July 2022
It doesn’t feel like a year has passed since I first started this job – it feels more like ten. I spent the first year getting to know people and trying to support students, faculty, staff, and the greater Grand Marais community without making too many major changes too quickly. We’re now in a position to start that tinkering process. This month’s Superintendent Corner is intended to preview the changes to the schedule for the upcoming school year.
Block schedule
First on the list is the shift to our new block schedule. Block schedule has been around in middle and high schools for some time but is relatively new to Grand Marais. Block schedule extends individual class periods with classes meeting on alternating days. There are obviously both advantages and disadvantages to changing the schedule but we believe the benefits outweigh the costs. Primarily, students will have more time in their classes to engage in deeper learning. More information on block schedule will be provided closer to the start of school to make sure both parents and students understand the change.
Electives
One thing block schedule does is it allows us to build in electives for the upcoming school year. We believe that when students have a choice in their learning, they are more likely to engage in the content. By shifting to a block schedule we are able to offer options to students of courses we might not have ever been able to offer. Our electives for the upcoming school year include: technology, art, entrepreneurship, science olympiad, yearbook/photography, environmental science, and independent study.
Independent Study
Students should be encouraged to follow their passion. We all know that when we do work we enjoy, it often doesn’t feel like work. We are offering an independent study in the last block of the school day for middle and high school students. The reason we chose the last block of the day is because we would like students to engage in work not only in the school but outside the school. Whether students choose an internship, volunteerism, or something similar, we believe that connecting with the community is extremely important and valuable.
Community time
One last addition to the schedule that we’re including for this year is a 15 minute period between first and second block called, “community time.” Much like typical homeroom, our community time will be an opportunity for all the middle and high school students to meet with all the teachers. Because our school is so small, community time gives us the opportunity to be together as an entire upper school. In a perfect world, community time can even be student led. This will not only serve as a break between blocks but will be an opportunity for students to share their thoughts and ideas with the faculty and staff in a relaxed environment. We’ll also use community time for short presentations and our focus and commitment to social emotional learning (SEL) and student mental health.
We know these changes wont come without their challenges. Whenever you make a schedule change there are growing pains but we are committed to working together to see that we put together the best possible school we can.
