Finding Another Hour in the Day

Oak Park High School junior Alexandra Byerly already has completed a full day of classes, but at 2:45 p.m. she still sits at a desk, conjugating Spanish verbs.

Across campus, two ninth-graders label the countries on a map of South America--for fun. And freshman Daniel Paris finishes his algebra homework in peace, avoiding contending with his rambunctious younger brothers at home.

This is seventh period at Oak Park High. Educators say the innovative program, in its second year, has resulted in better grades, higher test scores and students more prepared for college.

“I won’t teach any other way now,” biology teacher Winnie Litten said. “It’s reinforcing work already done and giving extra time for the kids who need it.”

By throwing out the traditional six-period day and juggling teachers’ and students’ schedules, officials have created an optional, 50-minute support period at the end of each school day.

At a time when motivating teenagers to learn comes with increasingly high stakes, Oak Park’s program is catching the eye of other high schools in Ventura County and the region.

This year, only four of the county’s 20 high schools gained ground on the Academic Performance Index, the cornerstone of Gov. Gray Davis’ program to measure schools’ progress. And a recent rule change will require even the highest-performing schools to make a marked improvement on the Stanford 9 test to be eligible for cash rewards from the state.

At Oak Park--the county’s top-scoring high school--officials say seventh period has enabled them to reach many of the lowest-performing students, those who need the most improvement.

“We are finding we are getting a lot of teacher time devoted to helping those kids we would consider the middle student,” school board President James Kalember said. “If there’s anywhere we can show gain, it’s with those kids.”

Each teacher runs seventh period differently, and the format varies depending on what has been going on in class that week. The day before a test, for example, there often are large review sessions.

During a big project, teachers may oversee group meetings. Students also can come in to spend extra time on challenging science labs, for one-on-one meetings with teachers or for a quiet place to study.

All of the school’s sports team practices do not begin until after the extra period is over to enable athletes to take advantage of the program.

Byerly, 16, said she attends because she knows it has helped improve her grades. The more relaxed atmosphere--usually fewer students than a normal class and more ability for teachers to be creative--also has helped her form a personal bond with her teachers, she said, which makes the learning process easier.

Some students like seventh period because it reduces the stigma that can come from staying after school to get needed help.

“A lot of people go because it’s just part of the day,” Byerly said. “Popular kids, nerdy kids--everyone’s here.”

Oak Park High Principal Cliff Moore said about 65% of the school’s students attended seventh period last year, and he expects the numbers to continue increasing as it becomes more a part of the school culture.

This year, two dozen “high-risk” students will be required to attend seventh period, he said. They will meet with teachers to develop basic study skills and may be sent to classes in which they are struggling.

Oak Park is the only school in the county and among a handful in the state implementing the optional class period. Some administrators said it is something they would look into trying.

“It’s an excellent idea, and we might consider it,” said Cheryl Widders, assistant principal at Nordhoff High School in Ojai. Officials there just launched a homework club after school that embodies the same idea as seventh period but on a smaller scale.

But principals at other high school campuses, particularly those that have not achieved state goals on the API in the past two years, say there are other priorities right now.

“I don’t think we have the luxury of allowing students to volunteer to attend a class like that,” said Tony Gaitan, principal of Santa Paula High School.

Teachers at Santa Paula High are working on a schedule that will enable them to mandate that students take an extra English or math course.

“We are at a state right now where we have to require students to have more instructional time,” he said.