SMUHSD - Vote NO on the quarter system proposal!

This is an ill-advised and insufficiently considered proposal which will increase the harm to learning already being experienced by the students.

This will have negative learning impact on the kids, especially AP exam scores and college admission. This is not thought out or researched enough. You have to reconsider this. There is no evidence to support this or any successful model. Even 4/4 is being abandoned.

This is a poorly conceived plan - it doesn't adequately address the learning needs of our students or the constraints our teachers are facing. Please go back to the drawing board and come up with a better plan suitable for ALL!

We have 3 children in SMUHSD. Quarter system is a large mistake,

As a recent SMUHSD alum, currently in college, I think this is ridiculous. As it is, with the new "no homework over breaks", AP classes are accelerated in trying to be finished with the curriculum by end of April, in time for May AP exams. There is no way this wil work. And I can't imagine what this would be like for kids with learning curves, English language learners, Special Ed students, etc. You think high school student stress is high now??? Just wait and see what this would do to them. Also, how will this work for Seniors applying to college, when 1st semester grades are part of the admission process? Try again!

In times of crisis, we should be simplifying instead of increasing complexity and testing a novel system. Keep it simple while we get through COVID chaos.

This places a heavy burden on students and teachers. Teachers will have to create an accelerated (watered-down?) curriculum along with DL for other students. It also does not allow for 6 ft. spacing in the classroom or on breaks unless more teachers are hired and more classrooms available. Please vote no on this proposal.

it is truly INSANE that the school board would put into place a structure that has NEVER BEEN USED in any other school in the country; and WITHOUT ANY REASONABLE DUE DILIGENCE. please DO NOT put this terrible new proposed quarter structure into place; this is the kind of irresponsible programs that drive families to pull their kids (and our funding) out of public schools and their lack of accountability.

PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS!!! This proposed schedule will stress the kids out more and does NOT seem in their best interest. There MUST be a better way?!

The proposed Quarter System is an ill-conceived plan, please avoid.

This style of quarterly system will have adverse affect on student's learning and performance (especially for the AP tests). Please follow semester system.

Please look to a coordinated effort amongst all the high schools whereby teachers of the same subject divide up online and in person responsibilities to make stellar Online presentations and then keep semesters going with smaller class size. Wouldn’t it be great if a silver lining of this pandemic were that the high school class students in our district felt a sense of cohesion at school and even greater in their community. This could foster that. Maximize learning. Minimize health risks.

VEHEMENTLY OPPOSED to this proposal

This seems like a HUGE burden on teachers and students

I have a rising junior and am especially concerned with the District's recommendation of a staggered Quarter System ( Q1/Q3 the same, Q2/Q4 the same ) and the impact it will have on my student and her classmates who will be taking a number of AP classes this year. It seems that Q3 AP students will prepping for their AP tests with no class time and Q4 AP students will be trying to cram an entire semester’s material in 6 weeks, which I believe will tremendously impact their learning and how much of it they will retain at this pace....not to mention the huge burden it places on teachers to revamp their entire curriculum to fit the quarter system. Also...it seems like it would be way too much effort to plan and properly implement a brand new Quarter system for just one semester and I think all that time and effort should be used instead to create a much more robust Distance Learning curriculum, with clear guidelines on how to create a quality online class, as well as guidelines on what the Teacher<->Student online interactions should look like to ensure that students are kept engaged in the virtual classroom. This would ensure that in the event of a Covid-19 spike in the Fall, we would be able to seamlessly move all lessons to be entirely online.

This sounds like a challenge to maintain a strong year for many students. Also, I have strong concerns for “back to a normal” once a vaccine is available, hopefully before the school year ends.

There is plenty of confusion and disruption already introduced with COVID 19, the quality of education does not need to be challenged any further with this ridiculous idea.

There will already be challenges with hybrid/distance learning in the fall, this is not the time to experiment with a new and unproven model.

This is wholly inappropriate for any student with a learning disability as well. The lack of a plan for meeting mental health needs (except referral) given the extra stress and lack of social interaction is problematic as well.

Qtr system is forcing kids to learn it in half of the time. Kids can’t understand the concepts in such short time and teachers would cram the curriculum in half of the time.Also, with this 3 or 4 APs are impossible to manage. Kids are already slowed down significantly. It’s much too burden on them. Please don’t consider quarter system.