
January 29th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
I am not able to attend the meeting with Kim so here is my two cents worth. In order to accomodate the new mandate for p.e. and science, can homeroom be nixed, and all periods shortened a bit,or the school day lengthened, in order to allow seven real periods? This would let students continue to have two electives. Homeroom announcements and attendance can be incorporated into the first period class, as it is in high school. It is important that kids still get at least two electives!
Another option which worked great in my junior high was to have elective classes on alternating days, all year long. That way students got all the classes, just every other day for electives. Math, language arts, social studies, p.e., and science could be everyday. We had an A day – B day schedule that rotated weekly: one week it went A-B-A-B-A, the next week was B-A-B-A-B. If no homeroom, this would make room for four electives, two on A day, two on B day. Kids could get 1/2 year of band, language, visual art, and technology. I would much rather my child get a half year of each of these than have to choose one or the other. My son very much wanted to take Mr. Wysen’s CAD class, but because he had band and Spanish, he couldn’t do so. My daughter would love to take art, but has the same situation, so can’t take it. Thank you.
January 29th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
just leave it how it is………..dont make the school day longer…….EVERTONE would HATE it. trust me i no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 4th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
I’m in favor of the 7 period day and really love the idea that Leslie Riley posted. I have same problem with my son – music/spanish/art – no art since no room in current schedule. I think shorter classes could work but would require both students and teachers. My 7th grade son favors the SS/PE schedule because its closest to what happens now. Can’t really see how the AB/C schedule would work; too long a class can mean possible boredom?