District staff presented interim results from a pilot of an 8‑period alternating (A/B) block schedule at Mountain View and Rocky Mountain junior high schools and reported broad support from surveyed teachers, parents and students, while noting operational challenges to be addressed before wider rollout.

Brock Mitchell presented survey results and a summary of pilot findings. He said certified and classified staff surveys showed strong agreement that the block schedule had improved instructional planning and provided longer prep periods. Mitchell said parent surveys at the two pilot schools showed about 91% support for the change and that roughly 74–75% of students reported the longer class periods helped them understand content better.

Benefits discussed included more in‑class time for assignments, reteaching and remediation; increased project‑based learning (particularly in CTE areas); longer common prep windows for teacher collaboration; and fewer hallway transitions, which principals reported reduced behavioral incidents during passing periods and lunch. Mitchell said the pilot also allowed staggered shared programs such as band across buildings more easily.

Concerns raised in the presentation included student fatigue during 80‑minute periods, the risk that chronic absence could cause a student to miss more instruction on alternating schedules, the need to decide which courses to block without reducing elective opportunities, and a modest class‑size increase (around four students per class) tied to scheduling and prep adjustments. Mitchell said staff training and curriculum modification would be part of rollout planning to address lesson design and engagement for longer blocks.

Mitchell described next steps and a timeline: collecting additional survey data from other junior highs, crunching scheduling numbers as students select courses, and returning to the board with a recommendation at the December 4 board meeting. He said district staff are considering whether to adopt the model district‑wide (all or none) for clarity and consistency.

Discussion only: the board heard the pilot update; staff recommended additional analysis and a December recommendation. No vote was taken.