'Good Start' for New High School Schedule

Madison Education Association president and high school history teacher Bob Grundfest said the new rotating block schedule at is "off to a very good start."

Classes meet four days each week for an hour, and students share a common lunch. The classes meet at different times on different days, instead of the same lineup of classes with shorter periods five days a week.

Commenting during the Tuesday Board of Education meeting, Grundfest said the new schedule gives teachers more time working with students each class period, and the longer, common lunch for all students is less stressful.

Four days into the school year, students already are stopping in to classrooms during their lunch period to seek help from teachers, he said.

Some teachers have designated times for extra help, and sometimes it's impromptu, he said.

"So far it's proven to be a workable schedule," Grundfest said. "Right now we've gotten off to a very good start."

Superintendent Dr. Michael Rossi also said the new schedule has had a good start and the lunch period is running smoother every day.

High school student Emily Mae Czachor wrote in a blog post the new schedule , though there also could be difficulties with scheduling regular test days and some students had trouble finding a place to eat lunch the first few days.

Once minor flaws are fixed, "students and faculty will be able to embrace the advantages of Block Scheduling," she said.

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