After several meetings throughout the 2018-2019 school year, the Keller ISD Board of Trustees finalized and approved the new 2019-2020 instructional calendar. Two key changes were made to the calendar, a shift from six week to nine week grading periods and an earlier starting date. Significantly, instead of six grading periods consisting of six weeks each, the instructional calendar for 2019-2020 uses four grading periods of nine weeks each.
The switch has been met with mostly positive feedback, however some are skeptical to the change’s true purpose, including Mike Otto, US History Teacher.
“I’m not sure who this change is supposed to benefit,” Otto said. “I don’t know that anyone is genuinely struggling due to the current system.”
In addition, the new instructional calendar places the first day of the 2019-2020 school year on Aug. 14, 2019, one day earlier than the previous 2018-2019 school year. Overall, many students are in favor of the calendar due to the emphasized opportunity students will have to raise their grades and teachers will have to assist them.
“Students will be able to catch up in work and keep their grades up [regardless of] absences” sophomore Amelia Cicerelli said.
Nine week grading periods have also presented the benefit of giving teachers the ability to dive deeper into their content in addition to more time to ensure that students fully comprehend what they’re being taught. This concept has proved to be a stress reliever for both students and teachers struggling with the six week deadlines.
“I think [the nine week calendar] is a good idea” junior Montserrat Luna said. “It’ll [allow] for students to have a little less stress on their shoulders.”
Click here to see the official 2019-2020 instructional calendar.