I am writing in response to your letter advocating that West Seattle High eliminate the four-period day schedule. I am the parent of two recent West Seattle graduates, class of 2004 and 2007. Over the seven years I have had students at the school, I have served on the PTSA Board, the Building Leadership Team and Site Council as well as numerous committees.

My students and I have experienced first hand the issues that led the Seattle School District's Chief Academic Officer, Carla Santorno to direct West Seattle High to ensure: 1) Two years of continuous and sequential math for all ninth and tenth graders; 2) Year-long world language coursework is available for students, subject to resource and schedule constraints and 3) Year-long music coursework is available for students, subject to resource and schedule constraints.

Ms. Santorno's directives can and should be made without changing to a six-period day schedule. In fact, West Seattle has already put the math directive and music directives into place for next year and has plans to meet the year-long world language directive no later than the 2008-09 school year.

West Seattle High has a dynamic new administrative leadership team. Bruce Bivins, Anitra Pinchback-Jones and Jenni Maughan should be given the opportunity to work with our teachers and other staff to address the above issues.

There would be many drawbacks to changing to a six-period day. Due to our facility size, we would be unable to serve our current number of students. This would cause a reduction in our budget, leading to the elimination of programs and courses. These would likely include many strong academic electives, such as mathematics, engineering science achievement, genetics, the environmental science academy, speech and debate, some sections of practical chemistry, as well as vocational/technical electives and visual and performing arts courses. Some of the preceding is the draw that keeps students in school to complete their high school diploma.

We have an award winning debate team, mathematics, engineering science achievement program, prostart culinary arts program, a dynamic drama program, and an Environmental Science Academy. We have the highest attendance rate of any high school in the district.

The four-period day at West Seattle offers students the opportunity to take eight classes per year for a total of 32 over four years. Our students have the opportunity to fit more electives in their schedules than at any six-period day school. All the other public high schools in Seattle offer some version of the six-period day.

I believe that West Seattle High offers a valuable alternative to the six-period day. Students in our neighborhood may have to endure a bus ride to get to a six-period day school, if that is the schedule they want. However, if we eliminate the four-period day at WSHS, students will not have that schedule option anywhere in our district. Students who need or prefer this option should continue to have a four-period day schedule available at West Seattle High.

Marysue Hildebrandt

West Seattle