Dear Nease Families:
I presented on behalf of Nease faculty and staff to Superintendent Forson and his cabinet at the end of October requesting Nease move to a hybrid alternating day block schedule for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year. We were recently informed the request has been approved.
What is a hybrid alternating day block schedule? It is a combination of block days (94min classes) and straight 7 period days (33min classes), so students attend all their classes the same amount of time each week. In addition, the hybrid schedule accommodates students wanting to take dual enrollment courses at St Johns River.
The daily rotation will be...
Monday - Green Day
- Blocked classes (94mins) for 1st, 2nd & 3rd periods and a 50min 7th (skinny period)
Tuesday - Gold Day
- Blocked classes (94mins) for 4th, 5th & 6th periods and a 50min 7th (skinny period)
Wednesday - Straight 7 period day
Thursday - Gold Day
- Blocked classes (94mins) for 4th, 5th & 6th periods and a 50min 7th (skinny period)
Friday - Green Day
- Blocked classes (94mins) for 1st, 2nd & 3rd periods and a 50min 7th (skinny period)
The request to move to a hybrid alternating day schedule has everything to do with instructional time and
nothing to do with our size.
Example of a current 45min period
- 10min: warm-up or bell ringer
- 10-15min: mini-lesson
- 15-20min: independent and/or group learning
- 5min: closure
- Over a course of 4 days (M,T,R,F) 60-80mins of independent and/or group learning
Example of a 94min blocked period
- 10min: warm-up or bell ringer
- 20min: mini-lesson or 2-10min lessons
- 59min: independent or group learning
- 5min: closure
- Over a course of 2 days 118mins independent and/or group learning
- (38-58 additional mins/week than 7p day)
This longer learning time would allow teachers time to plan lessons where students are engaged and thinking critically. Stations/Centers could be utilized with time for teachers to work with small groups or students individually.
Proponents contend block scheduling
- promotes individualized instruction and independent study,
- increases instructional flexibility,
- enhances responsiveness to students' needs,
- yields more efficient instruction,
- ensures uninterrupted instruction and in-depth teaching in critical subject areas,
- invites a collaborative approach by allowing students more time to learn from each other, and
- promotes more efficient use of school facilities and greater use of community resources
Teachers will receive professional development to include training on how to manage time on a block and how to incorporate more student-centered instructional strategies.
Bell Schedules
As of now, the bell schedules for next year are below. The Wednesday bell schedule will probably change, as we are brainstorming ways to be creative, so we can allow time for club meetings and remediation during the day, while still maintaining student safety and a sense of order.
Block – Mon,Tue, Thu, Fri w/6min passing
Zero hour class: 8:15am – 9:10am (55min)
1st or 4th; 9:20am – 10:54am (94m)
2nd or 5th: 11am – 1:12pm (show WIRED)
- A lunch
- Lunch: 10:56am – 11:26am
- Class: 11:28am – 1:12pm (104m)
- B lunch
- Class: 11am – 11:30am (30m)
- Lunch: 11:32am – 12:02pm
- Class: 12:04pm – 1:12pm (68m)
- C lunch
- Class: 11am – 12:06pm (66m)
- Lunch: 12:08pm – 12:38pm
- Class: 12:40pm – 1:12pm (32m)
- D lunch
- Class: 11am – 12:40pm (100m)
- Lunch: 12:42pm – 1:12pm
3rd or 6th: 1:18pm – 2:52pm (94m)
7th: 2:58pm –
3:50pm (52m – class 50min & 2min for announcements)
Wednesday – Straight 7 w/4 lunches (6min passing time)
1st 9:20am – 9:53am (33mins)
2nd 9:59am – 10:32am (33mins)
3rd 10:38am – 11:45am
- A lunch
- 10:38am – 11:08am Lunch
- 11:10 – 11:45am Class (35mins)
- B lunch
- 10:38am – 11:13am Class (35mins)
- 11:15am – 11:45am lunch
4th 11:51am – 12:58pm
- C lunch
- 11:51 – 12:21pm Lunch
- 12:23 – 12:58pm Class (35mins)
- D lunch
- 11:51am – 12:26 Class (35mins)
- 12:28pm – 12:58pm Lunch
5th 1:04pm – 1:37pm (33mins)
6th 1:43pm – 2:16pm (33mins)
7th 2:22pm – 2:55pm (33mins)
We hope that you are as excited as we are about the changes for next year.
Best,
Lisa Kunze,
Nease High School Principal
