I am a current West Seattle High School parent. I applaud the Seattle School District for moving forward and making a change to the schedule at West Seattle High School.

The six period schedule will better serve many students.

So of these I have listed in the letter below. Please help improve our local high school for all students. Schedule considerations for students taking special education classes. Students taking special education classes are particularly disadvantaged by the four-period day schedule at West Seattle High School and would be far better served by the district standard six-period day.

Students who take both special and general education classes have significantly reduced opportunities for electives in the four-period schedule. For example, a special education student who needs a recommended studies skill class, is unable to take world language, music, PE, art, vocational or any other elective. The requirement for these students to take a special education class each semester becomes a nightmare with only four class slots available making core classes difficult to schedule, and robbing them of the growth and exploration provided by electives.

Eighty-five minute class times provide an additional challenge to these students. What is a difficult attention span for many teenagers is an impossible length of time to pay attention for many students in special Ed. Eight percent larger class sizes making differentiation in the classroom nearly impossible, causing special ed. students to be lost in their mainstream classes. Gaps between core classes cause students to lose significant content and momentum in learning.

G.A. Hollister

Junction