Class schedules at Starkville High School are going back to a 4×4 block after the board of trustees approved the change at Tuesday”s night”s meeting.
All board members were present for the meeting that changed the schedule back to a straight 4×4 block. The high school followed this schedule as recently as the 2007-2008 school year. It had been following an AB modified block for the last two years, and before that a straight AB block system.
Principal Keith Fennell made his case to the board, arguing for the change.
“This is not a total new direction,” Fennell said. “We”re still using a 90-minute instructional block.”
With the 4×4 block system, students will meet each class every day for a semester. They will take a whole new set of four classes at the next semester. Previously with the AB block system, students would rotate to a different set of classes every other day. They would take the same eight classes all year.
“The 4×4 will help with retention because the teachers will see the students every day,” he said.
Fennell said this block system will help with remediation, because a student who fails a class in the fall can retake it in the spring. It will also lower the stress factor, he said, as students will keep up with four classes at a time rather than two different sets of classes on alternating days.
Assistant Superintendent Beth Sewell said research indicates the 4×4 block has a higher knowledge retention rate as the students face the same subjects each day.
Assistant Superintendent Walter Gonsoulin said this system also positively addresses the dropout rate.
Board member Lee Brand asked about this change”s effect on teachers. Fennell said since the school followed this schedule just three years ago, many are familiar with it, having taught under it before.
Eddie Myles asked if the board makes this change now, will they be asked to change again in a few more years?
Sewell said such a change would depend on student needs at that time and the accountability system in place. Superintendent Judy Couey was more confident, suggesting that a future change was inevitable.
Moving to this schedule is supposed to help both students who are failing and students who are excelling. Those who fail a course can take it again in the same year. Previously, they took one course all year. Those who are performing higher academically can take more electives and earn credits at a faster rate.
“Starkville is blessed that we still have a lot of course offerings that many district”s don”t have,” Couey said. “If we can”t make them available to students, we may as well not have them.”
On Brand”s motion and Myles” second, the board voted unanimously to accept the change.
In other business, the board changed the class schedule at Armstrong Middle School, approved staffing changes, paid bills and handled a few other matters of mostly routine business.
They were scheduled to hear a report on dropouts, but the Mississippi Department of Education has not released the most recent dropout rate information. Assistant Superintendent Walter Gonsoulin will make this report when the numbers are available.
He gave the board a brief overview of school health and safety efforts. Each school has a committee to address these, with members coming from the community, parents and school board. Among the successes of these groups are student gardening efforts at some of the schools and the introduction of more fruits and vegetables in menus.
Even the teachers are being targeted with such things as flu shot clinics, a fitness room at Sudduth Elementary School and exercise classes for teachers at two schools.
The board plans a day-long tour of the district”s schools on May 18, stopping for lunch at Armstrong Middle School.
They will meet again for their regular meeting May 3 at 7 p.m. at the Greensboro Center.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.