Noah Mintz

Staff Writer

Expect radical changes to the Milken 2014-2015 academic schedule. After serious thought and consideration, the Milken administration has decided to change the current system to a modular, block layout, commencing fall, 2014. This alteration in the A-day/B-day, 65 minute block structure will not only bring an interesting flair to Milken’s classes, but refurbish its overall mode of social and academic existence.

Dr. Kimberly Schwartz, Milken’s Director of Curriculum and Instruction, and the pioneer behind the new schedule, says that this system will “do away with what we think of as semesters and quarters or even trimesters which we know happen at other schools.”

The new block schedule will have seven modular terms, allowing different types of courses to last different lengths of time.

The schedule will include four periods of 80-minute classes per day, with seven mods of classes per year, and 25 school days per mod. This change is supposed to alleviate academic stress among students and ensure that each student balances a maximum of four classes per single mod.

With Milken’s current schedule, a typical student participates in a total of approximately 175 days of school, with 94 hours per every year-long class. With Milken’s newly proposed schedule, the student will receive equivalent class time per individual course, yet complete such hours within the condensed and centralized time span of only three mods (100 school days).

Although this is a dramatic change for Milken, many schools around the country, and even the world, have successfully adopted this academic structure with overwhelmingly positive results.

“It is shown that this type of centralized study increases learning potential within students, while, at the same time, relieving stress from course overload,” Schwartz said.

The social ramifications of this concentrated period of learning, on the other hand, are still being evaluated. Although it may contribute to more free time within students’ schedules, Schwartz believes that due to this unique structure, students will be inspired to seek out areas of interest to study during their allocated free time.

Similarly, the impact on Advanced Placement classes is still being discussed, as the traditional AP curriculum is typically taught in a full academic year, but will now be limited to only three consecutive mods. Schwartz suggests that these classes be taught in closer proximity to the actual AP exam, therefore ensuring greater success. This issue is still internally up for debate, however, and will eventually depend on the individual course instructor’s preference.

In all, Milken’s new schedule will have many effects on the school’s academic dynamic, but has the potential to change the school for the better.

For students who would like to learn more about this new system, check out the model schedule above or attend any of the following information lunch meetings in room 2-203 on:

Tuesday, October 8th

Friday, October 11th

Tuesday, October 15th