Proposal to Remove H Format, Shorten Sport Practice Times
The Curriculum Committee proposed an updated schedule for the 2018-19 academic year that would end the school day by 5:20 p.m. and allow for a “Choice Format” instead of the current sports option. The Committee hopes its proposal would alleviate student stress and scheduling inequities.
Faculty discussed the proposal at Monday’s faculty meeting. The Curriculum Committee hopes to address “mounting evidence that...students are feeling increased and unhealthy levels of stress and anxiety,” according to the proposal, by implementing this policy that will allow students to dedicate themselves to a specific activity for a term-long one-or-two format block. The Choice Format would replace the current sports option. The two formats differ because choice formats would be open to all grades.
“There needs to be better equity for scheduling—no prioritization of a certain group of kids or activity," says Caldwell.
The proposed scheduling changes eliminate H format altogether while changing the order of Wednesday classes to E, B, C and G formats during Week One and F, A and D formats during Week Two. Additionally, the proposal devotes an 80-minute block on Week Two Wednesdays to Community Time—which the packet explains should be used for “dorm meetings and activities [that] would allow for the fuller integration of day students into dorm communities.” The proposed change would cut 10 minutes from the current lunch block on Thursdays and Fridays; classes would start at 1:30 p.m.
The Curriculum Committee cites difficulties in building schedules as a main reason for creating the Schedule Proposal. “[The current scheduling process is like] building a 6,000 piece puzzle while accommodating multiple and sometimes competing factors such as specific departmental and curricular needs, student choice and desires, graduation requirements, staffing classroom and space constraints and teacher requests,” the packet reads.
Changing sports blocks would also simplify the scheduler’s duty. While varsity football would be the only sport to use both F(Y) and G(Z) blocks, JV water polo would use the F(Y) format and the prep program would only meet for 50 minutes during E(X) format. With the exception of football, junior varsity water polo and the Prep Program, all interscholastic athletics would be scheduled into G(Z) block.
However, sports using F format would face complications because F format would precede E format every Friday. Football and JV water polo would only practice during G and F formats, respectively. To have a full practice time, JV water polo would have to play with varsity until 6:30 p.m. on Fridays. JV water polo players would also not be able to participate in chamber or concert choir as both would take place during F format, further restricting Exonians’ course selection.
Faculty are conflicted over the proposal. Volleyball and Squash Coach Bruce Shang expressed his concerns over reducing sports to single format courses. “The PE Department was asked to change our schedule and our diploma requirements for what we were told was student well-being and a chance for students to pursue their passions,” Shang said. “I am unsure of the source of this required change. I have not been presented with scientific information that shows that exercising less is better for anyone’s well-being, let alone student well-being. We know that physical activity is good for the body and mind.”
Shang feels that the proposed schedule places too much value on schoolwork at the cost of athletics. “[The same could be achieved through] less homework or less class time from academic teachers,” said Shang. “The PE Department is open to change. Why are academic departments not included in the task of making this change?”
However, soccer and lacrosse coach and History Instructor Alexa Caldwell welcomed the new proposal as a chance to improve on the inadequacies of the Academy’s current schedule. “Students and faculty should not be in a classroom until 6:00 p.m.—I imagine students don’t like G or H classes, and no faculty want to teach at 5:00 p.m.,” Caldwell said. “[With the new schedule], everyone would be on the same page and participating in the same schedule: classroom and academics in the morning, extracurricular activities in the afternoon.”
Lower and tennis player Meili Gupta thought that the new schedule could be a possible method to improve student well-being. “I think this change is very beneficial because a lot of students including myself get tired during GH formats and lose concentration and focus for classes,” Gupta said.
(COPY) Caldwell also looked positively towards the Choice Format proposal. “There needs to [be] a more consistent system for students who are fortunate enough to opt GH. It seems that the current system enables people who either know how to finagle the system or students who know faculty who can work the system for them in order to get GH opt,” Caldwell said. “There needs to be better equity for scheduling—no prioritization of a certain group of kids or activity.”
Hockey and track coach and Science Instructor Mark Hiza did not see why the new schedule is necessary. “In the past couple of years, at least in the fall, that’s what’s been done, and it seems to work in the fall because most sports are outside. But I don’t see how it’s going to work in the winter at all,” Hiza said. “I don’t see how we could only have sports in the afternoon and accommodate everybody in the facilities we have.”
Tennis and squash coach Frederic Brussel agreed that the current system works better. “I did not see anything wrong with the way we currently practice. Next winter season will be a learning experience,” he said of the potential for overcrowded athletic facilities.
Lower and tri-varsity athlete Maddie Machado also raised concerns about the spatial capacity of the Academy’s facilities. “I don’t think GH for all sports teams is a good idea. The fitness center, which almost every sport uses a few times a week, doesn’t have the space to accommodate five or six teams lifting during the same format,” Machado said. “There are other spacing issues besides the fitness center too. We can’t fit four teams in the pool for swim, and I’m sure the basketball courts can’t have four teams at once either.”
Machado was also concerned about teams that practiced outside during the winter. “In the winter, distance track runs outside which would be very difficult for the runners to run in the dark because it would be close to dusk if not already dark for many days during the winter. That’s dangerous because of traffic and temperature,” Machado said.
Despite the pitfalls of the potential policy, Hiza saw the new schedule proposal as a chance for positive change. “It could work out well, and although I don’t mind what we’re doing with track right now, having sports at the end of the day would allow the runners to eat lunch and then have a sport later. I guess you get used to what you work with; we’ve gotten used to having track during EF,” Hiza said.
For Shang, the proposed schedule changes would inconvenience the PE Department. “In the past, faculty voted against losing five minutes of class time, but currently they are considering voting on PE diploma requirements without allowing the PE Department to vote on this issue. This sends a powerful message about the values of the leaders of this institution. This is a chance for the whole school to make positive change for student well-being,” Shang said. “Are we really a non sibi institution?”