Online learning schedule to change
High schoolers worry cuts to club time, mid-day break will bring added difficulty
The online learning schedule for high schoolers in Anne Arundel County is set to change Monday, and some students are concerned a cut in club time and a mid-day break will make the hard task of learning from home even harder.
The Board of Education’s student member Drake Smith said students feel like changes will mean picking between clubs and getting extra help from teachers. They also feel like they haven’t been listened to, Smith said.
“This added stress, even as minimal as it seems, is not fair only to the student but to the club advisers who have been working to retain a high club membership,” he said.
Under the changes, classes have been extended by five minutes, and each period is now accompanied by a 20-minute small group session. Four 40-minute blocks for club activities have been cut. Instead there will be five blocks, one Tuesday, three Wednesday and one Thursday, during
which students can select from activities like clubs, additional academic help or counseling.
Smith said students who participate in four or more clubs will need to pick between those meetings and meetings for special classes.
The mid-day break for lunch has also been shortened on the new schedule, from an hour and 50 minutes to an hour and 20 minutes. The changes being made will create disruption in schedules already thrown into disarray by the pandemic, Smith said. Students use the midday break to travel to buildings to pick up meals, and to take care of younger siblings, he said.
Smith is hopeful that the additional 20 minutes of small group time after class will reduce students’ need to do homework outside of school hours, another source of stress.
Deputy Superintendent Maureen McMahon told the board that high schoolers would gain 245 minutes of instructional time a week.
She said they decided to keep student wellness and community meeting times on Monday and Friday, even though some said they didn’t need it, out of concern for the mental health of students.
“We’re trying to respond to the needs of students, to the wishes of many of the adult stakeholders as well,” she said.
Board members said they have heard from students that the wellness blocks can be a waste of time. Board President Melissa Ellis said she thinks the intention in keeping the block is good, but the consistency of how teachers are using the time should be checked.
Smith made a motion to amend the schedule, but it failed. The schedule change will go ahead Jan. 11, and schedule changes on the elementary and middle school level will occur Feb. 2.