H-F has made changes to its bell schedule this year, including a flipped Wednesday schedule and the switching of Block 1 and 3 schedules as the prioritization of career opportunities, increasing instructional minutes and accommodations to the introduction of Viking Compass in the 2021-22 school year continue.
From as early as 2001 up until the COVID-19 lockdown, H-F maintained a consistent bell schedule. However, since returning to classes with the introduction of Viking Compass in the 2021-22 school year, the bell schedule has changed three times in four years.
Finding a way to fit the advisory period has been rocky, but according to Director of Student Supports Jennifer Rudan, hopefully, this schedule will strike a balance and have more longevity. “We know that that constant change, it’s not ideal for students, but I will say all the changes have been so that students can get more opportunities,” Rudan said.
The most significant change is the ordering of the classes, according to Rudan. The main reason for this change is so that certain Career and Technical Education (CTE) students can have more regular access to internship opportunities during the school day.
Within work-based learning courses students, most of whom are seniors, go to a job or internship that aligns with their career interest on block schedule days, and on Viking Days learn essential career information, such as how to build a resume, in the classroom. This connects to a push nationwide, but largely in Illinois schools, to connect students to more college and career opportunities while in high school.
The schedule change was arranged to have these internship and job opportunities at more regular times. This year, sixth and seventh periods are at the end of the day whenever those classes are held. This is why the change from Block 2 periods being 7, 6, 5, 4 last year, to 4, 5, 6, 7 this year was made.
Outside of the Block 2 scheduling, Viking Compass has been linked to third-period classes. This eliminates the need for a passing period between Viking Compass and the previous class.
Block 1 and Block 3 schedules also switched, for “continuity of lesson, and lesson planning,” according to Rudan. “We wanted the teachers to see all of their classes in a block period,” before continuing in the curriculum.
“If we kept it the way it was, then the teachers would have seen fourth and fifth period [twice] before they ever even saw sixth and seventh,” Rudan said. Many teachers expressed concerns about this out-of-order structure, so the change was made in their favor.
