Positive+Ideas

Questions to Answer: 1) What are some of the great things we could do with a 7th period? 2) How might the group(s) I’m representing benefit from the addition of a 7th period? 3) How might Loyola as a school / community benefit from the addition of a 7th period?

Ground Rules: 1) Anything goes... as long as it's positive. 2) Share one idea at a time. (1-2 minute max) 3) Everyone shares!

Brainstorming / December 7, 2010 / H104
 * Positive Ideas from Angela's Group:**

Moderator: Angela Moran

Participants: Judy Dell'Amico, Bill Slocum, Chris Walter, Carlos Enriquez, Brian Kwan, April Hannah

1. Open up time for music classes–brain balance 2. For summer school: nice to have some flexibility of extra meeting time (hard to coordinate meetings) 3. Easy sell to donors for either more academic or theological time 4. Major clubs: would cut down on outside of time school (newspaper, yearbook) 5. Possibility of doing online, web–based classes; interactions with other schools; languages and/or foreign country outreach 6. More instructional time; we are significantly less than the average amount of instructional time for many other schools 7. Directed study/library research time; classes could have a period where they would have the ability to get assistance 8. For ComServ: more time to get reflections done so that they were not interfering with lunches; some time for dialogue and discussion 9. Summer session: a number of kids feel the need to take classes during the summer (e.g., theology, health); having 7th period would allow them to get all classes in during the regular year so that summer was a real break (and save money) 10. Advancement: one of the next two phases is in the arts (arts calling for longer periods); time would allow for this 11. Also: other clubs (e.g., band, acting); more than two semesters will allow for a better, more productive experience 12. Opportunity to introduce block schedules; helps cut down on time wasted in passing between classes 13. For science: labs having more time to include data analysis and time for discussion makes a big difference in terms of learning 14. Opportunity to tighten up bell schedules (reduce/streamline the number of schedules) 15. Time to explore careers–create classes to explore business, medicine, etc. Students would be able to get a feel for what each profession entails 16. Nice to have additional time for intradepartmental collaboration (especially for departments with a lot of coaches) PROTECTED time in the school day to collaborate that doesn't detract from prep time 17. Time for students to do stuff who are here very early or very late 18. Possibility of doing athletic classes (athletics would be another class); reduce stress on teachers and allow teachers /coaches to make activities part of their daily routine 19. Students would have less to worry about each night if there were fewer classes in each day 20. Free period available to catch up on wrk 21. Collegiate type of schedule (classes not necesarily meeting on sequential days); get kids used to managing time and experience to what their college experience will be 22. Opportunity to combine algebra/geometry to allow students more flexibility to achieve class goals 23. If there are club/athletic classes: would allow participants to get home earlier (for example, activities start at 1:30 and end at 3:30 as opposed to 5) 24. Add extra classes: to address both students on the top and bottom ends (enrichment and remediation) 25. Also for APs: not much time compared to other schools 26. Have protected time for faculty office hours (not necessarily every day) 27. For example at Notre Dame: 90 minute "X period" (teachers required to be in a certain location for first half); for tutoring, making up exams 28. Extra free period for faculty to do professional development (technology, etc.) 29. Extra time to observe other teachers 30. Opportunity to introduce other types of theology classes; creating theology classes that serve the spirit of the student 31. Possibility to return to same model being used if things don't work out; we'll never know what could be if we don't try new things 32. Possibility of doing online classes (for health, general requirement classes); expose students to online instruction 33. Many other schools have athletic periods; been a topic of discussion for some time 34. Also if athletic class is last hour, then there's less disruption to classes if students have to leave for a game 35. More time for students to utilize counseling department (see counselors); counselor "office hours" 36. Writing workshop for students (and research class/service) 37. Also possibility of creating cafeteria on campus for students to actually be able to eat lunch 38. Time for students to do service hours if they are not involved with sports 39. Time for peer tutoring so that students can help each other 40. Nutrition class for students; and/or vocationally–oriented classes 41. Incorporating PE and/or some kind of physical activity time


 * Positive Ideas from Jason's Group:**
 * **MAJOR POINT IS THAT THIS WILL REDUCE STRESS OF STUDENTS **
 * **Helps to set students up in the freshman year for college in the long run-because counselors can meet with students and prepare them **
 * **Can provide guidance class **
 * **Reduce the stress of college applications; students and teachers may use extra time to ease the burden of the application process **
 * **Allow for more time to pursue the arts. Only 78 of 350 freshman take the arts, so more classes will allow more flexibility **
 * **Allow for the possibility of an X period that will allow the school an opportunity for advising, make-up quizzes, liturgies, awards, admin. meetings, faculty office hours, etc. Essentially, any school activity that carves time out of time may be handled during this period. **
 * **Possibility for technology classes. **
 * **Possibility for moving everything back to allow more time for student athletes to study and coaches to go home earlier **
 * **Possibility for students and teachers to start earlier and later depending on scheduling; **
 * **MAJOR POINT IS THAT A 7 PERIOD SCHEDULE WILL ALLOW FOR GREATER FLEXIBILITY IN SCHEDULE **
 * **Possibility of smaller classes **
 * **Possibility for coaches to teach 4 classes and have one class devoted to their sport **
 * **Opens the door for interdisciplinary courses. **
 * **Opens the door for possible quarter system. **
 * **MAJOR POINT IS THAT IT PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO TAKE CLASSES THAT THEY WANT TO TAKE- MORE FUN **
 * **4 years of art and music will be possible **
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px;">Provide time for more lab time (math and science in particular) **
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 26px;">Create an opportunity to expand our tutoring program. Peer-to-peer tutoring is effective and an extra period may create a door for this to occur; this exemplifies the Jesuit tradition, allows resume building for college aps., students served adequately. **
 * ** Could put music ensembles into the curriculum **
 * ** Provide an opportunity for enrichment courses **
 * ** Would make year long sequential classes possible **
 * ** Possibility for many elective courses such as Speech and Debate, Public Speaking, Culinary Arts, SAT, etc. **
 * ** Would allow us to catch up with more progressive schools who are our competitors, especially in the Arts and Humanities **
 * ** Provide an opportunity for Creative Writing and classes for Literary Art magazines **
 * ** Allow an opportunity for enrichment classes to help students who struggle with the curriculum **
 * ** More time for students to meet with teachers since teachers may have more time for office hours **
 * ** Provides an opportunity for coaches and student athletes to go home earlier if the schedule were pushed back- more study time for students **
 * **Additional senior elective courses such as Business Mathematics**
 * **Creates an opportunity for more collaboration among departments**
 * **Increased salary for teachers**
 * **Creates an opportunity for a study hall course**
 * **Creates an opportunity for a study skills course that may help freshmen develop confidence as students**
 * **Early intervention course type class may be offered at the freshmen level**
 * **Creates an opportunity for adding a double period to some classes**
 * **Courses may be created to help close the achievement gap for struggling students at Loyola**
 * **May create the likelihood of more instructional minutes**
 * **Extra period may help offset the absences of student athletes**
 * **May eliminate the need for an advising period giving teachers more time for prep work**
 * **Allow more opportunity for students to write and teachers to grade this writing**
 * **May create an opportunity for classes in the Arts such as AP 3-D Design, printmaking; a byproduct is to represent new teacher's strengths.**
 * **With more art classes it would formalize the art program as a vehicle for critical thinking**
 * **Enrichment classes and possibilities (Speech and Debate, SAT, various electives, etc.)**
 * **Opportunity for smaller class sizes**
 * **More department time for collaboration**
 * **Possibility for teachers to have two prep periods allowing them more time for grading and class preparation**
 * **Arts program may expand into more studio space**
 * **Arts may be integrated throughout the curriculum**
 * **Freshman may have a class devoted to how they may become successful at Loyola**
 * **May help to offset the number of absences among athletes**
 * **Possibility for a double prep. period for teachers**
 * **Possibility for a Humanities Academy for freshman; no need for UC approval**
 * **Creation of a well-rounded student who is exposed to a greater variety of course work**
 * **More opportunities to help teachers with technology**
 * **Potential non-rotating schedule with lead for more opportunities for tech team to sort out problems**


 * Positive Ideas from Robb's Group:**
 * Allow flexibility to take physical education classes and stay in line with state framework
 * Earlier start can help with dealing with traffic
 * add non-academic or elective classes
 * Just have a free period for students to lower stress
 * More time for counselors to see students outside of class
 * Lead to more staff
 * More preparation for AP and SAT tests in the Spring
 * More time for lab work for disciplines that need hands on activities
 * AP Bio and others need a third semester
 * Build in an extra advising class to help students prepare for college and other issues
 * Start sports practices earlier and get students home earlier
 * Block scheduling possibility for certain departments
 * Faculty can get together in departments much more easily
 * Students can meet in clubs or other activities
 * Non-academic activities can meet and create classes like newspaper, yearbook, Speech and Debate
 * Create time for office hours for teachers to meet with students needing help
 * Reduces stress for students because chance to participate or get help from teachers and others
 * Class led by students who are helping each other or doing independent studies
 * Students in the class teach the teacher of the class
 * Students can take other types of classes that are not necessarily A-G academic classes: gardening, Women's Studies, culinary arts
 * Classes should be non A-G classes and should be less stressful
 * Meditation class that would fit in with Ignatian theology
 * We need to develop all parts of the student and we are currently missing the activity aspect of the student
 * More time to discuss pedagogy across the disciplines between teachers
 * Need to discuss with students about pressures students are dealing with outside of school on life skills and dealing with relationships with girls
 * Have a chance for visitations from girls' schools to talk about life skills
 * Life skills-seniors could be paired up with freshmen to talk about social issues
 * Teachers can teach their passions-example: environmental design class as an extension of AP Environmental Science
 * We can add APs that we don't offer
 * Required Theology classes will be able to be done
 * Would make it possible for students to take theology during the year rather than during the Summer
 * Theology would be seen more as a priority because students would feel that they could take it during the year
 * Humanities Academy would have more of a possibility of structure and integration into school schedule
 * Expedite construction of new building
 * Help with recruitment of activities that are non-sports related during the freshman year to build up future years
 * Could make the extra period an optional hourly class where students choose which days and times to meet
 * Roaming attendance for students to meet on different areas of campus
 * Would not require more teachers
 * Would not need more classrooms
 * Allows students to choose different areas of interest and not to be locked into one activity
 * Allows sports coaches to start practice earlier, have the same time for practice, but students can go home earlier than now
 * Hire more teachers and expand experience and knowledge to the campus
 * Add field trips to the campus
 * Go off campus to eat with classes
 * Might allow more class time
 * Double time for classes for projects like science classes
 * Finish some classes in a semester not a year
 * Team teaching for seminars
 * Life lab-life skills applied to students' life
 * Community building exercises for the whole school community
 * If we did 7 periods, we would have more minutes of time to teach based upon a teacher's computation
 * This previous point is not guaranteed but based upon a teacher's hypothetical calculation