New iTime Schedule for Next Year

The realignment imminent, master scheduling for next year has brought up several issues. During a Parent-Teacher-Student-Organization (PTSO) meeting, Ms. Sutherland proposed that next year, the junior high and high school not sync up schedules so as to institute a new program with a familiar name: iTime. Some are very pleased with the proposed plan and the effects it will have on students, while others do not agree.

The proposed plan is to give students at Treasure Mountain Junior High (TMJH) an allotment of time that could be used for academic support. This will shorten the other classes of the day by about eight minutes. 

Some students may be experiencing deja vu, remembering iTime from Ecker Hill Middle School. Although, according to Ms. Sutherland, there will be several differences. For example, iTime will be held right before fourth period. Also, for students who are not required to attend iTime, there will be a variety of extracurricular activities very different from those at Ecker Hill, possibly including things like small motor mechanics, Magic the Gathering club, open gym, study hall, etc.

The schedule would look like this on a regular day (no assemblies or early outs):

First Lunch	Second Lunch
1st Period	1st Period
2nd Period	2nd Period
Lunch	3rd Period
3rd Period	Lunch
iTime	iTime
4th Period	4th Period

However, because of iTime, students will only be able to commute to and from the high school and Treasure for first and fourth-period classes. What does this mean for a) students who have classes only available during 2nd or 3rd period, and b) for students who have five or more classes at the high school? 

To answer that, Ms. Sutherland said, “I want Treasure to become less of a satellite school, and to really make it its own building.” This means that if there are classes during 2nd or 3rd period that many students are going to take that are at the high school, she would like them to be taught here at Treasure Mountain.

Some may be wondering why the changes should happen now when the realignment is so close. Ms. Sutherland stated that the realignment schedule is still very unclear. She wants to make Treasure a better learning environment now, so that if the realignment is postponed another five years, she will not have to worry about not having made Treasure a better place with more learning opportunities.

Please comment below about your thoughts and feelings about this.