Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Schedule topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Intermediate school bell schedule redesign proposed to 57‑minute blocks to restore daily academics, presenter says
Summary
Mr. Amato proposed moving the intermediate school to 57‑minute blocks so core academics meet every day, adding roughly 48 hours of instruction per course over the year; the district outlined a phased rollout including curriculum writing, professional development and mock schedule days and scheduled a parent session the next evening.
Mr. Amato presented a proposed bell‑schedule redesign for the Township of Ocean intermediate school aimed at restoring daily continuity in core classes. He said the district’s current rotating 82‑minute block model creates gaps in instruction and overlapping schedules for fifth through eighth grades, and that a 57‑minute block would strike a "just right" balance between the old 41‑minute model and the 82‑minute block.
Mr. Amato said the proposed schedule would: have academics meet every day, keep electives on an alternating (red/white) cadence, include a 2‑minute passing time because classes will be co‑located by grade wing, move home room to the end of block one to encourage on‑time arrival, make phys ed year‑round (every other day) and introduce health as a standalone, required course. He said the change would add about "48 additional hours of instructional time per academic course," which he compared to adding roughly 48 days of instruction for core classes in aggregate.
The rollout is described as multi‑phase: deep curriculum writing and pacing guides, adjustments to student educational plans, delayed openings and two mock schedule days to refine timing, and a full school‑year implementation next year if the district proceeds. Mr. Amato said the approach is deliberate and cautioned against rushing the transition.
Board members asked operational questions: Mrs. Gilman and others asked whether 57 minutes aligns with models used elsewhere (Middletown, Matawan‑Aberdeen), and Mr. Amato said the district studied comparable models and visited Middletown. Board members asked about lunch timing (one minute difference reported), the impact on electives (one fewer elective per grade but health added), attendance tracking when home room is moved, and alignment with the high school (minutes per block would be similar). Mr. Amato said the district will refine attendance procedures in its student information system and that the change should ease transitions to high school.
Public commenters praised the redesign but raised questions about homework expectations, how health content will be delivered if it is scheduled as a required course rather than a traditional elective, and whether the schedule will improve test scores; Mr. Amato said health will continue to cover required standards and that research shows daily instruction and near‑60‑minute blocks can help outcomes, though he did not supply district comparative test data at the meeting. A parent‑information session was announced for the middle school the next evening and will be live streamed.
The board did not take a formal vote on the schedule change during the work session; Mr. Amato emphasized a one‑year planning timeline and multiple steps of staff development and mock scheduling before going live.
