Three years ago, the Board of Education first suggested the Flexible schedule as a way to increase the number of credits received for Stamford High and Westhill. With a high amount of negative responses, AITE’s A/B Block schedule was implemented at the other two schools instead. This year, the Flexible schedule was proposed again and was immediately passed by the Board of Education, and as a result, the year of 2025-2026 will have a new schedule, the Flexible schedule.
So, what is the Flexible schedule? In one semester, which is 90 days, a student will have four periods each day. The four periods will be 84 minutes long, with a 7 minutes walking time in-between classes (however, AITE does not need 7 minutes for passing time, so they will continue to have 40 minute lunches). Students will be able to focus on only those four subjects, instead of eight at a time. For the 2nd semester, students will have another four classes, fulfilling the 8-credit requirement for a school year, while also preventing stress on the student as they don’t have all eight classes at the same time. For example, an entire year of math, and foreign language would be covered in one semester. This way, full-year classes would become semester classes, and (current) semester classes would become half-semester classes.
However, there are some exceptions to these semester classes. Advanced Placement classes, for example, will meet every other day for the whole year (2 semesters) as students will have to prepare for exams for their respective AP class in May. Electives like Yearbook and Physical Education will meet year round. The days that full year classes do not meet would be filled with electives of the student’s choosing. For example, AP United States History would be partnered with Music Production, which would be a quarter class. With this option, students would be able to graduate early.
Students would juggle as few as four classes a semester (assuming their schedule’s full/no free periods), but the speed of each class will be doubled. This new pace will require students being expected to understand material faster and remember it throughout the semester they aren’t taking that class. After asking a Junior, Mia Neigler, the question “What is your opinion regarding this schedule?” She said, “I am very disappointed with the Stamford public school system. I know there could be a better solution for my education going forward.”
Some teachers, excluding Social Studies and English, will be forced to teach a sixth class under this new schedule, something they would’ve gotten a 20% pay increase under the A/B Block schedule. Dr. Rhodes, the associate superintendent for SPS high schools, stated that more classes, and therefore more teachers, would have to be added to AITE under this new schedule. While speaking to all levels of the education system (students, parents, teachers, administrators, and BOE members), she stated that AITE would get more teachers. No outline of any plans on how we would find these teachers was described. After asking a Social Studies teacher & Debate coach, Mr. Morest the question, “What is your opinion regarding this schedule?”, the answer was, “I dislike it, because I feel like it is going to result in students learning less. I think that this is because of the way it is structured. Having certain subjects for one semester and having a 7 month break is a huge mistake.”
Next year’s individual student schedules are going to be challenging for administrators to create and structure in a way that students can also fulfill credit requirements. It’s a mystery to how this schedule will play out next year, but hopefully some opinions will be turned around next year and this schedule is able to create benefits for the high school student body of Stamford.
Here are some example schedules
