Whether or not students go back to school in the fall, middle and high school students in Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools will see some changes.
After the district began looking at scheduling options to optimize instruction last September, administrators found that adjustments to the current schedule were needed.
Starting in the fall, middle and high school schedules will no longer have academic enrichment periods, which had previously been implemented as a way for students to have extra study and work time.
During an analysis of the current schedule, feedback “overwhelmingly” showed students and staff did not feel as though the AEP time was well spent nor that it provided the quality instruction for which it was designed.
Instead the district will create elective courses for students who need additional help in core areas. For example, if a student is struggling in math, they will receive additional instruction from a math teacher.
The current block schedule will be updated as well. Currently, high schools in WJCC operate on a “block” schedule with four 90-minute classes each day.
Most classes will now be offered in a yearlong block schedule which will provide fewer scheduling conflicts for students and allow them to participate in programs, such as band, throughout the entire year. This new schedule also matches with most other Virginia school divisions, New Horizons and the Governor’s School. Additionally, a yearlong schedule will align with AP testing and allow more instructional time with content.
However, that does not mean all semester block courses are being eliminated but rather that there will be fewer. WJCC will still offer semester courses to meet students’ differing needs. Course options will be created to be either semester or year-long based on availability each year.
The new selection for course offerings closed Wednesday but parents can contact their child’s school counselor with questions about individual schedules.
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