27-minute period  aims to simplify access to aid

Bad blood from a past failure should not hold back administration’s efforts to aid struggling students.

Site admin’s most recent attempt introduces a 27-minute intervention period to the school day. It shares the good-natured intentions as the PAWS (Pairing Academics With Success) period schedule of yesteryear (the spring of 2011 to the spring of 2012).

PAWS, a similar intervention period five years ago, operated for three semesters and saw revised rollouts at the start of each. However, teachers ultimately discontinued the system in a staff-wide vote.

Students and faculty alike recognized the inadequate planning for the PAWS program. Admin should clearly distinguish the intervention period from this blunder and take care to not repeat past mistakes from the first iteration.

The recent proposed period requires that students failing or in danger of failing seek academic support from their “priority period.” Other students would go to one of three common learning centers as a study hall or to one of their classes to make up work.

Roseville High School will need to consider possible risks and drawbacks of its implementation: The effects of reduced class time, potentially poor scheduling, unproductive working environments and other unforeseen pitfalls could very well derail the effort. RHS should expect and tackle the hurdles of this honorable pursuit, rather than reject the idea altogether.

Admin pitched its proposal during a staff meeting, and asked teachers to share the plan with students for feedback. Don’t fault the team for taking action to improve, and based on the admitted mistakes and call for input, they seem to be learning from their missteps. They appear to be laying groundwork for the system’s effective integratio.

There is potential for benefit – quality execution of admin’s vision should provide aid to a majority of students, and there are multiple programs to reference. In the time since RHS dropped PAWS, local Oakmont, Woodcreek, Antelope and Rocklin High Schools established an intervention period schedule.

WHS’ intervention period lowered failrates according to WHS principal Jess Borjon. He also cites the benefit of athlete ability to make up missed assignments without taking up time in class or outside-school hours.
Seeing the success at WHS, we have a lead to follow. Changes significant as this come with risk – an inevitable factor in the push for progress.