Paynesville secondary schools plan five-period day, 70-minute classes and online course options
March 12, 2024 | PAYNESVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Boards, Minnesota
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The Paynesville Public School District is moving toward a five-period high-school day with class sessions roughly 70 minutes long next year, district administrators told the board, part of broader changes intended to maintain core instruction while expanding remedial and advanced supports.
"Next year, we're we will have a 5 5 period day, and our classes will go from their 80 minutes this year, and they'll be 70 minutes next year," David, the secondary principal, said, describing a plan that tightens class lengths and provides space for remedial math and reading as well as electives on a rotating schedule for middle-school students.
What the plan does: David said core classes would remain yearlong for certain middle-grade cohorts, and middle-school electives would rotate quarterly (a set of four electives each quarter) to manage staffing and student interest. The district also intends to continue college-in-the-schools (PSEO) and introduce course options through Infinity Online to offer classes that cannot be staffed locally, such as medical terminology and sports medicine.
Why administrators propose the change: David told the board the prior switch to a block schedule led to repeated adjustments and that the district is trying to find a stable approach that meets licensure and staffing realities while preserving solid instructional blocks. He said the changes aim to provide remedial support without drastically increasing staff load or altering strong existing elements of the schedule.
Other curricular notes: David said Project Lead The Way classes and high-school band would continue and that a personal-finance requirement scheduled for the 2024–25 cohort will be offered through the social-studies department to accommodate staffing constraints in math.
Next steps: administrators will finalize course offerings, present registration materials, and let students choose electives once staffing and enrollment numbers are confirmed.
"Next year, we're we will have a 5 5 period day, and our classes will go from their 80 minutes this year, and they'll be 70 minutes next year," David, the secondary principal, said, describing a plan that tightens class lengths and provides space for remedial math and reading as well as electives on a rotating schedule for middle-school students.
What the plan does: David said core classes would remain yearlong for certain middle-grade cohorts, and middle-school electives would rotate quarterly (a set of four electives each quarter) to manage staffing and student interest. The district also intends to continue college-in-the-schools (PSEO) and introduce course options through Infinity Online to offer classes that cannot be staffed locally, such as medical terminology and sports medicine.
Why administrators propose the change: David told the board the prior switch to a block schedule led to repeated adjustments and that the district is trying to find a stable approach that meets licensure and staffing realities while preserving solid instructional blocks. He said the changes aim to provide remedial support without drastically increasing staff load or altering strong existing elements of the schedule.
Other curricular notes: David said Project Lead The Way classes and high-school band would continue and that a personal-finance requirement scheduled for the 2024–25 cohort will be offered through the social-studies department to accommodate staffing constraints in math.
Next steps: administrators will finalize course offerings, present registration materials, and let students choose electives once staffing and enrollment numbers are confirmed.
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