To:  The Editor of the Exeter NewsLetter         Date:       February 20, 2002

This is in response to the Exeter NewsLetter’s story regarding the February 12, 2002 Exeter Region Cooperative School Board Meeting where the board listened to the Exeter High School’s Administration’s detailed explanation of proposed curriculum, scheduling and administrative restructuring plans.  

Our first priority is to always provide the highest quality education for all of our children.  One of our biggest challenges at Exeter High School (EHS) is on going scheduling problems.  Some classes meet only twice a week while other classes meet as many as 6 to 8 times per week.  Many students have more than one study hall a day, and on any given day, approximately 1/3 of our students do not have a lunch period because of scheduling conflicts.  Presently, every class meets for 45 minutes with the exception of classes that have labs.  The EHS Administration’s short-term goals were to change this so that all students have a productive class schedule with a lunch period every day, and that teachers have more flexibility to teach effectively.   The new plan is called a “Modified Block Schedule” and it addresses all of these problems.  Beginning next year, EHS will move from eight 45-minute periods to seven 50-minute periods.  Additionally, once per week every regularly scheduled class will have an extended teaching time of 100 minutes allowing innovative teacher instruction time to occur.

The Administrative Restructuring Plan calls for one additional assistant principal plus four Learning Area Leaders (LAL) who are full-time teachers receiving a stipend for additional administrative responsibilities.  Also, a mentoring program (full-time teachers who receive a stipend for being mentors to first year teachers) is being instituted in September of 2002.

It should be emphasized that the ERCSB approved the suggested changes for a two-year pilot.  During this time, all of the components of the proposed plan will be closely monitored and evaluated.  When Principal Heald and his administrative team began discussing changes at Exeter High School, it was determined that the “filter” for change would be “what is best for students”.  The first step of the proposed plan is to establish four “Learning Area Clusters” that will meet the physical design of the high school renovation plan as well as the philosophical large school concerns by organizing the school into four manageable clusters.  This concept creates an environment for each student to be known by his/her staff and to have many adult advocates.

 The foundations for these changes began nearly one year ago.  All of these changes have been tested and implemented in other schools.  Recognizing that change sometimes makes people apprehensive, I am confident that our teachers, administrators, school board, students and community share our commitment to do everything possible to produce an excellent education and learning environment for Exeter High School.

Arthur L. Hanson

Superintendent of Schools