San Marcos CISD is on track to move from block scheduling at the district’s high school and two middle schools for the 2017-18 school year, said James Barton, executive director of secondary education, at a meeting Monday night.
According to Barton’s presentation to the board of trustees, students have selected their courses for the next school year, and principals are staffing campuses by determining the most appropriate teachers for each course and grade level.
At Goodnight and Miller middle schools, the new schedule will have seven 50-minute periods as well as one shorter period, which is typically used for enrichment or interventions. The new schedule will also include a 30-minute lunch.
At San Marcos High School, the new schedule will have seven 50-minute periods as well as a long lunch, part of which can be used for student interventions and interest groups.
Trustee Miguel Arredondo voiced concern that some students may prefer to remain in the cafeteria socializing rather than taking advantage of tutoring or other enrichment opportunities.
“Speaking personally, if I had an hour lunch, my urge to go to tutorials or my urge to go sit with friends, I would probably err on the side of sitting with friends,” Arredondo said. “I don’t know how … students are going to be compelled not to just hang out for the entire lunch period.”
San Marcos High School Principal Bobbie Turnbo said the administration has implemented mandatory tutoring and other interventions for students during the lunch hour.
“That whole structure of that [lunch] hour will be much more formalized in order to get everything that we can provide for those students during that 30-minute block of time that we have,” she said.
The district has estimated the change from block scheduling could save the district about $1.8 million annually. Board President Clem Cantu requested the administration bring forward a report at a future board meeting related to the financial effect of the change to a seven-period schedule.