The Northshore School District is currently considering moving high school classes from a seven-period day to a six-period one. This is in order to save an estimated $5.8 million in the face of an estimated shortfall of $25 million for the 2024-25 school year. The potential impacts of this change could be substantial, especially for elective classes, according to North Creek High School principal Dr. Eric McDowell. 

“The departments that would be dramatically impacted are all the elective departments, so the arts, the performing arts, musical arts, theater, the PE program, the CTE program, like our engineering program, our metal fab, things like that, and then some of the satellite programs that kids really like to do,” said Dr. McDowell. 

There could also be a significant impact to students’ schedules. In the state of Washington, it’s required that students need twenty-four credits to graduate. A six-period day would not allow room for students to fail classes and still graduate without taking measures to make up the credit during summertime.

“I think it would be really hard for kids who fail a class, and you know, not many kids fail, but some kids do fail a class, and if they fail, in a seven-period day, you’ve got space to make up that class. In a six-period day, you don’t really have space to make it up, so that would be a challenge as well,” said Dr. McDowell. 

The change to a six-period day may also have a significant impact on students’ weekly schedules, according to Dr. McDowell. “I think the most likely scenario, and this actually happened before we went to a seven-period day years and years ago, we would have blocks on Monday, Tuesday… it would be 1, 3, 5, and then 2, 4, 6, and then Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, we’d have all six periods,” said Dr. McDowell.

Another impact on the classrooms will be larger class sizes, according to both Mr. Glass and Ms. Jen Ligot, a social studies teacher. Both mentioned that they would increase group work and reduce individual work, simply because they wouldn’t have enough time to grade everything. 

It’s important to note that this change is not yet confirmed, according to Dr. McDowell. “The district is considering the gigantic list of possibilities…it’s actually four pages long and available publicly on the school district website.” (link included at end of article)

Other proposed changes include eliminating middle school sports, taking an assistant principal from each high school, and reducing high school paraeducator hours across the district. 

Going to a six-period day saves the most money by far of any proposed change. According to Dr. McDowell, “The district has calculated that if they decided to go to a six-period day, it potentially could save almost five million dollars,” which is about four times as much as the next highest savings. 

Proposed district changes: https://go.boarddocs.com/wa/nsd/Board.nsf/files/CXKQ586645E2/$file/Nov%2013%20as%20of%2011.13.pdf