Parents expressed their concerns yesterday about the current planning of Wenatchee High School’s new schedule and emphasized their desire to slow down the process, consider the available research, and get more input from students and parents.

Four parents spoke of their wish to collaborate with teachers and administrators as the new modified 4×4 schedule for WHS is planned. The parents presented data they collected from schools throughout Washington State about schools that had adopted the 4×4 block schedule. It showed that the vast majority had abandoned the 4×4 block for another option as of 2016.

“There’s not a compelling reason why we need to quickly put this into place,” WHS parent Kate Norland said.

Administrators from schools that had left the 4×4 block schedule were contacted by parents and their responses were shared. The major factor that administrators cited for leaving was the need for year-long learning in classes like math. Data shared from various studies on block schedules showed a negative impact on math, writing, and reading scores.

At the end of the meeting, parents requested that the bell schedule committee be re-convened, and include parents and students. They also asked for an interim schedule to meet the short-term needs of students, and delay the implementation of a more permanent one.

Finally, they wanted to the change the dynamic around the discussion with teachers and administrators that “has pitted us against you.”

Principal Eric Anderson was pleased with how the meeting went and plans to hear teachers’ thoughts on the parents’ presentation.

“I’m interested to see how the staff receives those [concerns] and we’ll be getting some feedback later on,” Anderson said.