IRVINE : School ‘Office Hours’ Get Mixed Reception

Teachers and students at University High School are working to fine-tune an unusual class schedule that has been criticized by some parents.

The centerpiece of the schedule is twice-weekly “office hours,” in which students meet with instructors individually or in small groups.

Some district officials have hailed the office hours as an innovative way of bringing students and teachers together in a personal setting to further discuss classroom lessons.

Many University High teachers also support the hours because they allow instructors to focus extra attention on students who need help. Teachers spend about two hours a week seeing students during the “office hours.”

But the program has also faced some problems.

The Irvine Unified School District Board of Education this month received a survey that found a substantial number of University High seniors and juniors do not regularly take advantage of the office hours.

Parents have also complained that schedule is too loose and that some students who do not use the office hours simply leave campus.

University High recently rescheduled office hours. They now occur in the mid-morning rather than at the beginning and end of the school day, said junior Luke Fenchel, 16, a member of a steering committee looking into the issue.

School officials have also closed some exits to the campus and posted administrators at other exits to prevent students from leaving during office hours, Fenchel said.

The steering committee will continue to look into the issue over the next few weeks. Eventually, it will report back to the school board with ideas for improving the program.

One idea is to bring guest speakers and college recruiters onto campus during office hours so that students who are not meeting with teachers will have more to do, Fenchel said.

School board member Margie Wakeham said she sees much merit in the office hours concept and hopes any problem with the program can be worked out.