Just got the afternoon paper. This is not yet in the online edition, so I'll type it in for ya:
Some Monessen students oppose scheduling change
Frank Davis plans to graduate next week from Monessen Highschool, but he has one last project to take care of before he accepts his diploma. Davis, 19, is on a mission to convince the Monessen school board and administration to reverse a decision to switch from block scheduling to an 8 period school day. The High School established its block scheduling system in 1996 following the opening of the new high school/middle school facility. With block scheduling, students attend 4 90 minute classes each day. Their class schedules change each semester. Davis said students learned about the decision while scheduling courses for the 2006-2007 school term. "The block scheduling has been working, so why do they need to change it?", Davis asked.
Davis began a student petition drive and had friends stand with him outside the Monessen FoodLand to help him solicit signatures in protest of the change. He said about 150 students and 50 city residents have signed the petition.
He plans to present the petition at 7:30 tonight at the school board special meeting.
District superintendent, Dr. Cynthia Chelen, said administrators decided to return to an 8 period schedule because of rising standards related to Pennsylvania system of school assessment testing.
She explained that, with block scheduling, some students may have only one math course each school year.
"There is too much time lapse between when students are having math and English classes,", Chelen said, "they need to have these courses every day."
Although the district has met proficiency standards in terms of average yearly progress and is meeting it's PSSA score requirements, Chelen said administrators must look to the future.
"We're currently holding our own and we did meet our average yearly progress for two consecutive years, but that bar keeps rising," Chelen said. "Our numbers keep getting closer."
Chelen said an average day for students under block scheduling might include math, science, English and physical education. But some students take mostly elective courses and no core classes.
She said the board has studied the issue for several months and decided that returning to an 8 period day w/ 45 minute classes would be best for the students (aka mushrooms) The new plan involves an administrative decision and doesn't require a board vote at a public meeting, Chelen said.
"We would never make a decision like this casually," said board member Marilyn Pivarnik, a retired Monessen school district teacher and principal. "This decision is long overdue."
Pivarnik said block scheduling provides no "continuity" and it makes it harder for students to retain what they have learned.
"If you have Spanish this year and don't have Spanish II till next year, how do you remember what you have learned" she asked ["I dunno, speak it?" I thought]
Highschool principal, Randal Marino, and agrees that students should have daily English and math.
"A student might take math in their freshman year and not have it again till their sophomore year," Marino.
He said the state will add science questions to the PSSA test which re-enforces the decision to employ the 8 period system.
Marino said he has received "mixed reaction" from students and teachers about the change.
"Any time you make a change, there's bound to be concerns," Marino said. "We just felt it was imperative we do this."
Davis doesn't agree. He contends there will be more homework with the change, constant class changes resulting in less teaching time and more cost for the taxpayers. And, even though he is graduating, he cares about the future of the underclassmen.
"No one even asked the students or even the teachers", Davis said. "This is our school, after all, don't you think they should ask us before they rearrange it?"
Patrick Major, 15, a freshman signed the petition.
"I think it's going to be hard for a lot of the students", he said, "it seemed fine the way it was.
Chelen said the district set aside money for the new books and a tentative budget that requires no tax increase.
The superintendent said she expects some students will be unhappy about the change because they are accustomed to having little or no homework under the block scheduling system.
"I've had many kids go off to college and tell me they weren't used to the heavy work load because they had such a light load here" Chelen said.
School board president, Jack Howell said the decision is a good one.
"Change is always hard to deal with, but in the long run we feel this is the best thing to do", Howell said.
Faith, as well intentioned as it may be, must be built on facts, not fiction- faith in fiction is a damnable false hope.
--Thomas Edison, American inventor