Sophomores Grace Kendall and Hayden Armstrong collaborate on homework in the cafeteria, one of the many designated workspaces open during the Wednesday, Sept 2, office hour schedule. Ashley Cole/La Vista
By Hannah Parker
Staff Writer
Mira Costa held their first office hours schedule on Sept. 2, the first of the 24 that wll take place in the school year 2015-2016 school year.
According to Mira Costa Principal Dr. Ben Dale, during an office hours schedule teachers have a designated hour where they can stay in their classroom and help students and another hour where teachers can work with one another to come up with new ideas. According to english teacher Cameron Chow and math teacher Denise Weber, the office hours scehduel is beneficial.
“I found the office hours to be quite useful and for the first time it proved to be really great,” Manhattan Beach United Teachers Association President Shawn Chen said. “I had a packed classroom. Two of my AP students were going to be gone and were able to make up a timed writing and I had others that had questions on the summer reading. It was very productive”.
Students have both of the office hours to work on their school work. During the office hours schedule, students can work in either the library, auditorium, cafeteria, a teacher’s classroom, or in the quad. The auditorium is a strictly quite homework workplace while the cafeteria and library can be used for group projects.
“One student told me that office hours allowed her two hours of extra sleep for two nights,” Dale said. “If more students can manage their time and are able to buy themselves two hours of extra sleep, to me, that makes it all worth it.”
Throughout the year Dale is hopeful that the minor problems with the office hours will be solved. According to Dale, certain things can be improved to make this schedule run more smoothly, such as an electronic check-in for students accountability.
“I think that in the future, the electronic check-in will be helpful and make the office hours schedule more successful. It will make checking in faster and less cumbersome,” Dale said.
To accommodate the new office hours schedule for the 2015-2016 school year, Costa has also made changes to attendance policy rules. Students are required to stay for both office hours no matter what period they get out after, unless the student’s guardian comes to sign them out during this time.
According to Dale, the intention of these office hours is to reduce stress. Dale said that, in the following weeks staff will be able to see if students really are putting the time towards academic activities checking these hours. In the spring, there will be a faculty vote to determine if it will be continued or if changes will be made.
“The first office hours schedule was a great first day, teachers and students alike used the hours well,” Manhattan Beach Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Michael Matthews said. “Each student needs to figure out what works best for them. I saw some students working together. I saw many who were just reading. I saw some finishing homework. As Dr. Dale said, we are trusting each student to figure out what works best.”
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