“We may modify or completely change the block schedule,” said North Platte Public Schools superintendent Ron Hanson.  He has been investigating changing the high school’s schedule to an eight-period day instead of the four-period one.  He has some concerns with the current schedule. “There are learning gaps between semesters, no homework, resulting in lack of time management, improper use of the blocks, no study time, and that it is not appropriate for various learning styles,” he said.  

Hanson is looking at a situation appraisal which weighs the pros and cons of each schedule and scores them.  Whichever has the highest score will be more favorable. Principal James Ayres said the block schedule allows kids to take more classes.  “I know kids who have maxed out in math.  They take algebra, geometry, college algebra, trig, pre-calc, and then calculus,” he said. “You couldn’t do that with the eight-period day.”  

Ayres said the eight-period day would allow students to take more electives at the same time. Students with short attention spans would be able to pay attention more easily, and  it would be simpler for mid-year students to transfer their credits. It allows students to learn a little bit slower than we currently do.  “Students would learn time management skills to get all of their homework done,” says Hanson

With the block schedule, students are doubling-up on classes. Ayres said with the eight-period schedule, then they would have to take two classes at the same time.  “It’s easier to retake classes with the current block.  The eight-period would make the student double up the next year or take summer school to make up the credits,” he said. “You’d have to take more classes at a time, and you could possibly have homework in all of those classes, so students would be given a study hall.”

Senior Nathan Baxter, a transfer student from Stapleton, said he wishes he would have had a block schedule his entire high school experience. “The block schedule is way better, because with the eight-periods in a day, you were always moving around and not learning as much,” said Baxter. He has been out of school because he recently had surgery. He said the block schedule has helped him quickly catch up on his makeup work because he didn’t have as many classes or teachers to check in with.

Hanson has also been investigating a modified block schedule.  Students would have alternating schedules with four periods each day. Ayres said students wouldn’t have as much homework, but classes would remain 97 minutes long. One day, an A day, students would have four classes, and the next day, B day, students would have four different classes. Core classes would last all year on this alternating schedule.   Freshman Karsyn Buttler thinks the block schedule is better. “You actually have time to learn.  The shorter class periods would also have more passing periods which gives you even less time to learn,” she said.

Hanson’s previous district, Papillion- La Vista, had seven periods and an advisory period. Students are concerned about an increase of homework. Sophomore Cole Kleinow, a transfer student from Brady, said, “If students had more homework, students would fall behind even more because people are already so busy with jobs and extracurricular activities.” Kleinow said his way of managing his time was to stay up until 1:00 a.m. finishing his homework.

There has been a lot of changing of the bell schedule in the last 10 years. Civics teacher Kirk Livingston said, “North Platte has had the eight-period day, and the alternating block before, and we always come back to this block schedule. It’s what works best for our school.”

Hanson said that the school board will vote on the change in January.