Dexter High School Students Have 'Zero Hour' Option Scheduling Next Year

Editor's note: This article was originally published in the Dexter Squall. Articles published in the Squall are included on Patch.com weekly as part of a cooperative study program.

By Cameron LaFontaine

Dexter Squall Staff Writer

will switch to a six-period semester next year, after four years of utilizing a five-period trimester schedule.

The International Baccalaureate Diploma program will also be introduced in 2012, and students who take the entire diploma program will have IB classes every day of school. This is one of the reasons administrators have decided to offer a zero hour class.

A zero hour class starts one hour before the rest of the school day. Students who take a zero hour class will come in at 7 a.m. rather than 8 a.m.

“The intention of the zero hour class is to mainly allow students to take required classes like health, economics and government,” DHS Principal Kit Moran said. “Students who are taking the IB diploma program or have a lot of other classes they want, will benefit from the zero hour, which should help them take their required classes outside of the regular school day.”

According to Moran, teachers have been volunteering to teach a zero class despite the fact that they will not get extra pay. However, teachers who teach zero hours will be done with classes after fifth hour next year, an hour before school ends.

As students sign up for their classes next year, there is a zero hour option students can select in order for the administrators to estimate how many classes and teachers the school will need.

Moran also said there could potentially be other class possibilities including an IB class during zero hour.