Three Shawnee Mission high schools will see a change in the bell schedule for the 2010-11 school year.
“ in order to maximize instructional time with students, facilitate students taking classes at other buildings in the district and facilitate sharing teachers between buildings; it was determined that the district must have a common bell schedule,” associate superintendent Gillian Chapman said.
Modified block, Northwest’s current schedule, will be implemented next year at North, East, West and will continue at Northwest.
South may not have to participate in the new district bell schedule due to an agreement between the National Education Association-Shawnee Mission (NEA-SM) and the Shawnee Mission Board of Education. The agreement allows teachers to vote on what schedule to use. If South teachers do not vote to move to modified block, the district cannot force them to.
The seven period day is most efficient and full block is least efficient, according to Chapman.
High school principals met and discussed bell schedule options, and came to the conclusion that a modified block schedule would best meet the objectives of the district, according to Chapman.
-Connor Mitts