By Jessica Johnson & Noel Smith
Aptos High School is considering adding a seventh period to the school day in an effort to increase equity and opportunity for the student body.
Aptos High currently operates on a six period class schedule. First period begins at 7:45 a.m. and sixth period ends at 2:50 p.m. While the high school offers a “zero period” before the regular school day begins, the only courses offered at that time are weight lifting for varsity football and three high-level math courses. Between the zero period start time of 6:40 a.m. and the limited courses, only about 10% of the student body participate in the zero period.
By adding a seventh period, students would have increased opportunity to take full advantage of the courses offered. “Students will still be required to take the same minimum number of classes,” explained Principal Casey O’Brien. However, he continued, “they will be able to take a seventh class if they want to, which will give them more enrichment opportunities.”
As Principal O’Brien explained, the number of potential classes a student could enroll in would increase from a 24 classes to 28. “Over time I expect that we will be expanding the number of electives that are offered including more music and the arts as well as academic classes and SAT Prep courses.”
The concept of the seventh period is not new. In fact, several nearby schools already offer seven period days. These schools include Soquel, Scotts Valley, Los Gatos, Pacific Grove High School, Carmel and Menlo-Atherton. By adding a seventh period option Aptos High students would be on an even playing field with other local students as they vie for college acceptance and career access.
Another potential benefit for students is the option to begin the school day an hour later. In 2014, The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a policy statement recommending middle and high schools delay the start of class to 8:30 a.m. or later. As explained on their website, “Doing so will align school schedules to the biological sleep rhythms of adolescents, whose sleep-wake cycles begin to shift up to two hours later at the start of puberty.”
One of the most important potential outcomes of adding a class period to the day is that students who don’t currently get to take an elective would have the opportunity. For example, students who are enrolled in English or academic support classes, primarily English Language Learners or Special Education students, don’t currently get to take electives. “What they lose typically, are the electives – the arts, foreign language — and so those students, often our most needy, are losing out on electives and that is not really equitable,” O’Brien said.
Ultimately the implementation of a seven period day hinges on teacher backing. O’Brien is optimistic that the change will benefit teachers as well, as they will have additional prep time during the day. They will gain approximately 250 additional minutes each week for lesson planning and collaboration. Further, with aligned prep periods they will have dedicated time for collaboration among subject matter peers.
“We’re going to need to have a vote with the union, and we are working through some gnarly logistics that we have to get dialed in…but I think we are really close,” O’Brien said. “The positive benefits far outweigh any potential costs.”
Francisco Rodriguez, President of the Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers, said, “The teachers at Aptos High will be surveyed on what the potential effects of a seventh period would be. We will also assess those schools that already have such a program on what consequences they have experienced for their teachers.”
Rodriguez said that the administration’s plan would have to be negotiated with the staff onsite and then accepted by 2/3 of those teachers before it could move forward. Some of the potential issues to be looked at according to Rodriguez would be extra preparation time, and teachers instructing additional subjects.
“If there are any issues affecting the union contract, these would have to be negotiated and then go before the PVUSD Board of Trustees for approval before a seventh period could be implemented,” said Rodriguez.