Statement from School Board President Jennifer Talbot on a recent petition submitted by "The Committee to Stop the 4x4"

The following statement was read by School Board President Jennifer Talbot during the Board Communication segment of the October 11, 2016 Wenatchee School Board Meeting

I would like to take time to acknowledge the receipt of a recent petition by the Committee to stop the 4x4.  The petition is titled Stop the 4x4 block schedule at Wenatchee HS! and was delivered to Wenatchee High School Principal Eric Anderson and each Wenatchee School Board member. 

I will read the text of the petition as presented on the MoveOn.org website:

“The Wenatchee High School should convene a new, well-rounded schedule committee that will represent a broad range of teachers, students and parents.  This committee should engage in a transparent and thorough process to arrive at a schedule/curriculum solution that is best for our high school.”

I will read the petition background as presented on the MoveOn.org website:

“As parents, students, teachers and members of the community we are alarmed to learn that a supposedly "final" decision to radically change the Wenatchee High School schedule was undertaken behind closed doors and with zero input from parents and students. This is more than a "schedule change." It is a decision to condense year-long classes into one semester, resulting in 37 fewer instructional hours per class. It's a decision to create potential gaps of 8-12 months between classes in subjects like math and foreign language. It's a decision to disrupt and possibly threaten the viability of year-long programs like Band, Mariachi, AVID, Choir, Orchestra, DECA, Sports Medicine and The Apple Leaf. A decision of this magnitude should not be undertaken by a committee of only teachers and administrators. Such a significant change in the delivery and content of curriculum should instead be implemented only after careful planning and the recommended 1-2 years of staff and curriculum development. The Wenatchee High School should convene a new, well-rounded committee that will represent a broad range of students, parents and teachers and engage in a transparent process to arrive at a solution that is best for our high school.”

As a representative of our many community stakeholders, I truly appreciate the feedback provided by the constituents who signed this petition.  I would like to take a moment to recognize the concerns and share my perceptions.

Changes to the high school bell schedule started in 2014.  Wenatchee High School is currently implementing a Modified Block Schedule; class periods are 85 minutes in length 3 days per week.  Our Board was and continues to be concerned about the need for staff professional development as teachers and para-professionals adjust their classroom practices and strategies to a longer class period length. 

The committee was composed of a broad range of teachers including representatives from music, art, foreign language, math, science, special education, career & tech education, physical education, counseling, English, social science, business education, and classified staff.  I felt that the collaborative work that the committee completed before making a recommendation was thorough and exemplary.  The committee established a common goal and vision; researched many different options; and visited schools that were using different schedules.  

Our Board and the committee had concerns about year-long programs such as band, Mariachi, orchestra, and choir as well as other classes that require year-long continuity.  We were concerned about AP classes; foreign language classes; running start and technical skills center scheduling; and the success of all students.

The committee’s work was presented at several public Board meetings; reported in the April 2016 edition of the Wenatchee School District community newsletter; and published by multiple media organizations in February 2016.  On the Wenatchee High School website, there is now a section on Bell Schedule Updates that includes information on the committee’s work, research, school visits, and answers to questions.

The recommendation from the Wenatchee High School Bell Committee provides an opportunity to address the following Wenatchee School District Strategic Plan elements as envisioned and developed through the Wenatchee Learns process:

1.1 - Flexible personalized learning system        

1.3 - Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM) and Project Based Learning (PBL)

1.4 - More positive and safe learning environment

3.3 - The right tools and resources for staff

4 - Balance Change for All with Excellence for All

I do wish the Bell Schedule committee had been able to involve parents and students more completely in the scheduling process and solicit feedback in a more formal way sooner than this fall.

Still, I am confident and hopeful that our community, parents, students, staff, and administration will continue to collaborate with each other; engage in positive constructive dialogue; and lean into our fears of change as bell schedule variations at Wenatchee High School are implemented over the next few years.