The transition to the unknown is a big change in any circumstance, especially when the unknown seems almost unprecedented. “Almost” is the key word in regards to Parker’s new schedule that features an eight-day rotation.
Debuting this year, the schedule made waves amongst the student body when it was introduced. “My immediate reaction to the schedule was that it looked intense,” senior Spencer Dunbar said. “I’m concerned that the teachers will give out too much homework because of the classes being longer, and won’t give students some time to work on things in class,” Dunbar said.
Head of Upper School Cory Zeller was part of the group of staff, students, and faculty who had worked with consultant Roxanne Higgins to curate the schedule. Zeller also made sure to address the impact of the new schedule on homework.
“Teachers can only assign one night’s worth of homework from one block to the next. They cannot assign homework for Flex Days, or two nights’ worth of work due after a Flex Day,” Zeller said. “I think it [the new schedule] will reduce and regulate the workload. Students will never have more than four classes of homework per night.”
Zeller is not the only one who has high hopes for the new schedule as it relates to student workload.
Upper School history teacher Susan Elliott was not involved in creating the schedule, but experience gives her insight: “I taught at a school with a six day rotation. I liked it because we didn’t have a situation where the same class was always impacted by sports dismissals or the Friday afternoon fatigue! I am expecting the new schedule will have a similar impact at Parker.”
“I believe students will appreciate having far less homework because they will not have as many meetings each day to prepare for. Also, I think the FLEX period will help students complete work on long term projects more easily,” Elliott said.
Her “relief” at the implementation of the new schedule is something that will hopefully translate to the student body as they ease into the 2024-2025 school year.
