Rebekah Schilperoort

After 12 years as a school standard, the four-period day at West Seattle High School is being formally questioned for its effectiveness through a district audit.

Last week, about 50 concerned parents, faculty and school district representatives met in the West Seattle High Library to discuss the relevance of the structure.

Each class is 85 minutes long with a four-period day, and students complete a traditional year curriculum in one semester. Typically, high schools in Seattle have six-period days, with each period lasting 55 minutes and the year's curriculum spread over two semesters. Students at West Seattle High take eight different courses a year, while those with a six-period day take six.

Many of the parents and teachers said they wondered how effective cramming a year's worth of curriculum into one semester really is. Another concern was the structure's limitations to advanced placement classes and electives, as well as teacher utilization of the extra class time.

A college- bound student trying to demonstrate a well-rounded education to a perspective college often can't fit both electives and advanced placement classes into the four-period day, said some parents. Others argued that students have more of an opportunity to take electives and college prep by taking eight classes a year than if they took only six.

During the last 10 years as a community member, parent and West Seattle's school board member since 2003, Irene Stewart said she has heard numerous concerns from parents about the structure's compatibility with non-core classes. One of her children, a West Seattle High student, had to drop a music class because it didn't fit with his course schedule.

The four-period day came into question again when the school thought about applying to host the International Baccalaureate Program, an internationally regarded college preparatory program.

But questions arose about how it would work with the structure, said Stewart.

As a school board member, Stewart said she felt it was her responsibility to question the effectiveness of the system. Earlier in the school year, she asked for an evaluation of the structure before she would approve it for another school year.

The audit is issued largely to find out about perceptions versus reality, said Stewart.

Tom Burgraff, a teacher and football coach at the school, defended the four-period day. He was involved with the committee that opted for the structure in 1994, mostly to eliminate behavioral and instructional problems at the school.

Higher than district average statistics for suspensions, sparked a school reform effort, said Burgraff. At the time, the schools suspension rate was 18 percent above the district average of 9 percent, and attendance was also below average, he said.

The restructuring committee decided the four-period day could best meet their goals of increasing academic achievement and reducing discipline problems. But Burgraff agreed the evaluation was long overdue.

"We need to get a focus," he said. "I see room for improvement."

Kimberly Mitchell and Tom Bailey with Seattle Public Schools will lead the audit, evaluating seven major components using similar data from Nathan Hale and Ballard high schools for comparison.

The audit will include one-on-one interviews with students of all achievement levels and color, staff overturns, class room practices, college readiness and standardized test scores.

A crucial part of the study will look at student behavior, such as types of suspensions and expulsions, because that's what the structure was brought in to improve, said Mitchell.

"It will be hard to determine if the results are directly related to the four-period day," she said. "There are lots of mitigating factors. But we are confident that all seven elements should paint a clear picture of where West Seattle High should go."

Parents and faculty shared many mixed feelings about the four-period day and its effect on student achievement.

One parent of two West Seattle students with "organizational difficulties" said she likes the longer class periods because her children benefit from the extra time on one subject. She suggested adding a movement component in the middle of class to help "recharge" the students.

Dan Jensen, a parent and past West Seattle High Parent Teacher Student Association member, said he remembers "frequent criticism" of the structure because many parents saw the program reduce non-core course opportunities.

But Principal Susan Ders/ said the number of students in college preparatory classes has grown by half in the last few years.

Another teacher cited a study from Virginia that found, when compared to schools with a six-period day, math and reading scores for the Iowa Test of Basic Skills increased with the four-period structure. He suggested the school investigate how well the time blocks are being utilized by teachers.

Debbie Arthur, the schools head librarian, said most courses are project based.

"As a librarian I have a different perspective," she said. "My library is always busy with teachers and students doing projects and I think most of the teachers are taking advantage of the that extra time."

One science teacher said the existing structure allows her more time to implement new teaching techniques that she otherwise wouldn't be able to do in a 55-minute class.

Another parent said her daughter wants to take college prep classes and continue with band, but doesn't see how she can do both with the current system.

"She feels like she's in a box."

But through the defenses and challenges, there was a clear theme.

"We all care about (West Seattle High) and we want it to work," said Stewart.

The audit results are due by March 15 and could determine the future structure of West Seattle High. Sign up for the parent teacher student association newsletter at http://www.wshsptsa.org/WestsideNotes.htm to get updates on the audit results.

Rebekah Schilperoort can be reached at 932.0300 or Rebekah@robinsonnews.com