Source: Odessa American, TexasJuly 12--Odessa High School will go from three lunch periods to one starting this fall, and the decision came with extensive contemplation and planning, OHS Principal Greg Nelson said on Thursday.存倉Mandatory tutoring is the crux of why OHS is reorganizing. Called "MandaTorials," the program is open to all students -- from those who have a 70 percent grade or lower on progress reports, to students who have failed during the grading period. Students will be required to attend mandatory tutoring sessions during 30 minutes of their one-hour common lunch period.After research both locally and beyond, the staff and students determined the best time for OHS students and teachers to receive tutoring is during the school day, Nelson said."They told me, 'we need tutoring during the day,'" Nelson said at OHS on Thursday. They did not want to trade in P.E., or band or technical classes in exchange for tutoring because for some kids that's the anchor that keeps them in school, Nelson said.And 91.75 percent of teachers saying "yes, we will give up some of our lunch period to tutor" gave Nelson the resounding answer he wanted to move ahead with the decision."Ninety-one percent are willing to take those hours of those days out of the year. I think that's a pretty good message," Nelson said.Nelson, who enters his second year as OHS's principal, described his first year at OHS as a time of observing so he could make informed decisions to improve how students were being educated, and one his priorities is to address the "uncomfortable amount" of students who are not passing classes. If they tackle that first, students will fare better on the state-required tests.While he recognizes the concerns of some, Nelson is confident this is the right decision for OHS right now."To lead, to some you have to be brave and bold," Nelson said.A change with this kind of impact doesn't come without protests.A local resident, Beth Keith, lives on a corner street near OHS where students drive in and out each day to get onto West County Road."The traffic is so bad during the three-hour lunch hours that we cannot get into either of our driveways when they are going to or coming from school," Keith said.Keith said she believes that with one lunch period there will be more wrecks. She questions if it will take someone getting killed or badly hurt in a car wreck to get it changed back to three lunch periods.Others have taken to social media to express their concerns that it will endanger students, calling it "insane" and "crazy" because of the increased traffic that it will bring from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m."If it were up to me, I would want the campus closed and hopefully save a kids life or the life of someone who is just driving in the area," Keith said.Yet, closing OHS's campus is not feasible because of the size of its cafeteria, which is limited to 400 students; on average, OHS serves about 275 lunches each day. It would mean at least five lunch periods to accommodate all students.It may go without saying but Nelson, a father himself and longtime educator, doesn't want to endanger his students and neither do the teachers."Teachers are parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, they're part of the community," Nelson said. "I don't take this lightly."The concerns about one lunch period leading to an increase in car accidents -- where 2,000 students are allowed to leave if they wish -- is simply unfounded, Nelson said.Large high schools nearby such as Midland and Lee high schools and other larger high schools in El Paso have had single lunch periods without pause. Accidents are happenstance, Nelson said, and Ector County Independent School District would not sign off on a plan that's shown to be dangerous. Nelson and staff will continue to educate students on courteous and safe driving. Mu自存倉h like when students arrive to and leave school each day at the same time, students will return and leave in staggered numbers because some will be in tutoring.On Wednesday, it was reported by the Midland Reporter Telegram that Lee High School will implement a similar tutoring schedule, though students who did not pass the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness end-of-course exams will have a 30-minute remediation class and a 33-minute lunch period. The rest of the students who have passed will have a 66-minute lunch.Permian High School will not be changing its lunch period, according to ECISD, though Nelson did get input from all other secondary campuses so schedules would be in synch for busing reasons during the day.Nelson predicts that attendance after lunch will go up. It should prove to be a residual benefit of the change when students have just an hour for lunch and not three lunch periods to ditch."That's two less opportunities (to not return to school)," Nelson said.Nelson spent time as far back as fall 2012 meeting with his staff, OHS parents and hundreds of students in different settings to talk to them about the change to the lunch periods.During one parent meeting, he had two parents take him up on an offer to observe a single lunch period during finals week in the spring. Neither thought it was chaotic in the school parking lot, or any more so that a typical lunch period, Nelson said. During yet another time when every high school student had lunch at the same time -- 4,600 students between OHS and PHS -- Nelson put administrators at different places around town where students will drive for lunch and because the lunch period will start at 11:30 a.m. they're trying to alleviate some of the foot traffic and car traffic before the rest of the city punches out for lunch.The results were no different than any other lunch time, he said."No restaurant called to complain how much extra money they made that day, either," Nelson said.On the first day of school, Nelson plans to remind his students to drive safely and with caution in the parking lots and around Odessa. Students are asked to consider eating on campus or to bring their lunch. OHS will add a few more food carts and vending machines with more substantial lunch choices.ECISD is addressing concerns on an on-going basis. Nelson said he will meet with parents to find a solution for their child. But in speaking as a parent, if he thinks it's unsafe for his daughter to drive to school, or out of town, or whatever it may be, he finds an alternative solution.Don't forget that ECISD does provide free transportation via school bus.WHAT READERS HAVE TO SAY ON THE OA FACEBOOK PAGE:--Sonia Subia Daniel: "I think it's crazy! They are asking for trouble! Too many kids on the road at the same time trying to hurry to grab a bite and hurrying back to school so they are not late. I think lots of accidents is what they are asking for."--Jason Canales: "I don't have a problem with this. In the real world companies/shop shut down for lunch. Yes it will add to traffic problems. But I think we will adapt and overcome. This could also encourage people and students to pack a lunch and not drive."--Dianne Tarpley: "It's a good idea. It's so they can keep track of the kids and keep them from skipping class so much."--Natasha Sims: "All those students out at the same time, all trying to get somewhere at the same time. I won't be taking any sub jobs at OHS, that's for sure. I want to live through lunch! This is a very poor decision. Avoid the area at all costs!"--Contact Lindsay Weaver on twitter at @OAschools, on Facebook at OA Lindsay Weaver or call 432-333-7781.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 the Odessa American (Odessa, Texas) Visit the Odessa American (Odessa, Texas) at www.oaoa.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉新蒲崗
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