In Island Trees: Ninth Period Eyed in Middle, High School

By Dave Mock

Island Trees school administrators are faced with a growing list of mandates from the state, and a desire to have each student be as well rounded as possible.

Last week, they unveiled one possible solution to the problem -- expanding the schedule at the middle school and high school to nine periods a day.

"We're not inventing the wheel," said Vic Longaro, principal of Island Trees High School. "What we're looking to do is to get more time in the day for instruction."

Longaro and middle-school Principal Jon Segerdahl said the boost in instructional time would be only one of several benefits to having an additional period in the school schedule. They said the program would also allow the district to start foreign-language education in seventh grade, and help students prepare for the competency exam the state expects to mandate for eighth-graders.

The principals said a nine-period day would allow more course selections, a scheduled lunch period for high-school students who don't have one in their schedule or attend occupational education; and additional electives to students who wish to take them but can't fit them into their schedules.

The school board would most likely not implement the additional period until 1999-2000. District Superintendent Richard Segerdahl (the Segerdahls are brothers) said that waiting until then would allow the district to handle the staffing and programming properly. The district's teachers' contracts also come up for renewal at the end of the current school year.

Both Island Trees secondary principals said the additional period would mean more time in class, but also allow the district to handle the greater expectations of students from the state education department. Right now, Jon Segerdahl said, putting the offerings in the current eight-period day is akin to putting "10 pounds of potatoes into a five-pound sack."

And Longaro noted that of the 56 high schools in Nassau County, 37 have a nine-period day.

During the presentation, Principals Segerdahl and Longaro displayed several schedules for students in fifth-through-12th grades that would be changed by the additional period. In sixth-grade, for example, the expanded day would allow for a five-week program, including an alcohol/values project, and extended time for math, science and social studies.

In addition to extending foreign languages to seventh graders, Island Trees could also offer technical or home/career education, Segerdahl said. In eighth grade, options for the additional period include research/geography, reading/writing/computer skills, or earth science, sequential math and new semester courses.

Longaro said that the addition of a ninth period to the high school expansion also provides educational advantages, especially for students who might take BOCES or have a busy schedule and have no time for lunch. He added that it would help students who want to take an additional elective -- for example, drama, journalism or music theory -- but would thus be forced to drop another elective when doing their schedule.

The high-school principal said that it's important for students to have as many options as possible, not only for their own benefit, but also because a well-rounded student has an edge when applying for college.

The Island Trees administrators are still figuring out exactly how a nine-period day will affect the schedules. Longaro said that most of the nine-period high schools have classes of 40 minutes each, as opposed to 43 minutes at Island Trees High School.

The middle school is also looking at 40-minute classes for a nine-period day, said principal Segerdahl, who added that his school schedule formerly lasted 43 minutes.

Responding to a question from the audience, he said the school has discussed the possibility of morning band for fifth and sixth graders. Club activity times in the afternoon would remain the same in a nine-period day, he added.

The middle-school principal said that coordinating the bus schedules will be a challenge that has to be handled carefully. Currently, buses pick up and drop off students at the high school first, followed by the middle school and Sparke and Stokes Elementary Schools.

Richard Segerdahl, the district superintendent, reminded the Island Trees audience that the nine-period program is still in the exploratory stage. Noting the resulting scheduling changes, and the possibility of hiring more teachers to handle more courses, the superintendent said the district should wait a year and get it right.