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Unicoi Co. High School principal says class changes ‘well received’
By Jim WozniakErwin Bureau Chief
jwozniak@johnsoncitypress.comERWIN — Switching to a new classroom schedule at Unicoi County High School in which students take four classes a day for 90 minutes each instead of six for 50 minutes apiece has been well received, the principal said Thursday.
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Email ArticleThe high school changed this school year to the new system as a way to respond to more rigorous academic requirements the state has imposed. As an example, students will have to complete algebra I, algebra II, geometry and an upper-level math class.
Under the new schedule at the high school, students can complete a class in one semester. By the end of four years at the high school, students can accumulate as much as 32 credits.
Principal Becky Love told the Board of Education that the school’s administrative team sought for positive and negative comments about the switch. She said the group has not heard any negatives about it.
“Everything we have heard from students, from staff, from teachers has all been positive,” Love said. “They have an opportunity to take additional coursework, which we have offered through our four block this year. They have more electives that they can take.”
As a result, the high school has seen more students enrolling in vocational classes and higher-level math courses and science classes “because now the students can fit those into the schedule,” Love said. Advanced placement classes have been expanded as well. She did say some students could not get into some classes because they were at capacity.
Love read a note written by one teacher who was opposed initially to the new class schedule. The teacher’s view has changed because of the ability to accomplish more in class and the students’ support of the program.
“The day seems to go faster, and we all get more done,” the teacher wrote. “The only issue is that when students miss, they must get caught up quickly and efficiently.”
Love believes attendance has increased under the new schedule. She cannot put her finger on the exact reason but thinks it might be due to what the teacher described. She thinks are students are conscious that if they miss a day of school, they miss almost twice as much as what they would have in the last school year. She said the school is trying to track attendance “real hard.”
Board member Bubba Evely was curious whether the switch to a four-class schedule has resulted in a limiting of activities outside classes. Love said that has been a focus for the last few years but is getting more scrutiny this year.
Schools Director Denise Brown said officials are paying attention to how much time is spent out of class throughout the whole system. She also said the school system is keeping an eye on the time when teams leave school for games.
She hopes the availability of more courses over four years will lead to a higher graduation rate, a component of the adequate yearly progress component of the national No Child Left Behind act.. The school system recently did not make AYP in part because the graduation rate did not make the required level in 2008. System officials believe the high school’s rate for 2009 will reach the necessary level.
The high school has a graduation coach, Chris Hatcher, who is keeping tabs on the progress of students in obtaining the required number of credits, Love said.
“The student has an opportunity to recoup a credit that may have been lost,” Love said.
Evely wondered whether the high school can project the percentage of seniors who are on schedule to graduate in 2010. Hatcher said the school does not have that projection yet.
“We’re working really closely to see that each child is on target,” school counselor Tammy Lockner said. “We have a target plan for every child (in) 12th grade to graduate.”
Love said the school is aware of only two students who are dropouts. But Brown said the school system is facing an issue from students who are moving into Unicoi County from other school systems that 16-18 years old who have six or less credits.
The chances of these students graduating are remote, but once they are enrolled in Unicoi County, they count toward the school system’s graduation rate. Brown said that is an issue that needs to be examined as the federal act is being considered for reauthorization.