Good morning, Walpole High School. They’ve done it again. But this time, it’s for real. No one will show up accidentally at 7:20 to an empty parking lot, and then have to realize only then that it was a PLC day. We will no longer have to hear the nagging schedule questions from one another every week. “Do we have PLC tomorrow?” and the infamous, “When does this class end?” Principal Mr. Steven Imbusch has released the modified proposal for next year’s schedule. The ever-buzzing question about what to do with advisory has been answered. Yes, it once and for all has been put to rest.
In the Fall of 2010, the ultimate enemy of homeroom was introduced. For the first time in years, students were expected to report directly to their first block class when arriving at school. Homeroom, where students found those extra glorious moments to finish last night’s homework in the very beginning of their school day, was abolished from the schedule in order to make more time for classes. In place of homeroom, and in order to keep our school in line with correct NEASC standards (which are currently still being worked with), administration brought advisory into the swing of things.
In this time, where clusters of people were found in leftover places like the library and unknown conference rooms, students were clumped randomly in a class of about 15 or so, with one teacher advisor, in order to create a sort of teacher-student connection. The program deemed itself unsuccessful after two short years. After being asked about why advisory was taken out of the schedule, Principal Mr. Imbusch said, “Most students and teachers reported that [it] was not doing the job that we had intended for it to do. Advisory appeared to be a ‘forced’ relationship between students and advisers, that did not necessarily make connections as we had hoped.” A year or so later, advisory was changed to take place on Thursdays after last period. The simple way to handle the mess of advisory was to get rid of it. And so it is no longer in effect.
In a few months, at the start of the 2012 school year, the newest schedule will take effect. And, (drum-roll please), homeroom is back, and it looks like it is here to stay. Students and teachers will reunite with their homeroom for ten minutes each day as soon as they come to school. From 7:20 to 7:30 each morning, homeroom with take place. The administration finds this easier to keep track of their students, as far as handing out random things-to-get-signed goes. Mr. Imbusch is pleased with the decision to bring back homeroom because he feels the need to have a way for student to be able to connect with at least one teacher in the building. He stresses upon the idea of each student “hav[ing] an adult in the building that they can go to for advice, for mentoring, and for support” Imbusch said.
Now, PLC is the big dangling question. It will stay, but it is almost completely revamped. Instead of coming in late to school on some odd number of times on Tuesdays, now PLC is at the end of the day on Tuesdays. School officially ends at 1:37 on these specified days. Those who do not have sports or other after-school priorities in the building will be able to leave at this time after their last period class. That is a whole sixty one minutes earlier than a regular school. As for the reasoning behind saying goodbye to morning PLC’s, Mr. Imbusch said, “The biggest complaint was that the time came to an abrupt end when the bell went at 7:50 am. By moving it to the end of the day, teachers have the ability to complete their work at their discretion.”
With these changes and alterations to the school day, the times are now all different as well. Unfortunately, students can no longer shuffle their things together at the small angle on the analog, displaying 11:05. First lunch has been moved to 11:09. As for when the first class begins, the time will be 7:35 am.
The administration has great confidence in the proposed changes for next year. It is safe to say that they have been redefining the schedule for the past few years because of their want to maintain the best school environment possible students to work to their upmost potential. With all of these changes soon to potentially take effect, Mr. Imbusch said, “I want to look after students’ social/emotional needs so that they can be more productive with their academics.” Jumping into the 2012 school year may be a new experience for some students, mentally and academically. Homeroom is alive, all times are altered, and PLC is changed to the end of the day. What do you think?
