Spring 2015 schedule cuts early release, adds floating focused review session

Bearden will have a new schedule format again next semester.

The new “floating, rotating schedule” involves a 30-minute focused review session every day, and that session is attached to a different block each day depending on the day of the week. On Monday, first period is extended; on Tuesday, second period is extended, etc. Advisory will be moved to Friday with this new schedule, and early release on Thursdays will end.

The 30 additional minutes will allow teachers a predetermined time each week to focus on areas where students are struggling in that particular class.

The reason for the schedule change is that the 30 minutes extra time on early release Thursdays is not sufficient for adequate tutoring. That 30 minutes is typically lessened in the transition by packing bags, socializing, etc., principal Dr. John Bartlett said.

“So the tutoring aspect of early release really became negligible, [and] actually becomes more of a negative than a positive,” he said.

The negative aspects were enough that the administration decided to enact the change mid-way through the year, rather than next year.

“We were going to make that change next year,” Dr. Bartlett said. “We couldn’t justify early release anymore because it just isn’t working.

“The reason we decided mid-year was because we’re just not getting the effect we need to from early release tutoring.”

Currently, only 10 percent of students required to go to tutoring do so.

“In my mind, when you start talking about education,….[and] every moment is important, then we’re wasting time,” Dr. Bartlett said.

As soon as the exact format of the schedule is finalized, The Bark will publish a copy of it.