GREENFIELD — For Greenfield High School science teacher Andrew Bowersox, 45 minutes just isn’t enough time to lead his students through sometimes-complex lab experiments.
Some labs take 15 minutes to set up, and another 10 or more after to clean up. That means the student only have 20 minutes to conduct the actual experiment.
That’s why he, along with other administrators and teachers at the high school, have been working to design a new extended block schedule for next year that would do away with the seven 45-minute classes each day and replace them with 90-minute ones for four of the five school days. Fridays would remain the same.
Associate Principal Karin Patenaude presented the proposal to the School Committee during its meeting Wednesday night. She was joined by Bowersox, history teacher Luke Martin and guidance counselor Siobhan Fitzgerald.
Patenaude said the new schedule would allow teachers to go into more depth with their curriculum and class content, reduce time between classes, and allow more time for the school’s new restorative justice program, which involves bringing students together to talk through issues and develop a sense of community.
“It will provide an overall environment that’s more conducive to learning,” Patenaude said.
She said it would also more accurately reflect college class scheduling.
Patenaude said the students would not lose any instructional time, nor would teachers be required to work more than their contracts call for under the new schedule.
Courses that are currently full-year classes would remain so, and electives would continue to be semester-long classes.
Bowersox said the ability to move at a slower pace in class without having to continuously beat the clock would allow him to dig deeper into some of the more abstract aspects of chemistry.
Martin said the longer class periods would allow him more time to vary his teaching methods while remaining on topic.
“A hallmark of any good teaching is varying your methods, and that can often be restricted with only 45 minutes,” he said. “It really puts a limit on how much debate you can have, and the projects and the group work you can do.”
The committee voted unanimously to support the plan on the condition that possible impacts on special education operations and teacher’s union contracts be further studied and addressed as needed.
Student Services Director Adam Garand told the committee that he does not foresee any major impacts on special education students.
“They may look different in how they’re provided, but I don’t envision any significant negative impact,” he said.
You can reach Tom Relihan at:trelihan@recorder.com
or 413-772-0261, ext. 264
On Twitter, @RecorderTom