A great deal of research, discussion, and planning for a possible transition to a block schedule for London High School has taken place over the last few months. This initiative was based on an effort to broaden student opportunities as well as to provide increased flexibility in scheduling for students. A block schedule means instead of students taking 6-8 courses that meet throughout the year, students are enrolled in four courses during the fall semester and another four courses during the spring semester. Beyond looking at research and examples of how block scheduling is best implemented in other districts, the administration sought out input from staff, students, and parents on the concept and on how best to make a transition to the new schedule.
In talking with students, staff, and parents alike a common concern kept recurring, namely how teaching and learning change to provide more engagement during a longer period of time. Staff provided concerns about sequencing of the curriculum, parents wondered what teacher training would occur and when, and students were wary of sitting in longer courses.
Although it is clear a block schedule better fits district goals of providing more opportunities for students, based on these concerns, a decision has been made to delay a transition to block scheduling until the 2021-2022 school year.
For next school year, LHS will continue to operate on a traditional 8 period day, but in doing so, will prioritize opportunities for internships, apprenticeships, CCP courses, and the like for juniors and seniors. The delay in transition will allow the school a better opportunity to work out the logistics of the instructional schedule and for teachers to learn more about the particulars for teaching in the block.