NJPSA Block Scheduling & Rank In Class Results
NJPSA Block Scheduling
This year NJPSA conducted its third bi-annual survey of schools using Block/Flexible Schedule. When the first survey was conducted in 1998, we found that only 26 high schools and 2 middle schools reported using a non traditional schedule; the most common form being the 4 x 4 block. This year’s survey showed that block/flexible scheduling is becoming more accepted as 67 high schools and 18 middle schools are now using this form of scheduling; and based on the information gleaned from the survey, even more schools intend to switch to this in the future.
One fact that remains constant in each of our three surveys is that to be successful in switching to this form of scheduling requires that at least one to two years be devoted to preparing the teaching staff. Intensive professional development is required if teachers are to make the transition from teaching a 40-45 minute class to teaching an 80-90 minute block.
The current survey continues to confirm that schools using block/flexible scheduling have noted improvement in a number of areas of school life. The following trends have been noted in each of our three surveys:
- Improvement in standardized test scores
- Increased number of students on the honor roll
- Improved student grades
- Fewer failures
- Students doing more in-depth work
- Improved student attendance
- Decrease in discipline problems
High Schools Using a Block Schedule
| School | Phone | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Academy of Allied Health and Science | (732) 775 – 0058 | 4x4 |
| Allentown High School | (609) 259 – 2160 | 4x4 |
| Boonton High School | (973) 335 – 9700 | Rotating 4 day cyc |
| Bordentown Regional | (609) 298 – 0025 | 4x4 |
| Burlington Township High School | (609) 387 – 1713 | 4x4 |
| Charter Tech High School | (609) 653 – 9398 | 4x4 |
| Colonia High School | (732) 499 – 6500 | 4x4 |
| Communications H.S. of Monmouth County | (732) 681 – 1010 | 4x4 |
| Cumberland Regional | (856) 451 – 9400 | 4x4 |
| Dickenson High School | (201) 714 – 4402 | 4x4 |
| Dumont High School | (201) 387 – 3060 | Modified Rot. Block |
| Dwight Morrow High School | (201) 833 – 6142 | Rot. Dbl per. |
| Emerson High School | (201) 348 – 5900 | A-B |
| Emerson Jr. Sr. High | (201) 262 – 4447 | Rot. A, B, C |
| Ewing High School | (609) 538 – 9800 | 4x4 |
| Glassboro High School | (856) 881 – 2200 | 4x4 W/A/B |
| Hackettstown High School | (908) 852 – 8150 | 4x4 |
| Haddon Heights Jr. Sr. High School | (856) 547 – 1920 | Block 2 days/wk |
| High Technology H.S. Lincroft | (732) 842 – 8444 | 5 (70 min/per |
| Hightstown High School | (609) 443 – 7738 | Modified Block |
| Hoboken High School | (201) 356 – 3703 | A/B |
| Hunterdon Central Regional H.S. | (908) 284 – 7155 | 4x4 |
| Jackson Memorial H.S. | (732) 833 – 4621 | 4x4 |
| John F. Kennedy H.S. | (732) 602 – 8650 | 4x4 |
| Kinnelon High School | (973) 838 – 5500 | Rotating 60 min |
| Lakeland Regional H.S. | (973) 835 – 1900 | 4 1/2 x 4 1/2 |
| Lincoln H.S. | (201) 915 – 6700 | 4x4 |
| Long Branch High School | (732) 229 – 7300 | 4x4 grades 9-11 |
| Lower Cape May Regional H.S. | (609) 884 – 3475 | 80 min per 2 days |
| Mainland Regional | (609) 927 – 2414 | Modified Block |
| Manasquan H.S. | (732) 528 – 8820 | 4x4 |
| Manchester Township H.S. | (732) 657 – 2121 | dbl p |
| Marine Academy of Science and Technology | (732) 291 – 0995 | Alt. Day 80 min per |
| McNair Academic H.S. | (201) 876 – 4804 | 3x3 |
| Medical Arts H.S. | (856) 966 – 2500 | 4x4 |
| Middlesex Co. Academy for Sci. Mathematics | (732) 452 – 2600 | A/B |
| Montville High School | (973) 331 – 7100 | Flex Sched Day 1-4 |
| Morris Hills H.S. | (973) 664 – 2301 | A/B |
| Morris Knolls | (973) 664 – 2200 | A/B |
| Morristown H.S. | (973) 292 – 2106 | 4x4 A/B |
| Mount Hebron | (973) 509 – 4220 | |
| Mount Olive High School | (973) 927 – 2208 | Mod. Rotating |
| Msr. Donovan High School | (732) 349 – 8801 | 4x4 |
| New Egypt High School | (609) 758 – 6800 | 4x4 |
| Northern Valley at Demarest | (201) 268 – 9181 | 58 min Rot. Sched |
| Northern Valley Reg. H.S. Old Tappan | (201) 784 – 1600 | 58 min Rot. Sched |
| Notre Dame H.S. | (609) 882 – 7900 | mod. 4x4 |
| Ocean County Vocational - Toms River Center | (732) 473 – 3100 | 4x4 |
| Orange High School | (973) 677 – 4050 | |
| Palisades Park Jr./Sr. High School | (201) 941 – 1100 | 4x4 |
| Paramus H.S. | (201) 261 – 7800 | Modified Rot Block |
| Penns Grove H. S. | (856) 299 – 6300 | 4x4 |
| Phillipsburg H.S. | (908) 213 – 2440 | 4x4 |
| Plainfield H.S. | (908) 731 – 4393 | 4x4 A/B |
| Point Pleasant Beach | (732) 899 – 1817 | Block Eng. & S.S. |
| Rancocas Valley Regional High School | (609) 267 – 0830 | 4x4 |
| Ridgewood H.S. | (201) 670 – 2800 | Rotating drop sched |
| Secaucus H.S. | (201) 974 – 2031 | 4x4 |
| South Brunswick H.S. | (732) 329 – 4044 | 4x4 |
| Spotswood H.S. | (732) 723 – 2205 | A/B |
| Sterling H.S. | (856) 784 – 1333 | 4x4 |
| Teaneck H.S. | (201) 833 – 5401 | A/B |
| Technology H.S. | (973) 481 – 5963 | A/B |
| The Academies of Gloucester Co. Inst of Tech. | (856) 468 – 1445 | 4x4 |
| Trenton Central H.S. | (609) 989 – 2487 | 4x4 |
| Union County Magnet H.S. | (908) 889 – 3800 | A/B 4x4 |
| Woodbridge H.S. | (732) 602 – 8600 | 4x4 |
Middle Schools Using a Block Schedule
| School | Phone | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Bradley Gardens M.S. | (908) 725 – 8444 | |
| Columbus Middle School | (973) 470 – 2360 | Modified Block-Lang. Arts |
| Copeland M.S. | (973) 627 – 2465 | A/B |
| Galloway Twp. M.S. | (609) 748 – 1250 | Modified Alt. Day |
| Holland M.S. | (609) 989 – 2730 | Alt. Day (88 Min) |
| Holmes M.S. (Elizabeth) | (908) 436 – 6051 | Modified Joplin Plan |
| Hopatcong M.S. | (973) 398 – 8804 | Mod. Block L.A./For. Lang. |
| Kingsway M.S. | (856) 467 – 3300 | Flexible Block |
| Krumbiegel M.S. (Hillside) | (908) 352 – 7664 | |
| Lawrence M.S. | (609) 530 – 8427 | Modified 4x4 |
| Leonia M.S. | (201) 461 – 9100 | Modified Block |
| Lincoln Park M.S. | (973) 696 – 5520 | A/B |
| Little Egg Harbor Intermediate | (609) 296 – 1719 | Modified Block |
| Markham Place School | (732) 741 – 7112 | Modified Block |
| Reading-Fleming M.S. | (908) 284 – 7501 | A/B |
| Rosa International M.S. | (856) 616 – 8787 | Flexible Block |
| Thomas Jefferson M.S. | (732) 650 – 5290 | Modified Flex. Block |
| Woodrow Wilson M.S. Lang. Arts | (973) 470 – 2348 | Block |
Rank In Class Survey
This survey was conducted in response to many telephone calls received at NJPSA regarding whether schools are continuing to rank their graduating students. Specifically what principals are asking is whether there is a trend toward eliminating rank in class and what impact, if any, this has had on college acceptance. As a result of the survey, we have compiled a list of 31 high schools that no longer use rank in class.
As you review this list, you will note that many of the schools are ones which have a long history of sending their students to many of the most competitive colleges.
Schools Not Using Rank In Class
| School | Phone |
|---|---|
| Academy of Allied Health and Science | (732) 775 – 0058 |
| Bernards H.S. Bernardsville | (908) 204 – 1930 |
| Bridgewater Raritan H.S. Bridgewater | (908) 231 – 8660 |
| Cedar Grove H.S. | (973) 239 – 6400 |
| Communications H.S. of Monmouth County | (732) 681 – 1010 |
| Cresskill Jr./Sr. H.S. | (201) 567 – 5479 |
| Delran H.S. | (856) 461 – 6100 |
| East Brunswick H.S. East Brunswick | (732) 613 – 6904 |
| Fairlawn H.S. | (201) 794 – 5400 |
| Glen Ridge H.S. | (973) 429 – 8303 |
| Haddonfield H.S. | (856) 429 – 360 |
| High Technology H.S. Lincroft | (732) 842 – 8444 |
| Hunterdon Central Regional H.S. | (908) 284 – 7155 |
| J.P. Stevens H.S. Edison | (732) 452 – 2800 |
| Jonathan Dayton H.S. Springfield | (973) 376 – 1025 |
| Marine Academy of Science and Technology | (732) 291 – 0995 |
| Millburn H.S. | (973) 564 – 7130 |
| Montgomery H.S. Skillman | (908) 874 – 4600 |
| Moorestown H.S. | (856) 778 – 6610 |
| Morris County School of Technology | (973) 627 – 4700 |
| Mount Hebron | (973) 509 – 4220 |
| Mountain Lakes H.S. | (973) 334 – 8400 |
| New Egypt High School | (609) 758 – 6800 |
| Notre Dame H.S. | (609) 882 – 7900 |
| Ocean County Vocational - Toms River Center | (732) 473 – 3100 |
| Ridge H.S. Basking Ridge | (908) 204 – 2585 |
| Riverdell Regional H.S. Oradel | (201) 599 – 7240 |
| Robbinsville H.S. | (609) 371 – 1140 |
| Rumson-Fairhaven H.S. Rumson | (732) 842 – 1597 |
| Union County Magnet H.S. | (908) 889 – 3800 |
| West Windsor Plainsboro North H.S. Plainsboro | (609) 716 – 5100 |