Student and Parent FAQ

How many courses can students take in the new schedule?

• Students can take up to 8 credits, similar to the existing schedule. However, students would be able to schedule a study hall and still meet the graduation requirement of 27.5 credits

How long are the classes?

• 4 days of the cycle, class will be 56 minutes long
• 2 days of the cycle, class will be 85 minutes long

How many classes meet each day?

• 6 classes meet each day on 4 days of the cycle
• 4 classes meet each day on the 2 block days

If the schedule rotates, how will the students know what day of the schedule it is?

• The process will stay the same as it is now. Students will be made aware of what letter day it is, and they will follow that day’s schedule.
• Students are encouraged to keep a copy of their schedule on them at all times (ie- phones, paper copy, etc.)

What is the benefit of a rotating schedule?

• Students do not have the same class at the same time each day. This provides variety for both the students and staff
• Students who are not ‘morning people’ or who are frequently late will not have the same class first period each day
• Students leaving for athletics will not miss the same class for each early dismissal
• If there is a delayed opening or early dismissal, students will not miss the same class each time

If there is an unplanned school closing (snow day) what will the next instructional day be?

• We will continue with the current practice of not skipping letter days or, if there are multiple snow days, a decision will be made at that time

What is Lunch and Learn and how does it work?

• Lunch and Learn is an hour of time in the middle of the day that will serve as a combination of Enhancement and lunch
• Students will have the opportunity to eat lunch, meet with teachers, find a common area to do work, work collaboratively with other students on projects and assignments, meet with clubs, read, study, or relax
• Teachers will be scheduled for a 30 minute lunch and 30 minutes of office hours. During the office hours, the teacher will be available to meet with students for support and/or enrichment
• Please see the Lunch & Learn page for additional information.

How will students know if their teachers are available to meet during Lunch and Learn?

• Teachers will post their availability outside their classroom door and on the syllabus
• Teachers office hours will remain consistent all year
• Students will have the option to sign up through ALMA similar to the procedure for enhancement

Who will supervise the students during Lunch and Learn?

• The process for lunch supervision will remain the same

Can all the students fit into the cafeteria at once? Is there a seat for every student?

• Students will have the opportunity to eat at a time that meets their needs. Not all students will be eating lunch at the same time
• In addition to seating in the cafeteria, there is alternative seating around the school including the main lobby, the cafeteria lobby and outside (when weather permits)

When will science labs be scheduled?

• Science labs will be scheduled during regular class periods at the discretion of the teacher
• The block days will allow for labs that require extended time
• AP courses will have an additional half credit lab requirement

Will students still be able to “double up”?

• Yes. However, the traditional places where students double up in the block schedule may change with the modified block

Are electives affected?

• Similar to the current schedule, electives will run based upon student interest

Is the length of student day altered significantly in the new schedule?

• No, the hours will remain the same

Is there a homeroom period?

• No

If I have concerns about how my child will be impacted by the new schedule, whom should I contact?

• The guidance counselors are always a good starting point. The building administrators are another good point of contact to answer questions

What are the Keystone scores for districts that use modified schedules?

What does this schedule mean for students who are attending Vo-tech?

• Vo-tech students will still have the opportunity to attend classes at Garnet Valley as well as a Vo-tech program

What does this mean for students who need Learning Support or Multi sensory reading and math?

• Students who need Learning Support or Multi-sensory reading and math will still have these opportunities

Will Learning Support students be able to schedule a study hall?

• Yes
• The proposed schedule will provide more flexible opportunities for learning support students to take study halls and/or more electives and core courses

How will the new schedule affect the amount of homework that students are assigned?

• The current schedule compacts courses into a semester
• Since the proposed schedule will spread the content of the course out over a year, the corresponding homework should be spread out as well
• Also, students will not have each class everyday because of the rotation of the courses in the cycle. This allows for more time between classes to complete the homework, and ‘all’ classes’ homework will not be due on the same days
• For further information please see the Homework & Assessment Guidelines

How will the new schedule affect students interested in dual enrollment?

• The new schedule will allow for students to explore dual enrollment opportunities in both the AM and the PM.