Teachers set to vote on schedule on hybrid 4×4 schedule

Staff and parents met with Wenatchee High School Principal Eric Anderson yesterday afternoon to discuss any questions or concerns they had about the proposed 4×4 hybrid schedule. Three parents and 23 WHS staff attended the discussion.

Anderson prefaced the meeting with the concept of the new schedule so far, a hybrid of the 4×4 and 4×8 block period schedules. He had previously released a list of classes that could be on a rotating A/B schedule where students would take a different classes during a period every other day. Anderson also talked about the potential option of staying with a six-period schedule next year and change it so the teachers could all have prep periods, while finding more time for research.

“I feel like we don’t have anything to lose by exploring schedules so we can find a foundation for success,” English teacher Jake St. John said. “I’m not sure that we’re doing the best we can for as many students as we can when students have three different schedules.”

The teachers differed in opinion about what to do next and spoke about many of the possible options, from an interest in a 5×3 block period schedule to support of the hybrid or 4×4 to considering an extra year of research.

However, a recurring theme of the afternoon was that whatever was to be done, it needed to be decided correctly the first time. By this time next year at the latest a schedule will have to be decided upon.

“Even if 60 percent of the teachers vote on something, that still means 40 percent are unhappy,” WHS math teacher Randy Whited said, referring to the fact that to approve a motion, 60 percent of staff must agree. “We need to try to get 80 or 90 percent of staff on board with what we do. I’m tired of this constant influx, and this change should be something we all feel really good about.”

It was noted that if the staff waits another year to implement the Core 24 solution schedule, students who are freshmen and sophomores as of this year will experience three different schedules in their high school career.

Some teachers also voiced their hopes that parents and students could have input in the process, and that the school would need the community to be supportive of the schedule plans.

Others spoke of the need for a schedule that gives teachers more time to develop deeper relationships with students.

“We need to try to reach our students. Before I came here, I came from a district [that] never talked about teachers having relationships with students, and I wondered what kind of different experience a student would have had,” art teacher Russell Rummler said. “We now have new credit requirements and we can’t do the same thing. Students need to be able to have choices but also have support to be successful.”

The staff will have another meeting on Thursday morning. Final votes will be accepted via email no later than the end of the school day on Friday.