Staff Quotes

The four block schedule gives kids more options. They have more courses to select from, and there are more chances to take advanced placement classes. The teachers were forced to update their methods and bury the routine so that they can keep the kids' attention throughout the block.  --Marcia Klun, Bus. Ed.

There are more people from the science and math area using library resources. --Peggy Ellerkamp, Librarian

Teachers need to schedule more different activities. Since the block is so long it's harder to keep the kids' attention and have them focus for that long. There is more flexibility though, and fewer disruptions. The administrative obligations, like taking attendance, don't seem to take so much time out of class. --Terry Shermeister, EEN

The time goes by faster, and kids seem to understand the material better. But I think that 90 minutes is too long for a study hall. 
--Kitty Moon, Speech/Lang.

     The four block schedule gives the students more variety when it comes to courses. With that variety comes the opportunity to concentrate on certain academic areas, and to take classes most valuable to the student's future. The 90 minute block brings closure, to fully cover a topic in one day's lesson. This longer time length is especially  valuable in lab classes.
     There are several problems, however, from a teacher's point of view. One problem is that there are half as many homework nights in a 9 week semester as there are in an 18 week semester. Another is, there's added pressure on the teacher to complete lessons in the most efficient manner. There are fewer days for lessons, therefore there are fewer lessons you can teach. Also, students seem to study less efficiently. As a teacher, I can't see the growth and maturity in an individual student as I could as I could in a full year's time.
     But despite this, I think that La Follette is a good place to learn. I'd like my son to go here.--Charles Chapin, Physics Teacher

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National Studies

For Hatboro-Horsham High School, Pennsylvania , another school with the four block schedule, attendance was improved from 95.8 to 96.7 percent. The number of students who made honor roll increased from 244 to 534. Failures on final exams decreased from 34 to 24 percent. For the first time, only one senior did not graduate. Usually, 10 to 15 students did not meet graduation requirements.

At the Roy J. Wasson High School in Colorado, there was a data comparison done which compared one year before the block scheduling versus the four years since block schedule was introduced. The failure rate before was 31 percent, afterwards it had dropped to 25.7 percent. Also, the percentage on honor roll went from 20.8 to 26.5. Average daily attendance went from 91.7 to 93.9 percent, and 4 year college attendance after graduation went from 40.4 to 50.4 percent.

Wasson High School also reports,

" One reason we restructured was to reduce student/staff stress. In the past, kids ran frantically to get to classes on time--no  time for chatting, for the bathroom, rush, run, knock people over. Teachers dashed from class to class in much the same way.

Now there's a calmer pace, fewer fights, less vandalism-- a slowed-down pace across the building. Kids have a chance to stay and ask a question, finish that last problem, or chat with a friend before heading to their next class."

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