Holbrook High School could switch to an expanded “6+1” bell schedule next year, if the proposal is approved by the Holbrook School District Governing Board.

The board was scheduled to meet Tuesday evening.

Under the proposal, students would have six regular school periods and a seventh flexible period for electives, co-curricular activities, make-up classes or time to participate in other endeavors, such as college classes or on-the-job-training, with prior approval.

Graduation requirements would not change under the proposal, with 22 credits required to graduate. The additional period could offer some students extra academic support through mentoring classes.

If implemented, the new bell schedule would require students to begin their day 25 minutes earlier, with first period beginning at 7:55 a.m. The school day would end at 3:30 p.m. The lunch period would decrease by five minutes from 45 minutes to 40 minutes. Even with the addition of a seventh period, the schedule meets the requirement of 55-minute classes.

Rationale for the proposed change includes:

“* Preserves six period optimal instructional time philosophy.

“* Permits students to take a seven period schedule and widen academic opportunities.

“* Permits students needing to take credit recovery classes to remain in their CTE (career and technical education) program.

“* Adds master scheduling flexibility in light of four-year math and three-year science requirements…

“* Permits a sixth CTE course to be offered and widens CTE availabilities.

“* Permits certain co-curricular activities, such as drama, newspaper, student council, yearbook, etc., to be re-embedded in the school day schedule.

“* Eliminates the 30-50 minutes of idle time when our students get dropped off via school busses and when they report to first period, thus facilitating a more safe and orderly school environment, and maximizing student time and school resources.

“* Provides students, specifically reservation bus students, an opportunity to work on outside of classroom learning responsibilities (homework) via academic support/mentoring classes.

“* Permits flex scheduling opportunities for juniors and seniors on track to graduate and who display a specific need (NPC courses, job, etc.).

“* Permits seventh period flex scheduling opportunities for spring sports athletes, primarily baseball and softball players who get pulled out of school at 2:15/2:45 p.m. in order to accommodate 3:30/4 p.m. home game start times.

“* Provides flexibility to transition to a seven period day if budgetary matters require or push the bus arrival and school day start time forward if the 55-minute class requirement is eliminated.”

School officials held a meeting for parents to discuss the new bell schedule proposal. The board was expected to vote on the measure Tuesday evening.