news-record.com

GREENSBORO — More change at Northern Guilford High School — this time in the classroom — is continuing to vex parents and students.

Parents learned this week the school will move from a seven-period day to six this fall for the first time in the school’s three-year history.

Will Laine, the school’s new principal, blamed cuts in student funding for the scheduling change.

Northern was the school district’s only traditional high school on a seven-period schedule. Laine said the change is unfortunate because most parents and teachers preferred more class offerings.

“Anytime you can give them multiple electives and give them a chance to explore things they’re interested in, it’s in their best interest,” Laine said.

The 2009-10 school year will be the first Northern has had with all four high school grade levels. The school was budgeted to receive two additional teachers because of growth but those positions were cut.

Northern staff began meeting with parents and students this week to revise schedules. Laine said he and his staff are reviewing the records of all seniors to address any graduation conflicts the change might cause.

Accommodations are already being planned for students who don’t want to give up courses and those who may need seven credits to graduate.

Laine said teachers have volunteered to teach classes before the first class of the day. Right now, those classes will include four science courses, and an English and math course are planned.
 

Cheryl Crouse, a member of Northern’s PTA, said parents initially were angry about the decision, especially because it comes on the heels of an ongoing investigation into the athletics program at the school. The investigation led to the resignations of the former principal and athletics director, the firing of a janitor and dismissal of the school’s varsity men’s basketball coach.

“We were like 'Oh gosh, here we go again,’ ” Crouse said.

But after hearing from Laine, most have accepted the situation, Crouse said.

The change is forcing some students to choose between courses, including Crouse’s 10th-grade daughter Megan, who had to decide whether she wanted to take art or chorus.

“It was a hard decision for her. I think a lot students are going have to choose one elective over another,” she said.

Northern will also offer college prep courses for the first time this fall. These courses are considered the least rigorous level. Students who fell behind in their classes at Northern had previously been enrolled in tutoring class, available through the seven-period schedule.

Laine said the decision to offer college prep courses was made well before the decision to cut back the schedule.
“We have to get away from the one-size-fits-all mentality,” Laine said.

There may be another issue working against the longer schedule. Some teachers at the school were teaching six periods, while others were teaching five.

Most of the teachers with the additional class were said to have volunteered for the extra work, but Beth Folger, the school system’s chief academic officer, said some teachers complained about the unfair workload.

Contact J. Brian Ewing at 373-7351 or brian.ewing@news-record.com.

-- Correction: Cheryl Crouse is a member of the Northern PTA, not the president. This was incorrect in the original version of this article.