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New FAQs regarding the 7 period day schedule:
How many credits can my student take in DPS or at DSA?
A student at DSA can take 40 credits a semester without a waiver. If a student is interested in increasing their credit load, they can request a waiver that will require approval by the administration at DSA and DPS Superintendent’s office.
What happens to arts-endorsed diplomas? It will be almost impossible to meet requirements unless you qualify for NHS.
There is no plan to get rid of the arts-endorsed diploma. Major areas may need to look at the requirements to be sure they are achievable and rigorous to ensure it is meaningful.
What will the option of having only one or two electives IN YOUR ENTIRE HS CAREER (after your art area) do to retention rates?
Choosing to attend an art school does limit all of the other electives that can be taken. The arts majors at DSA count as two electives a year.
DSA counselors advise three years of foreign language, not two. Will that even be possible for kids in 9th grade now?
Yes.
Will this new schedule prevent students from a foreign exchange year?
No. Any certified and pre-approved program will allow for credit transfers. It is advisable that any student interested in foreign exchange work with their counselors to get programs pre-approved and a letter put in the cumulative file.
What about Special Ed students who need resource room? Will they be unable to take an elective? Will we change or diminish support for SPED students?
There is a potential for a special education student to have fewer electives as other students. Our main goal is to give special education students the resources and skills to read and do math at grade level which should supersede the desire for other electives. Many schools in the district limit freshmen from other electives when their CSAP scores in reading and/or math are not proficient.
What happens to students who transfer in as sophomores or juniors?
Most other school districts in the area have similar graduation requirements as DPS. However, if a sending school’s requirements are below the DPS requirements a student would be held accountable for obtaining the needed classes in order to graduate. We will work with a students individually on this issue.
What about kids who fail a class? How will they ever get those extra credits?
Though DSA does not encounter this problem to the degree of other DPS schools, students who fail a class will take it again the next year, in summer school, or in a pre-approved program to fulfill the requirements needed for graduation.
How can you claim that there will be more electives available when all HS students won't have a period free to take them?
Only 9th and 10th graders will have full schedules based on district requirements and agreements with their counselors. Juniors and seniors will have the greatest amount of choice, unless failed classes need to be repeated. The increase in electives is due to additional elective classes being taught by both arts and academic teachers. An equal amount of resources are divided between the middle school and high school.
What formal assurance will be given to students who fear increased homework assignments and deadlines don't work with their production/performance schedules?
Homework in the current block schedule is much heavier as the assignments are designed to cover a two day lesson. With shorter, more frequent classes the homework load should be reduced. However, the quantity of homework will remain as the teacher’s prerogative. The faculty at DSA is equally invested in the arts and academic student development and will continue to work with students on this issue during the transition.
Original FAQs:
Why is DSA changing the schedule?
The current configuration of 90 minute blocks has become a roadblock for meeting graduation requirements. The seven period day allows us to do it with a greater variety of classes.
Will there be no more block scheduling for the arts?
No. In reality Arts classes will actually increase in time from 90 minutes to 114 minutes per day.
Will overall time for the academic classes be cut?
No. The current block schedule works over the course of a two week period where each day (white and black) are accounted for 5 times for 90 minutes totaling 450 minutes over 2 weeks. In a 7 period day the periods each day are 55 minutes long totaling 550 minutes over the same two week period. This alone transfers into over 6 week of instructional time.
Will students have no free periods?
Students will still have the option for free periods, however all students will have the ability to take full class loads. In the past, many students were not able to take courses due to the lack of section availability.
Will X classes and AP classes be cut?
No, they will be increased! As many of you know the way many high schools are measured is by their AP or Post Secondary options. In the past it was sometimes impossible for kids to take certain AP classes or more than one. With a standard 7 period day, a student could have a full load of AP and/or CU Succeeds courses.
Will my child be able to take electives?
Yes, in the past only 6 majors had electives available. Under this structure every major will also teach one elective and some will have two electives.
Why can’t students meet graduation requirements with the current schedule?
The main issue is in addressing newly implemented and increased academic requirements. With an 8 period/ 4 block schedule there will not be enough time to have double block majors, meet minimum graduation requirements and offer any enriching and compelling electives or minors.
Will there be stripe days at DSA?
In essence, everyday will be what was currently seen as a stripe day. The day actually will be structured so that students will have both their academics and their art classes everyday. Below is an example of what the schedule might look like:
| Per. 1 | Per. 2 | Per. 3 | Per. 4 | MS Ln | Per. 5 | HS Ln | Per. 6 | Per. 7 | ms
| LA | Maj.
| Maj. | Elec.
| lunch | SS | n/a | MA | SCI | | hs | Int. Lit
| IMP 1 | Geog | Span | n/a | Earth S | lunch | Maj. | Maj. |
How long will the passing periods be?
We are working issues with transportation but they will be no shorter than 4 minutes.
How will homework be affected?
We are looking at ways to increase the meaningfulness of homework while decreasing the overall quantity.
Will Double Majors still be made available?
We are not only looking at ways to double major but also to create legitimate minors.
Will the length of day be affected, lunches, off-campus privileges?
The length of the day will be affected. Times may increase about 18 total minutes per day. Lunches will remain at 40 minutes and off-campus privileges will remain in accordance with district guidelines.
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