I hope all Wissahickon parents will come to the Meeting May 20 so that essential questions about this important proposal can be considered. The effectiveness of this method has not been established through long-term, scientific surveys. In fact extensive research supports the current system. Given the same amount of time, two spaced presentations are twice as effective as one. Hard data not withstanding, parental experience makes adolescent attention span suspect.
Intensive scheduling is a radical change.
I would support this proposal when facts and data, not opinions and anecdotes underscore its value. As a parent of three sons, two in middle school and one just beginning high school in Wheaton-Warrenville IL School District 200, I am very concerned about our move to block of time scheduling both at the middle school and at the high school. Administrators keep talking about the electives such as foreign language and music getting in the way of this new wonderful approach to scheduling. I have not seen our teachers use the flex time that they have already implemented to the advantage of the good students. I am afraid that restructuring like this will reduce both the quality and quantity of learning for my boys.