Harper Creek board weighs move from block to traditional high‑school schedule amid low test scores and staffing concerns

The Harper Creek Board of Education heard an extended presentation and discussion about a potential change to the high‑school bell schedule, including a proposal to replace the district’s long‑standing block schedule with a traditional six‑period day. Administrators and board members said the proposal is driven by persistent underperformance on state and college‑entrance tests and by staffing and scheduling challenges.

Board members and high‑school staff described why the change is being considered and what would be required to implement it. District leaders said Harper Creek’s SAT and 11th‑grade M‑STEP scores have trailed neighboring districts and that some peer districts with traditional schedules report higher results. Administration materials shown to the board compared local districts’ schedules and presented a draft bell schedule that would use roughly 56‑minute class periods and a daily 29‑minute seminar slot for academic or advisory work.

Administrators said the proposal would increase instructional minutes for core year‑long courses while reducing the amount of seat time available for some electives. They also outlined logistical tasks that would follow a decision, including recoding courses in PowerSchool and ensuring credits remain aligned with state requirements so transcripts reflect semester versus year‑long credits.

Board members and staff discussed tradeoffs. Supporters said more consistent year‑long time in core classes could reduce gaps that occur when a student takes a course one semester and does not encounter that subject again for months. Others noted student survey results and raised concerns that a majority of surveyed students preferred semester blocks, saying some worried a year‑long class would limit the ability to double up on courses, take concurrent enrollment at Kellogg Community College, or pursue AP and elective options.

District leaders said the high school’s staff and several parents who attended a recent information session generally supported exploring the change but emphasized the need for individualized transition plans so students who depend on semester options—such as dual‑enrollment students or those in concentrated career programs—would not be disadvantaged.

The board identified March 1 as the practical deadline for a decision to allow scheduling work in March and April. Administrators estimated that, if adopted, measurable effects on standardized scores could appear within two years but acknowledged other variables—hiring, curriculum fidelity, and new staff—would affect outcomes.

Superintendent Robert Ridgeway described the discussion as part of a wider effort to address high‑school performance: the schedule change is one of several strategies under consideration including curricular alignment and targeted seminar content (for example, freshman transition work, college and career advising, and standardized‑test preparation). Ridgeway said staff will continue collecting feedback from parents, students and counselors and will return with more detailed plans and proposals for how electives, dual enrollment and tech‑center pathways would be accommodated.

Board members asked administrators to provide detailed transition scenarios for typical student pathways (for example: college‑bound, dual‑enrolled, band/choir students, and career‑tech students) so the board can review how credits and options would be preserved. Several trustees said they wanted to see more parent and student outreach and clearer plans for how counselors would support individualized scheduling decisions.

The board did not vote on the schedule change at the meeting. Administrators will continue outreach and modeling and return with a recommendation and implementation plan in time for the board’s March scheduling window.