Mayor concerned over block scheduling

Guy Thompson The recent recommendation made by the Santa Rosa County School Board to staff all high schools based on the block system has impelled Milton City Mayor Guy Thompson to draft a letter to the School Board regarding the city’s own Milton High, and prompted discussion of its unsatisfactory performance.

In his letter to the School Board Thompson takes issue with the block system, which Milton has already been on for the past ten years.

The block system, or modular schedule, often referred to as a 4x4, requires students to take four classes a semester, and then another four classes the following semester.

“There are aspects of the modular approach,” writes Thompson, “that in the case of Milton High are and have been problematic.”

This last year Milton High was graded a “C school”, up last year from a D, but only by 10 points says Thompson.

Thompson contends, “the first question potential new residents ask a realtor is, ‘how good are your schools?’ It his the mayor’s fear that the answer in the case of Milton’s flagship school is not impressive enough to draw people to the area.

He refers to this scenario as detrimental to the City’s success and growth. “It not only traps the students, it traps the town”, he says.

Thompson refers to several shortcomings of the recommendation, such as the fact that under the block schedule students sometimes take a class four times a week, which he says causes the students “to lose continuity on their off days.”

“If a student misses a day under the modular schedule, that student is actually missing the equivalent of two or more days.”

With four classes a day, each instructional period lasts an average of 80 minutes, far too long contends the Mayor, who says he has talked with parents, teachers, and students about just how much teaching transpires in that time.

“No matter how well planned,” Thompson says, “on many days teachers end their instruction well before the class time expires with 15-45 minutes for the students to begin their homework.”

“When all of that time is added up at the end of the semester, less information and material has been covered. As a result,” he says, “when schools are tested and graded, the results reflect that fact.”

In last week’s School Board meeting several parents and students from Gulf Breeze High School, who along with Navarre High are on a seven period day, turned out to express their opposition to the change.

One Gulf Breeze junior, Alicia Jeffrey, said she was worried about what a 4x4 schedule would do to her Advanced Placement (AP) classes, claiming, “it would mean cramming incomprehensible amounts of information in one class period.”

The Mayor agrees, stating, “it is especially difficult to cover the necessary material for AP courses in the time allotted.”

Thompson says the amount of electives, which makes students more well rounded, are compromised under the block schedule, depriving students from participating in enriching curriculum such as band, chorus, and speech.

When asked to explain the success of an “A school” like Pace High School, which is also on a block schedule, the mayor again points to demographics.

“For a different demographic the block schedule might work,” says Thompson, who believes for a lower performing school like Milton, “it’s time to try something different.”

Thompson has called upon the School Board, and Administration to approve a six period schedule for Milton, similar to that of schools in the southern end of the county.

Each high school will soon have the option to adopt the schedule of their choice given that it is approved by their respective school advisory board by January 17.

Thompson says he does not hold out much hope in the case of Milton High’s chances of switching to the desired six period day, which must pass by a vote of 80% among teaching staff—the group most effected by the change.

Thompson says, as he understands it, the modified block will require teachers to teach three out of four classes one semester with one planning period, but teach four out of four the following semester, with no planning period.

However, with steps in the right direction, such as Milton’s new principle, Thompson says Milton High offers a good education but has been stigmatized by a negative perception, one which he is calling on the School Board to help change.

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