How did MCCSC's high schools end up with different schedules?

On Jan. 26, 2001, teachers at Bloomington's North and South high schools voted on the type of class schedule they wanted for their students.

Seventy percent of North teachers opted to continue the school's Block 8 schedule, which has eight courses per semester, with students taking four classes on alternating days.

Seventy-two percent of South teachers supported replacing the school's standard six-period day with a trimester plan, where students take five classes each trimester.

The schedules were implemented for the 2001-2002 school year and have been in place since.

But it looks as if next year, both schedules will be scrapped.

On Oct. 20, MCCSC sent a letter announcing a new unified schedule for both schools and the Academy of Science and Entrepreneurship and the Graduation School when classes start up in August.

Classroom teachers weren't consulted, and they didn't get to vote. So they've taken up protest signs and are rallying against the unexpected and unpopular change.

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The new schedule for both schools is being called an "eight-period hybrid schedule" that hasn't been defined. Students would take eight 60-minute classes, but there's only enough time for six classes to meet daily.

"This plan creates an opportunity for each building to develop and structure their days," said North science teacher Paul Farmer, president of MCCSC's teacher's union.

"It will have to be worked out," he said Tuesday afternoon.

A challenge to the schedules arose in 2010 when the state slashed public education funding, resulting in teacher layoffs statewide. During public discussions on how to survive the fiscal cuts, Farmer was among those who favored a traditional 7-period day with classes lasting 40 to 45 minutes.

In the end, MCCSC high schools kept their preferred schedules.

Where it all began

In 1996, Sue Beerman became the new principal at Bloomington High School North and brought with her the Block 8 schedule that's still in place today.

Bloomington South, which had a traditional six-period day in 1996, soon established a block-schedule format, which evolved into a hybrid block-traditional schedule that didn't work well. South returned to a traditional school day, then switched to its trimester schedule in 2000.

"It was a tumultuous time," said Farmer, who taught at South at the time.

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The school board had directed the administration to come up with a plan that put North and South on the same schedule. School officials said the district would return to a traditional six-period day unless voters approved a referendum in November 1999.

The tax increase request failed, but the schedules survived after members of a task force determined a traditional schedule wasn't optimal. The task force had two school board members, administrators, teachers, parents and students from both high schools.

"We see limitations in the opportunities it can provide for all young people," former MCCSC assistant superintendent Concetta Raimondi, who was a member of the task force, said then.

The task force preferred two options: a modified version of the Block 8 schedule at North and a trimester schedule, with a five-period school day and the school year divided into three 12-week terms, now used at South.

Before teachers voted, staff from other Indiana schools presented information about their Block 8 and trimester schedules.

Rebecca Earle was assistant principal at South when the schedules were set. "I know we won't please all parents, teachers or students, no matter what they decide," Earle said then.

"The bottom line is we need to trust that teachers are highly informed, care deeply about students, and wouldn't do anything to hurt our school."

Process 'important'

After teachers voted in 2001, South principal Mark Fletcher, who's been at the helm since 1999, was optimistic that teachers would take ownership of the new schedule because they selected it.

"To me, the process we have undertaken is even more important than the schedule we've come up with," he said to a reporter from The Herald-Times. "I'm excited."

Last week, MCCSC's communications team said the South principal endorsed the new scheduling plan.

"Mr. Fletcher is involved in high school scheduling decisions. He has shared with us that he fully supports the district’s commitment to equity efforts at the school and district level and supports a common high school schedule," a statement from MCCSC spokesperson Alexis Harmon said.

Farmer described the recent upheaval over high school scheduling as "difficult."

"It's clearly understandable why people are upset," he said.

Contact H-T reporter Laura Lane at llane@heraldt.com or 812-318-5967.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: How Bloomington North, South came to have different schedules