Students, teachers give block schedule good grade
By Michelle Knight knight@theacorn.com

Monte Vista Middle School students have time on their side.

Principal Sara Davis told the Pleasant Valley school board last week that nearly all of the teachers are happy with the school's new block schedule, according to a recent survey.

Davis said 92 percent of the school's 32 teachers approve of the arrangement.

Monte Vista sixth, seventhand eighth-grade students began attending three classes a day instead of the traditional six last fall, spending 100 minutes in each class. Traditional classroom time runs about 50 minutes.

"I'm glad we are continuing the program," Davis said. "It provides teachers with quality instruction time that's not interrupted."

Students have more time for in-depth learning, Davis said. Because students spend nearly twice as much time a day in each class, teachers have more opportunities to incorporate a variety of teaching strategies, such as having students work in groups and research information on the Internet.

Eighth-grader Mikayla Hernandez told the board she gave up an elective to take algebra this semester for 100 minutes. For one math exercise, the students had time to go outside and physically plot themselves on a giant coordinate plane, which made it much easier to pay attention to the lesson, she said.

"Last year, once we learned our lesson it was time to go and we didn't have the time to go over many of the problems; I was rushing from class to class," Mikayla said. "This year I am finding it easier to learn the concepts with more time and only three classes a day to study for."

Dennis Arteaga said he's happy to have additional time in science lab.

"I love all the different teaching techniques Mrs. Kelly can use in one period to help me learn science," the eighth-grader said.

Davis said added benefits of the block schedule include a calmer campus atmosphere since students aren't moving between classes as frequently. With classes wedged between a nutrition break, lunchtime and a reading class, students also aren't as hurried as they once were.

The new schedule "focuses the students' attention on learning," Davis said.

The survey revealed one glitch, however. If students don't turn in their homework on time, they must wait an additional day to turn it in.

Davis said to help alleviate the problem, a study hall was started earlier this year so students could do their homework while at school. And to help them keep better track of homework deadlines, the notebook agenda students receive at the beginning of the school year will be reformatted to correspond with the block schedule.

Although Monte Vista is expected to have more than 250 more students enrolled in the fall, enrollment at other schools is expected to decline, district officials have said.

A citizens committee recommended to the school board last week that the district close three schools, including a middle school. Monte Vista is expected to remain open.