NEWARK – A new program that allows students to select a topic of study for an hour each day is increasing engagement at Pocomoke High School.
Officials from Pocomoke High told the Worcester County Board of Education last week that Your60, an hour each school day when students were able to choose their course, increased attendance and decreased suspensions.
“We’re excited about our first-year results,” Principal Jenifer Rayne said.
Rayne told the board that during the 2017-2018 school year, officials used creative scheduling — extending the school day by four minutes and eliminating one lunch period — to offer students a new program called Your60. Through it, students were able to choose courses they wanted to take during that hour.
“Our kids had complete autonomy in what to choose,” Rayne said.
She added, however, that that applied to students who had As, Bs, and Cs in their classes. Students with Ds or Fs were encouraged to spend at least half of their Your60 hour in an academic course.
Classes offered ranged from academic help — things like math support and French support — to sign language and scrapbooking. Course offerings, which were changed every two weeks, were advertised online and on a large bulletin board in the main hallway.
“Honestly one of my favorite parts of the day was watching small groups of students gathering around it and talking to each other about what they were going to take advantage of that day,” Rayne said.
She said that some students used the time to study and do homework while others participated in athletics or learned new skills.
“They were getting additional instruction, something they wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to get without this creative scheduling,” Rayne said.
Matt Hoffman, assistant principal at Pocomoke High School, said Your60 resulted in a slight increase in attendance and a 21-percent decrease in suspensions.
“That’s something we’re really proud of,” he said.
Rayne said staff would continue to review the program during the summer to identify ways to enhance it.
“We’re excited about it and we’re glad we have it in place for our kids,” she said.
School board member Doug Dryden praised the initiative, saying, “Anytime you can increase the interaction between teachers and students or students with other students, especially in things that they’re interested in, I think it’s great.”
