ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Tuesday, March 19, 1996                TAG: 9603190065
SECTION: CURRENT                  PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: LISA APPLEGATE STAFF WRITER 

BLOCK SCHEDULING TO GET REVIEW AT BOARD MEETING

Tonight, the Montgomery County School Board finally will hear what it's like to sit through a 90-minute class.

The county school system started block scheduling at Shawsville and Christiansburg high schools last fall. Under block scheduling, students take four 90-minute classes per semester. Under the former system, they took seven 45-minute classes per school year.

Originally, the two schools planned to present a year-end progress report. But school officials organized a presentation based on the first semester after several School Board members requested an update.

School Board Chairwoman Annette Perkins said the board probably will take no action after the presentation by teachers and PTSA members.

"The purpose is just to see what has happened - to bring up whatever problems might be there and try to help," she said.

Superintendent Herman Bartlett already has said the county's other two high schools - Auburn and Blacksburg - would not move to block scheduling next year. He said the schools need more time to prepare for the switch, and to study the successes and failures at the two test sites.

Those involved with the two schools have praised and criticized the new system, also called four-by-four scheduling.

Proponents say block scheduling allows more time to get through lessons without disruption and gives students more individual attention from teachers. Critics argue 90 minutes is too long for a high school student to concentrate, especially if teachers lecture or assign busy work for the entire class period.

Teachers Marsha Murphy, from Shawsville, and Carl Pauli, from Christiansburg, will speak to the board. Christiansburg PTSA President Connie Lowe and Shawsville PTSA President Mindi Smith will present surveys completed by teachers, students and parents on their impressions of block scheduling.

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