The Allen Parish School Board is making schedule changes for some high school students next fall.

Superintendent Kent Reed said Monday the 4 x 4 block schedule will be piloted for the 2022-2023 school year at Fairview High School, Oakdale High School and Kinder High School. All other schedules will remain under the seven-period schedule with classes lasting 50 minutes.

With the change students will take four 90-minute classes a day over the course of four quarters rather than eight 50-minute classes per day over two semesters similar to a college scheduling, Reed said.

The School Board decided to pilot the program at the three schools after surveying students and parents.

“We sent out surveys and 1,232 people answered our survey,” Reed said. “Probably 60 percent were in favor of block scheduling while 40 percent wanted  to stay with a seven-period day.”

More parents than students were in favor of the change, he said.

“Student attendance is a critical factor in this type of schooling,” Reed said. “Missing one school day is comparable to missing two days, so we are going to have to keep a close eye on our student attendance.”

The schedule will benefit students by increasing opportunities to take electives, dual enrollment and associate degree classes, Reed said.

Students who struggle in a required class will have the opportunity to retake the course the next semester.

The schedule will also allow students to focus on four closes per semester as opposed to seven classes per year

The pace of the school day will also slow down. The slower pace will give teachers a better opportunity to closely monitor student progress.

“I think we will have fewer failures and hopefully our kids will achieve better,” Reed said.

The teachers will also benefit by being able to focus on half of the number of students during one semester.

Fewer class exchanges will also minimize disruptions at school.

“With fewer disruptions we are able to cover more ground in half a year in 90 minutes, then a whole year of 50 minutes,” Reed said.

Students will receive report cards even 4-1/2 weeks until the semester ends.

In other matters, the School Board unanimously approved the 2022-2023 school calendar.

The calendar affords teachers three days of planning and in-service days before schools open on Thursday, Aug. 11.

The first student holiday will be Sept. 5 for Labor Day.

Students will be out of school on Oct. 12 for a professional development day for teachers. Fall break will be Oct. 13-14.

Fair Day will be held Friday, Oct. 18 followed by Thanksgiving break Nov. 21-25.

Schools will be out Dec. 19-Jan. 2, 2023 for Christmas and New Years. Schools will reopen on Jan. 3.

Other holidays will include Martin Luther King Day on Jan. 16; American Heritage Day on Feb. 20 and Mardi Gras on Feb. 21. Schools will be closed for a professional development day on Feb. 22.

Easter and spring break will be April 7-14.

The last day of school for students will be Wednesday, May 24. Teachers will end the school year on May 24.

The schedule allows for 6.5 to 7 bank or emergency days for weather and other unscheduled school closures.