First semester, Asheville High School students took four classes, all online, at home in front of a computer. The schedule was and is: first period, 9-9:45 a.m.; second period, 9:50-10:35 a.m.; third period, 10:40–11:25 a.m.; and fourth period, 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
The last weeks of March, Asheville High moved to having classes in the school. They were in school every other week. It works like this:
The kids are put in “hubs.” These are small groups of students, about half the size of a regular class. The students and teachers pick the specifics, but they are loosely related to one of the student’s classes. Let’s use Angela for an example. Angela takes first-period art, second-period English, third-period math and fourth-period science. Her hub is loosely based upon third-period math.
Under the new in-class program, Angela goes to school and goes to her hub, where she stays all day. In her hub, she takes first-period art online (she has her computer). She takes second-period English online. Her math teacher has been in the room with the hub all morning teaching his other classes. But for third period, he has students in front of him. But he is still teaching his lessons online. So, Angela gets a real teacher for third period. Or sort of a real teacher. The math teacher is still responsible for the other half of the class, that half that is in the Green group and learning from home. Fourth period, Angela has science, and she is still in her hub and still online.
After fourth period, they bring lunch to the students. Apparently, the students order their daily lunch early in the morning. Lunch is free. (Who says there is no such thing as a free lunch?)
The students in school do not leave until 2:30. During the last two hours, the students stay with their hub group. The group can go outside and wander around a little. There is some flexibility, but the group remains intact. At the end of the day, their ride home (mother) comes in off Victoria Road. The students, still in their hub, are called, and they go out alone to their ride. This strange dance is coordinated by two groups of school personnel: one team for the front door and one team for the Victoria Road door (school buses in front).
The school is divided into the Green group and the Blue group. So, the students alternate this schedule with totally online as before. Every other week. Oh, and Friday is back to online for everyone.
— John Brigham
Asheville
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