Webster City High School students will be returning to an 8-period school day when the next school year begins in August.

The Webster City School Board heard a report from high school Principal Dan Johnson who worked with a team of high school administrators and teachers.

“This year, we started off in a hybrid 4×4 model and then dropped the hybrid part and really worked with the block schedule for the year,” said Superintendent Dr. Mandy Ross, adding that the high school team had looked at whether to continue with that model or revert to the pre-pandemic 8-period days.

Johnson said the staff started talking in January and February about the next school year and the various schedule types.

“We very quickly realized with staff meetings alone, it wasn’t going to be enough to really dig into the information we needed,” he said. About 9 staff members worked together to research and prepare options for the students, staff and parents.

“It really came down to just the two types of schedules — the 8-period day or the AB block or a modified block,” he said.

The team put together a letter and a frequently asked question sheet on the different types of schedules. They also mocked up some sample schedule models.

“We wanted the parents and students to be well-informed on how this could potentially affect the student and the schedule, “ Johnson said.

A survey was sent to the students and parents of 9th, 10th and 11th grade-students as well as to staff members. The surveys asked which classroom model each group preferred. The parent survey, with 111 responses, was split nearly down the middle with 46.8 percent selecting the block schedule and 45.9 percent the 8-period schedule. About 7 percent offered no preference.

Students surveyed were slightly more divided on the models. 55.6 percent wanted to stay with the block schedule while 35.8 percent preferred the tradition 8-period schedule. A little over 8 percent had no preference. Two-hundred forty-three students responded to the survey.

Teachers were nearly 60 percent in favor of returning to the 8-period day.

“Based on the survey information, we’re recommending we return to the 8-period day. There’s just not an overwhelming consensus to change the schedule,” he said.

He outlined in the recommendation that there had been a concern from the fine arts classes about seeming students every other day. He also said the traditional schedule works well with the Iowa Central classes and the Career Academy program.

Johnson added that since there would be a change in leadership at the high school, referring to his plan to leave the principal position, returning to the pre-pandemic schedule would be best. He added that the team suggested continuing to study block schedules for the future.

In other business, the board approved staff contract recommendations. A resignation from Johnson, Jan Feltes, high school special education teacher and Tyler Mosbach, 7th grade assistant basketball coach were accepted. Contracts were approved for Lisa Lyons who moves from 3rd grade to 5th grade; Michael Ross who moves from 1st grade at Pleasant View to academic interventionist at Sunset Heights; Lisa Goedken who movs to 3rd grade at Northeast Hamilton and Breanna Hughes, who was hired for middle school special education.

The date of May 24 at 6 p.m. was set as the date and time of a public hearing on a budget amendment.

Members of the school board were presented with certificates during School Board Member Appreciation Month. Ross thanked the board for their work throughout the year.