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Indian Hill High School principal outlines schedule overhaul featuring an MP 'open' hour to boost student choice
Summary
Assistant/administrator Andy Gruber presented a school‑wide schedule redesign that keeps block and seven‑period structures but adds a multipurpose 'MP' hour for academic support, clubs and wellness. The plan emphasizes student choice, partner programming and tiered support for freshmen and will roll out in August pending further planning.
Andy Gruber (S4) told the board the high school will pilot a revised schedule next year that combines traditional seven‑period days, block days and a new multipurpose MP period designed to give students structured choice, academic support and wellness time.
"We think we can open, some more freedom for our students, and we wanna do this with this change," Gruber said, describing MP Time as an opportunity for targeted whole‑building instruction, counseling meetings, clubs, academic support centers and partner programming. "MP Time's gonna do that," he added when explaining how the period would be used for counseling, writing centers, math tutors and wellness activities.
The presentation said three days of a typical five‑day week will use three regular seven‑period days and two block days; the MP period would be an open‑campus, supervised hour where the cafeteria, gym, media center and other spaces would be available. Gruber said the district plans to expand food‑service options with Aramark (grab‑and‑go items and an "all day cafe") and will use digital ID check‑ins to monitor student location during MP Time.
Gruber acknowledged concerns about freshmen adjusting to the new flexibility and described a tiered onboarding plan that includes Bridges orientation, mentorship by upperclassmen and coordinated counseling supports. He described a planned 30‑minute weekly "braids" block for whole‑school instruction on the district's pillars (pride, integrity, leadership, respect, service) and said academic flex time will be preserved and reorganized to guarantee students protected time for study.
Superintendent Dr. Stewart (S9) praised the approach as "problem solving," saying alumni and student input shaped the plan to better prepare graduates for college life while keeping safety and supervision in mind.
Board members asked about charge monitoring in the all‑day cafe, off‑campus privileges, and measures to support anxious or reluctant students; Gruber said family limits on cafeteria charges would remain available and described planned student leader and counselor support to help freshmen navigate the change. Gruber said the rollout would begin the first day of school but emphasized routines, supervision plans and incremental expansion would follow initial implementation.
Next steps: building leadership teams and partners will finalize procedures and supervision protocols over the summer with the intent to start the new schedule on the first day of school in August.
