EDITORIAL: New schedule should prove successful

   When Manville High School students return to school in the fall, they will be greeted by schedules much different than what they’ve been used to.
   The school will begin block scheduling in September, so instead of having the same schedule five days each week, class schedules will alternate. Instead of six or eight classes daily, students will have four.
   Block scheduling creates longer class times and helps scheduling for science labs and lunches, which many educators find helps struggling students perform better.
   But block scheduling isn’t a panacea for everything. We think it’s important for students and their parents to know what might be gained and what’s not likely to change in the new scheduling system.
   The new scheduling can make it more difficult for students who are absent — especially if teachers use the longer class times to push lesson plans. While some may be able to cover more ground with longer classes, some won’t. But students missing a class, whether for illness or a trip, will be missing more class time than they would if they missed a school day divided into six classes instead of four.
   Block scheduling also isn’t typically viewed as a way of improving standardized test scores or lowering drop-out rates.
   That’s not to say it doesn’t help in those areas — only that it’s not usually considered as a way to do so. Block scheduling can offer students more time for local field trips or more time for tests, however, which can keep more students interested in their studies or reduce stress at testing times.
   Whether we’ll be able to point to some improvement at the school and credit it to block scheduling remains to be seen, but it makes sense nonetheless.
   Even if no such gains are made, with the new arrangement we expect students will find themselves feeling more focused and less hectic during school days. With fewer classes, and time allotted for covering lessons, homework and questions, we think most students will quickly adapt and enjoy the schedule.
   In the long run, that should help make the schools and students more successful.