APS HWB 90 minute blocks

[Anonymous]

The obsession with HB being better is weird. You know some kids actually return to their home high school after going to middle school there right?

It has small school advantages but there are small school cons too. Same as any place. Less offerings, fewer social options, less strong arts programs (a lot less kids to draw from), and the kids who play sports from there ant their home high school are often (not always) outsiders on the team.

The person claiming based on their 2 children that no teacher uses more than 50 minutes of a 90 minute block is also weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[twitter]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everything HB has isn’t automatically better.

They have this schedule to make it possible for them to have the latest start time and still allow high school kids to participate in sports at their home school. That’s it. Otherwise they can’t make the buses work.

Block periods - like most things - have pros and cons. Some subjects and topics really do benefit from a longer period. Major advantage for your student is they don’t get homework in all the subjects due the next day. Yes sometimes I’m sure 90 minutes is also too long.

Not getting homework should not be considered an advantage, that’s a sign of the decline in rigor in APS

Do any of you people actually have kids in high school? This has to be trolls. Once you have a high school kid taking 4-5 APs block scheduling makes a lot of sense and they will still have plenty of homework.

No, it’s like the APE nut jobs who were screaming about opening schools back when they had preschoolers.

It's probably the same APE nutjobs. They think some other kids have some advantage that their kids don't but they don't have full information so they have no idea. But they complain about it anyways. And push and push to hoard resources for their own.

I don’t care about being an hbw, I just want the better schedules that they seem to be the only ones to get. It’s clear they had the advantage, it’s documented in the student handbook.

what is the documented advantage in the student handbook?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does HBW get all good policies, why don’t they spread to other high schools?

Why do you assume HB gets all the good policies? I guarantee you that there are things you don't know about HB that you would not like.

Well, I listed the ones that I wish our school had, please feel free to list the policies you think are terrible and I’ll tell you what I think of them

No driver's ed
fewer AP classes
AP classes taught together with regular class
no intensified classes other than math
no counselors, so limited guidance/help/knowledge re college apps
very limited guidance/support for exec functioning (probably better if the kid has an IEP)
less homework than traditional schools (this is ok with me but you already said you want more)

AP are not necessary anymore, schools just check “most rigorous “. So HB students actually get the most rigorous checkmate without taking as many AP classes

Intensified classes are a joke, just a way to filter disinterested kids; HB is an entire school where the lottery performs that filtering.

Guidande/college counseling? You may meet your counselor once and it’s a check list meeting. The schools are way too big with too many high need students for counseling to be individualized

Maybe they have less exec support, but they have the better schedule of daily reinforcement and kids sleep in later which helps those conditions.

Drivers ed? Ok, couldn’t care less, I will hire that out anyway since high school drivers ed is bare minimum.

Less homework, that is surprising. Are you comparing the homework for AP and IB classes to the regular classes or is that a deliberate policy?

HB is the head and shoulders above the other schools in the attention and freedom it gets from Syphax. They don’t have a proper magnet and can’t make one without sacrificing the neighborhood schools — there just aren’t enough high performing students in APS, so they treat HBW as their precious.

Anyways, I would gladly take your list of “bad policies” for a 9am start time alone.

I'm not going to waste any more of my time with you. You're just so off base. Also, you really need a hobby other than obsessing over HB. Or mental health help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does HBW get all good policies, why don’t they spread to other high schools?

Why do you assume HB gets all the good policies? I guarantee you that there are things you don't know about HB that you would not like.

Well, I listed the ones that I wish our school had, please feel free to list the policies you think are terrible and I’ll tell you what I think of them

No driver's ed
fewer AP classes
AP classes taught together with regular class
no intensified classes other than math
no counselors, so limited guidance/help/knowledge re college apps
very limited guidance/support for exec functioning (probably better if the kid has an IEP)
less homework than traditional schools (this is ok with me but you already said you want more)

AP are not necessary anymore, schools just check “most rigorous “. So HB students actually get the most rigorous checkmate without taking as many AP classes

Intensified classes are a joke, just a way to filter disinterested kids; HB is an entire school where the lottery performs that filtering.

Guidande/college counseling? You may meet your counselor once and it’s a check list meeting. The schools are way too big with too many high need students for counseling to be individualized

Maybe they have less exec support, but they have the better schedule of daily reinforcement and kids sleep in later which helps those conditions.

Drivers ed? Ok, couldn’t care less, I will hire that out anyway since high school drivers ed is bare minimum.

Less homework, that is surprising. Are you comparing the homework for AP and IB classes to the regular classes or is that a deliberate policy?

HB is the head and shoulders above the other schools in the attention and freedom it gets from Syphax. They don’t have a proper magnet and can’t make one without sacrificing the neighborhood schools — there just aren’t enough high performing students in APS, so they treat HBW as their precious.

Anyways, I would gladly take your list of “bad policies” for a 9am start time alone.

I'm not going to waste any more of my time with you. You're just so off base. Also, you really need a hobby other than obsessing over HB. Or mental health help.

I actually have no interest in HBW until I realized they have the APA most recommended schedule of late start time, and the 50 min periods is far better for students, it’s just a perk for teachers to have less prep and deal with fewer kids, and get long break at the end of each block. I guess keeping teachers happy is a priority these days, but I feel we could compromise so kids aren’t wasting so much time.

[Anonymous]

I’ve had kids at both HBW and neighborhood HS. HB cannot compare to the bigger schools in course variety, particularly electives. There are very limited electives at HB. I also feel that the social environment there is too small. If your friend group doesn’t stick together there not many other places to go with only 100 kids per class honestly. And it only starts 45 minutes later. Most kids are taking buses there so by the time you get up to make the bus you are ready to go at the same time you would have gone to your neighborhood HS. It’s a nice place, but it isn’t some oasis in the desert.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does HBW get all good policies, why don’t they spread to other high schools?

Why do you assume HB gets all the good policies? I guarantee you that there are things you don't know about HB that you would not like.

Well, I listed the ones that I wish our school had, please feel free to list the policies you think are terrible and I’ll tell you what I think of them

No driver's ed
fewer AP classes
AP classes taught together with regular class
no intensified classes other than math
no counselors, so limited guidance/help/knowledge re college apps
very limited guidance/support for exec functioning (probably better if the kid has an IEP)
less homework than traditional schools (this is ok with me but you already said you want more)

You forgot that, in the past few years, many teachers in the AP classes have been replaced by teachers who are not as qualified or experienced. It's part of the reason why report card grades are inflated compared to the large number of people who fail the AP tests along with those that only get a 3. Ask to see the score distribution if you're curious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everything HB has isn’t automatically better.

They have this schedule to make it possible for them to have the latest start time and still allow high school kids to participate in sports at their home school. That’s it. Otherwise they can’t make the buses work.

Block periods - like most things - have pros and cons. Some subjects and topics really do benefit from a longer period. Major advantage for your student is they don’t get homework in all the subjects due the next day. Yes sometimes I’m sure 90 minutes is also too long.

90 minute blocks are an abomination. Very few teachers take advantage of the extra time, usually it’s just given over to class work so the teacher can plan or chill

I forgot that HBW also managed to have the later start time of 8am, which study after study has shown is best for high school students.

How do I convince my principal to make WL start at 9 and restore the traditional 50 minute periods?

They would never do this because of the buses. The 8 period system is a way to make their timing line up for sports. I don’t know what HB does about advanced science classes but that amount of time is not enough. They must double up periods.

Yes, some of the AP sciences are double block classes, which is quite limiting. Kids have to make choices and forego classes that they probably would be able to take in a traditional high school. Also there are fewer APs available.

Double block classes would just be two periods. Many schools do this.

The bigger problem is the lack of proper labs and lab equipment to do anything more than rudimentary experiments in bio and chem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everything HB has isn’t automatically better.

They have this schedule to make it possible for them to have the latest start time and still allow high school kids to participate in sports at their home school. That’s it. Otherwise they can’t make the buses work.

Block periods - like most things - have pros and cons. Some subjects and topics really do benefit from a longer period. Major advantage for your student is they don’t get homework in all the subjects due the next day. Yes sometimes I’m sure 90 minutes is also too long.

90 minute blocks are an abomination. Very few teachers take advantage of the extra time, usually it’s just given over to class work so the teacher can plan or chill

I forgot that HBW also managed to have the later start time of 8am, which study after study has shown is best for high school students.

How do I convince my principal to make WL start at 9 and restore the traditional 50 minute periods?

They would never do this because of the buses. The 8 period system is a way to make their timing line up for sports. I don’t know what HB does about advanced science classes but that amount of time is not enough. They must double up periods.

Yes, some of the AP sciences are double block classes, which is quite limiting. Kids have to make choices and forego classes that they probably would be able to take in a traditional high school. Also there are fewer APs available.

Double block classes would just be two periods. Many schools do this.

The bigger problem is the lack of proper labs and lab equipment to do anything more than rudimentary experiments in bio and chem.

and also it takes up two class periods so that limits what else you can take. this is a big issue at HB

[Anonymous]

Block scheduling is super common everywhere these days. I don't think it's inherently a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everything HB has isn’t automatically better.

They have this schedule to make it possible for them to have the latest start time and still allow high school kids to participate in sports at their home school. That’s it. Otherwise they can’t make the buses work.

Block periods - like most things - have pros and cons. Some subjects and topics really do benefit from a longer period. Major advantage for your student is they don’t get homework in all the subjects due the next day. Yes sometimes I’m sure 90 minutes is also too long.

90 minute blocks are an abomination. Very few teachers take advantage of the extra time, usually it’s just given over to class work so the teacher can plan or chill

I forgot that HBW also managed to have the later start time of 8am, which study after study has shown is best for high school students.

How do I convince my principal to make WL start at 9 and restore the traditional 50 minute periods?

They would never do this because of the buses. The 8 period system is a way to make their timing line up for sports. I don’t know what HB does about advanced science classes but that amount of time is not enough. They must double up periods.

Yes, some of the AP sciences are double block classes, which is quite limiting. Kids have to make choices and forego classes that they probably would be able to take in a traditional high school. Also there are fewer APs available.

Double block classes would just be two periods. Many schools do this.

The bigger problem is the lack of proper labs and lab equipment to do anything more than rudimentary experiments in bio and chem.

and also it takes up two class periods so that limits what else you can take. this is a big issue at HB

Absolutely true. Several issues are being conflated here: fewer advanced class options; limited blocks available for these classes; a ridiculous lottery system for registration that isn't based on merit; and many people don't realize that one (or possibly two, I forget) of the blocks is always reserved for certain "core" classes, meaning those blocks won't offer any meaningful courses. Additionally, some advanced classes are scheduled exclusively in the morning or afternoon, making it difficult for students who want to take a class at tech in the morning and/or participate in a sport in the afternoon. And don't forget that students are expected to take remedial-level English 12 after the two AP classes in 10th and 11th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everything HB has isn’t automatically better.

They have this schedule to make it possible for them to have the latest start time and still allow high school kids to participate in sports at their home school. That’s it. Otherwise they can’t make the buses work.

Block periods - like most things - have pros and cons. Some subjects and topics really do benefit from a longer period. Major advantage for your student is they don’t get homework in all the subjects due the next day. Yes sometimes I’m sure 90 minutes is also too long.

90 minute blocks are an abomination. Very few teachers take advantage of the extra time, usually it’s just given over to class work so the teacher can plan or chill

I forgot that HBW also managed to have the later start time of 8am, which study after study has shown is best for high school students.

How do I convince my principal to make WL start at 9 and restore the traditional 50 minute periods?

They would never do this because of the buses. The 8 period system is a way to make their timing line up for sports. I don’t know what HB does about advanced science classes but that amount of time is not enough. They must double up periods.

Yes, some of the AP sciences are double block classes, which is quite limiting. Kids have to make choices and forego classes that they probably would be able to take in a traditional high school. Also there are fewer APs available.

Double block classes would just be two periods. Many schools do this.

The bigger problem is the lack of proper labs and lab equipment to do anything more than rudimentary experiments in bio and chem.

and also it takes up two class periods so that limits what else you can take. this is a big issue at HB

Absolutely true. Several issues are being conflated here: fewer advanced class options; limited blocks available for these classes; a ridiculous lottery system for registration that isn't based on merit; and many people don't realize that one (or possibly two, I forget) of the blocks is always reserved for certain "core" classes, meaning those blocks won't offer any meaningful courses. Additionally, some advanced classes are scheduled exclusively in the morning or afternoon, making it difficult for students who want to take a class at tech in the morning and/or participate in a sport in the afternoon. And don't forget that students are expected to take remedial-level English 12 after the two AP classes in 10th and 11th grade.

HB parent here. The grade 12 English isn't remedial, it's the regular English 12 class. But yes that is the only option for 12th graders and that is kind of odd. We like HB but it does have downsides and for parents who want a rigorous education for their kids, the regular high schools are probably better. Or TJ or IB at W-L.

[Anonymous]

My kid is in a class that is two totally different classes so they get about half the instruction. Not good. I disagree on the ADHD thing. With an IEP, there is a lot of support.

[Anonymous]

Former HB parent here. Are you saying HB no longer offers AP English?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is in a class that is two totally different classes so they get about half the instruction. Not good. I disagree on the ADHD thing. With an IEP, there is a lot of support.

You have to be very severe ADHD to get IEP. Many mild ADHD especially inattentive get 529 and fend for themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does HBW get all good policies, why don’t they spread to other high schools?

Why do you assume HB gets all the good policies? I guarantee you that there are things you don't know about HB that you would not like.

Well, I listed the ones that I wish our school had, please feel free to list the policies you think are terrible and I’ll tell you what I think of them

No driver's ed
fewer AP classes
AP classes taught together with regular class
no intensified classes other than math
no counselors, so limited guidance/help/knowledge re college apps
very limited guidance/support for exec functioning (probably better if the kid has an IEP)
less homework than traditional schools (this is ok with me but you already said you want more)

You forgot that, in the past few years, many teachers in the AP classes have been replaced by teachers who are not as qualified or experienced. It's part of the reason why report card grades are inflated compared to the large number of people who fail the AP tests along with those that only get a 3. Ask to see the score distribution if you're curious.

Wait, I'm confused by this. Are you talking about HB or the other schools? And if it's HB, which AP classes are taught by new teachers?

As someone with kids in multiple schools, I've long been interested in score distributions, but haven't been able to find them. Are they publicly accessible? I don't know how we're supposed to compare test scores across teachers or schools if any APS student can opt out of the AP test without a consequence.