After two years of 4 by 4 term schedules, the high school will be going back to rotating block schedules for the 2022-23 school year. 

“I said that (4 by 4) has the potential to adversely affect — so I’ll take band, (AFJROTC), journalism, those are classes that in their rotating block kids were in the entire school year,” principal Tim Hamblin said. “In a 4 by 4, you aren’t able to do that. So Col. (Michael) Dillard, for example, half of the AFJROTC cadets he hasn’t even seen yet this year, because they won’t come in until Terms 3 or 4.”

Students currently attend four classes every day for nine weeks. In a rotating block schedule, students attend four classes on Green Day and another four on White Day — every other day — for 18 weeks.

The original decision to go to 4 by 4 term schedules was due to Covid-19. Students only had to focus on four classes if everyone was suddenly sent into remote learning.

On Nov. 10, Hamblin sent out surveys to parents, staff and students about their views on the schedules. 

“I then thought, well I am going to start monitoring and kind of evaluating, digging deeper into those things to see if there was reason to consider taking the 4 by 4 on a permanent basis,” Hamblin said. 

A lot of research went into Hamblin’s decision.

“As individuals, I have retained several resources, or research study papers that they had come upon,” Hamblin said. “So I read… several different articles and continued with more of those personal conversations. I had meetings with several teachers responsible for programs … the success those programs have is in some way unique, so I really, really want to hear their concerns.”

Hamblin ultimately decided to return to the rotating block schedule.

“I had to take the step back, big broad picture, and I finally decided… that the 4 by 4 has the potential to negatively impact quite a few programs that we’re very proud of and that were very successful at Derby High School,” Hamblin said.