We used to have 4 classes blocked first semester and 4 classes blocked second semester. Poof...over the summer with no choice in the matter it went to 7 classes...most college bound kids take math (4 years) , english (4 years), science (3 or 4 I think only 2 are required to graduate), social studies (3 required to graduate or 4), Spanish or Sign or another choice online (2 for college my son will take 4 years), and then that leaves you 8 additional classes.
My son took the required PE online over the summer before 9th grade to get it out of the way.
Next year they are going to an hour lunch period. If you have a low gpa you will be required to pick up your food and head to tutoring or if you have missed school you can make up work during the long lunch. If not you will have time to play ultimate frisbee or pick up soccer in the quad. The drama department plans (I know because my dh is the drama teacher) to go all glee and put on flash mob performances in the quad. This is new to our school and should be interesting to see if 2500 (minus the ones who will leave campus to eat) kids can be fed all at once.
They have had zero period but that comes and goes...they don't have it currently.
All the public school around here around do lunch at the same time and there are 2500+ in my school. So it can be done. A lot of students don't bother with the cafeteria, there is no where to sit there anyway. Lunch time is when the kids have clubs, and there are many student clubs. It's also a time to hang out with friends.
On the other hand we have is something called 'office hours' twice a week on block days. It's a time to talk with a teacher, make up a tests, some days there are lectures given. Students must be in a classroom or library or similar space but they get to choose. Not sure I like the idea that low earning GPA students lose their break time.
Our requirements for graduation include English (4 yrs), PE (2), Social Studies (3), Science (2), Math (2), Health(1/2), and what I just noticed is new art/music(1). Plus another 7 electives. All but senior year you must be enrolled in 6 classes, although the school discourages taking more than 5 academics. And if you pass everything it's easy to get the number of credits. Most students are college bound and take foreign language (3-4), more math, more science classes.
Our district will not let you take online PE, but only 2 years are required. A sport counts as PE. (And marching band counts as a sport to our advantage.) You can take PE in summer school, although that is not recommended at mostly used by those who fail. (Yes kids fail PE but not dressing, not showing up..) The only way to waver out of PE is if you are privately training for a sport and are RANKED in the top 100 for the nation.
