LONDON, ONT. -- One month into the school year, the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) is about to make some drastic changes.
When the second 'Quadmester' begins on Nov. 17, high school students will have a new weekly and daily routine.
"We've learned a lot through the first 'Quadmester,'" Associate Director Riley Culhane said at Tuesday's TVDSB meeting.
"We are always looking for ways to improve. We consulted with the Ministry of Education, and we are moving forward with two changes."
Students will be attending class every other day, as opposed to the current schedule which sees them at school three consecutive days one week, and two days the next.
The daily schedule will also change with a front-loaded workday, with staggered breaks and lunch moving back to 12:50 p.m. back-to-back with the final study hall period.
"This really reduces traffic in the hallways and in the washroom. It will also allow our students to have lunch at a more reasonable time during the day if they are attending in person," Culhane said.
Updated daily schedules for Thames Valley District School Board high schools are seen in this image from the board.
Culhane adds the decision on moving to every-other-day learning came after speaking with school officials.
"We are hearing it has been challenging for students to be at home for three consecutive days learning content on their own without face-to-face opportunities," added Culhane.
"By changing to every other day model it allows more frequent face-to-face time and will allow students to be in class and then on their off day, they can do practice or consolidate some of the learning."
CTV News spoke with students outside South Collegiate Institute on the lunch break and the changes received mixed reviews.
"Going every other day will be tough to be honest," says Dezmond Schneller, a Grade 13 student. "I’ve been applying to jobs and told them my availability is Thursday to Sunday. Now I have to re-apply and probably have less chance to get hired compared to those who can work full time."
Grade 12 student Gary Winthorpe felt learning during those five consecutive days off has been tough to keep engaged.
"That's the tough part...You do get assignments and from a learning aspect there is some to it, but its mostly getting assignments on your off time."
Andrew Langford was thrilled about being done his day before 1 p.m., and felt from a physical distancing aspect the new daily timetable will help.
"It gets really crowded outside," he says. "There is about 400 of us standing in one spot waiting to go into the school so that will help, and no one has to come back after lunch, we can all leave."
More information is expected to be shared by the board in the coming days.
Meanwhile the London District Catholic School Board has been using ‘Octomesters’ and Director of Education Linda Staudt says there is no plans to change the current model.
“The feedback I've received is that students are liking the full course,” says Staudt. “It gives a nice consistency and it seems like this model is working well.”
