OXNARD : 4-Quarter School Schedule Approved

In the hope of improving student grades at Hueneme High School, the Oxnard Union High School District has approved a plan to divide the school year into four nine-week quarters, rather than two 18-week semesters.

Beginning in September, Hueneme High School will lengthen class periods from 55 minutes to 90 minutes, a change that will add 30 minutes to the school day.

Students will take four classes each quarter rather than six a semester.

The two-semester system will remain intact at the four other high schools in the 11,000-student district.

Trustees said Wednesday that they believe that the restructured school day will bolster grades and improve attendance at the 2,000-student school because teachers will be able to spend more time in the classroom. The change could make it easier to spot learning problems, officials said.

“Teachers will have more time to focus on individual children,” Hueneme High School Principal Terry Taylor said.

With fewer classes to study for each quarter, students will be better able to focus their attention and will be able to spend more time studying for each class, Taylor said.

Students will be able to take more classes in four nine-week quarters than under the old system. They will be able to take 16 courses a year rather than 12 now.

“We think it will give our kids an edge because they will have a chance to accelerate their high school schedules,” Taylor said.

The different schedule will allow students who are doing poorly in class or must miss part of the school year to have a fresh start every nine weeks, school officials said.

“There’s a lot more chance for renewal under the quarter system,” Taylor said.