Schedule Change Proposal Frequently Asked Questions
What are the highlights of the Schedule Change?
● Five days a week, a new 32 minute block of flexible instructional time (FIT) will be added between the first and second class blocks of the day. The new FIT block has been created by shortening every class block by eight minutes. A standard class block will now be approximately 72 minutes long.
● During these FIT blocks, no classes will formally be in session. All teachers will be available to support student learning in multiple ways.
● These FIT blocks will be flexible in terms of how they are structured and used by students. Time can be directly focused on Career Education curricular competencies and content, or it can be used to address other learning needs. These learning needs may include:
○ meeting with teachers for support, guidance or inspiration regarding specific curriculum, or other passions or interests
○ collaboration time with students, teachers, or community members
○ time to explore, work on, or complete assignments and projects
● Students will have the flexibility to choose the four-credit Career Life Education course in Grade 10 within the timetable or in a blended model format. A blended model allows students to meet with teachers before or after school, supported within the FIT block to address the curriculum. Blended classes are not scheduled within the regular 4-block-a-day timetable and provide the opportunity for students to take an additional course if desired.
● Students will address the Career Life Connections curriculum (2 credits in Grade 11 and 2 credits in Grade 12) within the FIT blocks. Approximately once per week or biweekly, students will meet with their Career Life Connections teacher during these times. All other times, students would have the flexibility to use these FIT blocks as described above.
What are the benefits of the Schedule Change?
● Provides students with choice, voice, and flexibility with their learning
● Provides the opportunity for students to get support and guidance from all teachers
● Builds in time for student collaboration within the school day
● Promotes well-being for the entire school population (e.g. time to address needs, opportunity to reduce homework and assignment pressures, makes time available at lunch for students and teachers to rest, or to participate in school-based activities like clubs, etc.)
● Provides time within the school day to address Career Education in a meaningful way
● Provides flexible learning environments for all, acknowledging that learning can take place in variety of places and in a variety of ways
● Supports student time management and organization by providing an opportunity for students to practice these skills with the guidance of teachers
● Provides opportunities for improved student - teacher connections
What is the purpose of the FIT block? How will FIT be used by teachers and students?
FIT provides students the opportunity to:
● Complete requirements for Career Life Connections (Gr. 11 and 12) and blended Career Life Education (Gr. 10) curriculum
● Complete assignments
● Practice presentations
● Study for tests and quizzes
● Receive help from a teacher
● Make progress on long-term assignments
● Collaborate with classmates on group assignments
● Reduce homework
● Improve skills in a specific area
● Engage in a personal passion project of interest
● or...
FIT provides staff the opportunity to:
● Provide time to support students where it is needed
● Connect with students in a personal way
● On occasion, to extend their first block into FIT to accommodate longer labs, lessons, projects, etc.
● Provide students needing extra time the opportunity to complete tests, labs, or other projects etc.
● Work with groups of students needing extra support with a concept
● Review learning with students (tests, assignments, projects etc.)
● Provide time for post-secondary personnel to work with senior students
● Support student collaboration by providing a space and supportive learning environment
What will the Schedule Change look like?
Final schedules may differ from school to school by a few minutes in order to address school specific needs, but generally school start and end times and lunch times will be consistent. The following are some sample schedules which will likely be implemented.
1st block 8:30 to 9:41 (71 min)
break 7 min
FIT block 9:48 to 10:20 (32 min)
break 7 min
2nd block 10:27 - 11:38 (71 min)
break 10 min
3rd block 11:48 - 12:59 (71 min)
Lunch 12:59 pm
Warning Bell 1:37
4th block 1:42 to 2:55 (73 min)
What is Career Education? How has it changed with the revised curriculum?
One of the most significant changes to the revised British Columbia curriculum is in Career Education. The Career Education curriculum has become more robust, recognizing the importance and value of career life development for all students. The following is now required for all students:
Grade 8 Career Education
Grade 9 Career Education
Grade 10 Career Life Education (4 credits)
Grade 11 Career Life Connections (2 credits)
Grade 12 Career Life Connections (2 credits)
The Career Education curriculum from Grade 8 - 12 offers students the opportunity to explore their journey through life in a personally meaningful and goal oriented way. The intent is to support students in becoming successful, educated citizens by helping them learn how to effectively manage their life journey toward preferred future possibilities and help them to adapt to ongoing changes. The curriculum includes learning standards that focus on deep learning experiences, opportunities for mentorship, substantive experiential learning, and a capstone project where students will be provided with the opportunity to showcase and celebrate their learning journey.
West Vancouver Schools recognizes the value and importance of supporting students in their journey through life, and wants to ensure that Career Education is a foundational aspect of each child’s learning journey. FIT provides opportunities to support Career Education at all grade levels. Furthermore, blended Career Life Education and ALL Career Life Connections courses will use FIT as an opportunity to deliver and support learning in a more robust and meaningful way for students.
What is the impact on instructional time?
The new curriculum has encouraged and provided the opportunity for all districts to look at instructional time with increased flexibility. This flexibility recognizes that learning can, and should, take place in a variety of learning environments, in a variety of different ways, with a variety of different people to guide and facilitate. Each traditional block will be reduced by 8 - 9 minutes, but instructional time will not be lost. Instead students will be able to use this instructional time with greater choice, meeting their individual learning needs.
What impact will this have on senior academic courses like Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB)
The impacts on the senior academic courses will be no different than the impact on other courses. Although time will be reduced in the traditional blocks, additional time will be gained in a more focused and purposeful manner where students are able to choose where and how they spend their time.
Furthermore, there are no required instructional minutes required for AP or Middle Years Program IB courses, and the administration will ensure that the required minutes for Diploma Program IB courses are documented to meet International Baccalaureate requirements.
What are the expectations for the FIT block?
Each school will develop and finalize the expectations for both students and staff. Below are some common district wide expectations that will likely form the core for each school based list.
Student Expectations:
● Be in a learning space (Gr. 8 and 9 expectations will be more structured - see below)
● Have a plan for the time
● Have all materials required
● Remain in the learning space you selected
Teacher Expectations:
● Be available to support student learning
What will FIT actually look like for students?
At the end of block one, students will plan and decide how they will use their FIT block. They will then either stay in the learning space they are currently in, or will make their way to a new learning space within the school. Students will be expected to arrive at their FIT block in a timely fashion, with a plan in mind of how they would like to spend their instructional time and the materials required to complete the plan.
Once at their FIT location, students will use the instructional minutes to complete assignments and homework, practice presentations, study for tests and quizzes, or collaborate with other students on group assignments. Many activities can be completed independently or in collaboration with other students. Some students may want to engage in an area of interest or passion, or receive help from a teacher about a specific concept or assignment. Once at a designated learning space, students will be expected to remain in the learning space for the duration of the block.
For students in Grade 11 and 12, and some Grade 10s taking blended Career Life Education (CLE), FIT time will also be used to meet with their Career Life Connections (CLC) or CLE teachers for direct lessons, check ins or assignment completion. We anticipate that students will need to connect in some way with these teachers once a week or perhaps bi-weekly.
Teachers may also guide and structure FIT for students in some cases. On occasion a lab or presentation may be scheduled during this time. At other times, teachers may hold reviews or support options for specific curriculum. Extra time for assessments may also be provided within FIT blocks.
We also anticipate that at specific times of the year, like the first few weeks of school or after holiday breaks, FIT may be used to provide direct instruction to students about specific competencies. For example, at the beginning of the year, students would be designated a learning space and FIT blocks would be used to teach specific skills such as prioritization, time management, or study skills.
How does the schedule change impact Grade 8 and 9 students? What will FIT look like for our Grade 8 and 9 students?
FIT will be more structured for our Grade 8 and 9 students than for Grades 10 -12. We anticipate a gradual release of responsibility for Grade 8s and 9s depending upon each individual school context. Additional lessons may be provided to ensure that Grade 8 and 9 students fully understand the expectations for FIT and the skills to use it effectively. In many schools where similar models are used, Grade 8s and 9s often have the flexibility with the what they are doing, but are guided with the where. For example, students might remain in the learning space they were in immediately before FIT, but may work on different material.
What spaces will be made available to students during FIT? How will larger common spaces be used?
Each school will develop clear expectations for all the spaces within their schools during FIT. This will include common expectations for spaces such as the library, cafeteria, gymnasiums, and hallways .
What other schools have implemented a flexible instructional block within their day?
Many other secondary schools across the lower mainland have implemented schedules similar to the one that is being proposed for West Vancouver. The following is a list of some of the schools in the region that have a flexible schedule:
● Maple Ridge Secondary School, Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows School District
● Thomas Haney Secondary School, Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows School District
● Prince of Wales Secondary, Vancouver School District
● Point Grey Secondary, Vancouver School District
● Kitsilano Secondary, Vancouver School District
● Britannia Secondary, Vancouver School District
● Killarney Secondary, Vancouver School District
● David Thompson Secondary, Vancouver School District
● Walnut Grove Secondary, Langley School District
● Langley Secondary, Langley School District
● Brookswood Secondary, Langley School District
● Langley Fundamental, Langley School District
● R.E. Mountain Secondary, Langley School District
● D.W. Poppy Secondary, Langley School District
● Handsworth Secondary, North Vancouver School District
● Seycove Secondary, North Vancouver School District
● South Delta, Delta School District
● Delta, Delta School District
● Burnsview, Delta School District
● Delview, Delta School District
● Sands, Delta School District
● North Delta, Delta School District
● McNair Secondary, Richmond School District
● Chilliwack secondary school, Chilliwack School District
● G.W. Graham Secondary, Chilliwack School District
● Sardis Secondary, Chilliwack School District
● Heritage Woods Secondary, Coquitlam School District
● Frank Hurt Secondary, Surrey Schools
● Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary, Surrey Schools
● Port Moody Secondary School, Coquitlam
● Burnaby Mountain, Burnaby School District
● Burnaby North, Burnaby School District