Parents speak against H.S. change

YORK COUNTY, Va. (WAVY) - A controversial high school schedule change took center stage at the York County School Board meeting on Monday night.

Passionate parents took their cause to neighbors. They collected hundreds of signatures, all in an attempt to convince York County School Board members to keep the high schools on a seven class block schedule.

"I went door-to-door for these," Ann Sample told WAVY.com as she held a page with more than 300 signatures.

Cindy Howard added, "I stuffed mailboxes, too."

"We posted the link on our Facebook pages," Courtney Engel added.

Their passion is in opposition to a new schedule for three schools, approved at Monday night's school board meeting. The Superintendent, with a recommendation from a parent, student, and staff committee, proposed what is known as a Hybrid 4X4 format for high schools. The schedule gives students four 90-minute classes each semester. An entire year's worth of work is compressed into one semester. So at the end of each year, students complete eight classes.

"I have a daughter that's going to be in the ninth grade at York High School, and I'm worried that compressing the schedule is going to be hard for her retention," Sample explained.

A young man who will go into ninth grade next year told board members at the meeting, "I think it would be too much too quickly - information and it just wouldn't work well."

Another parent chimed in, "If our schools are performing so well, why change?"

Still another, "Please vote against the 4X4 schedule and keep the alternating block schedule that works for York County."

However, supporters view the new format as one that adds opportunities for achievement. Students who fail a class in one semester will have an opportunity to take the class again, without falling behind a full year.

York County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Eric Williams told the large crowd at the meeting, "The Hybrid 4X4 provides students the opportunity to take eight credits a year, to take fewer credits at a time, and the opportunity to take the courses they both need and are interested in."

Math and Science teacher Justin Keys voiced his support. "I will say, being in the class the last five years, I want to see my kids everyday," he said.

Twenty-five people signed up to speak during the meeting. The support and opposition was split. Many teachers and administrators spoke in favor of the plan, while many parents said they did not believe administrators answered all of their questions before bringing the issue to a vote.

Several parents said four informational meetings failed to address concerns about increased homework. They also argued that the proposed schedules leave large time gaps between math and language courses. In some cases, students could go eight months without having a math class.

Williams said he saw support for the plan from principals, staff and parents at three of the schools. So he suggested board members only vote to change the schedules at those three.

The vote was four to one in favor of implementing the new schedule at Bruton High School, York High School, and the York River Academy in Fall 2011. Dr. Robert George provided the lone "no" vote.

George told WAVY.com that he supports using the Hybrid 4X4, but he wanted the board to postpone implementation for at least a year to give the community a chance to become more familiar with the format.

Administrators said they will evaluate the progress of students in the pilot program before deciding whether or not to phase in implementation at the county's largest two high schools, Grafton and Tabb.