Coupeville Middle and High School leaders are working toward a new class schedule structure for the 2015-16 school year.
The new structure will mean more course offerings for students and may potentially impact graduation requirements.
Principal Larry Walsh and Assistant Principal Duane Baumann have been working with a committee of staff volunteers since early fall to research possible structure changes.
After consulting other districts and polling students and teachers, the committee decided a “5-by-5” schedule would best suit district needs.
A 5-by-5 schedule consists of “A” and “B” days with five periods each day. Students would have the opportunity to sign up for 10 classes each semester.
Staff started looking at options with new “Core 24” requirements coming down the pike in 2019, meaning students will need 24 credits to graduate.
Walsh and Baumann presented their proposal to the school board Monday.
Superintendent Jim Shank said he supported the proposal and recommended the board approve the direction the committee was headed.
Right now, Coupeville faces challenges in its schedule, Baumann said. Freshmen currently have two options for sixth period — PE or English.
Coupeville could potentially lose students to online schools or other districts on the island, Walsh said.
Creating a new schedule structure will give students an opportunity to take more electives.
During its research, the committee also polled students to see what kinds of electives they’d be interested in having. Subjects ranged from more language options to engineering and woodshop.
The school board unanimously approved the recommendation to move forward with the new schedule.
The next step, Walsh said, is to put it out to the students to figure out what classes to offer.
He estimated having an informal master schedule to present in March with the hopes of having everything finalized for ninth grade registration this spring.
In addition to the new schedule, the school board will have to look at district graduation requirements.
Historically, Coupeville has required more credits than required by the state.
