Education involves more than simply fulfilling graduation requirements—it is about equipping students with the tools to explore their passions and develop the skills necessary for future success.
Since joining the district, Superintendent Dr. Timothy Sippel has been actively investigating the structure of the current schedule, identifying its inherent challenges: “One of [the concerns] coming through [my conversations this year with students, staff, and parents has been] the number of students who don’t have a full set of classes, who are taking one or more semesters with a directed study instead of a full set of classes.”
Among other ideas, Sippel has recently proposed shifting from a seven-period to a six-period schedule as a solution to current staffing shortages and the issue of students enrolling in direct studies, periods where students do not have classes. While the intent behind this proposal is to streamline operations, reducing the number of periods available would also limit students’ opportunities to explore a diverse array of subjects, narrowing their academic growth and career options.
Through the lens of the administration, Sippel and his staff are constantly trying to answer questions such as, “‘Are there ways that we can utilize the staff that we have to give every student seven classes?’ and ‘What would that look like?’” Sippel explained. “If there’s not a way to get every student into seven classes that way, then… six classes is something to have on the table [as an option].”
Direct Studies
Direct studies have been a part of the Malden High academic experience for some time, and while opinions about their effectiveness and value vary, they have become a standard feature in the school—as well as a few other neighboring districts, such as Woburn and Arlington.
For some, direct studies are a necessary pause in an otherwise rigorous schedule, offering students time to catch up on work, focus on personal projects, or simply take a mental break. This downtime can specifically benefit students with heavy workloads or extracurricular commitments, allowing them to more easily manage their responsibilities. Richard Tivnan, a history teacher of two decades, commented, “The direct study is a valuable thing for many students… students in vigorous course loads may need the extra time.”
On the other hand, some educators and students feel that, while helpful in certain contexts, direct studies might not provide enough academic stimulation. Many are concerned that these periods can lead to a lack of engagement with class subject matter and leave students with little to no educational support.
Tivnan believes that direct studies can be a mixed bag; while he does not want the periods to dissolve completely, there should be more limitations. “I don’t think any student needs three studies,” he expressed. “We’re not teaching them enough and they’re not taking enough classes.”
Anne Mooney, who has taught English at Malden High for approximately a decade, believes the blocks should be removed entirely and students should always have a full schedule. While she expects some initial pushback, she believes that, in time, it will become an accepted part of the schedule. “I have students who don’t necessarily want to be in an English class—we’re all used to that,” she explained. Just like how students are required to take an English class annually, students should be required to take as many classes as possible. “You just try to engage them in any way you can.”
Impacts on Students
As Azusa Pacific University explained, “The best way to see yourself in a field is to get first-hand exposure through a class.” If fewer periods are offered, students may be forced to prioritize core subjects over electives that could help them discover their strengths in fields like the arts, social sciences, or STEM. This exploration is crucial, especially for students who may not be pursuing college but are still aiming for a fulfilling career.
English teacher Nierika Nims echoed this concern, emphasizing how a six-period schedule would reduce students’ opportunities for exploration. “Our students deserve a well-rounded, empowering, and joyful education. This includes the chance to try new things and engage in subjects they are passionate about,” Nims stated. She underscored the essential role electives play in student well-being and future competitiveness, arguing that removing opportunities to explore their passions would ultimately diminish their educational experience.
Tivnan furthered this sentiment, noting that students should have more opportunities class-wise. “We had trouble earlier in the year with people not being able to take classes they signed up for,” he described, referencing classes with a cap on student enrollment lower than student interest, such as AP Psychology. “We shouldn’t have that. We should have more. If anything, we should have too much.”
“Selecting the right high school courses isn’t just about meeting graduation requirements — it’s about crafting a narrative that reflects your intellectual curiosity, academic growth, and alignment with your goals,” described Wafa Muflahi, a partner at Command Education, a top college admissions consulting company based in New York City, as reported by the New York Post.
Additionally, eliminating course offerings could negatively affect students’ college readiness and career aspirations. Research from the Center for American Progress suggests that students enrolled in advanced coursework are more likely to graduate and pursue higher education, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a wide range of class offerings. At the conclusion of the research paper, the authors recommend that schools expand access to advanced coursework by working to “open up more slots for students in advanced coursework.”
For students who may choose to enter the workforce immediately after graduation, having access to a variety of courses can still provide valuable life skills and a well-rounded education that prepares them for a dynamic job market. As the New York Post noted, reducing class availability narrows students’ opportunities to cultivate intellectual curiosity and develop a broad skill set, which is essential for success beyond high school.
Impacts on Teachers
Teachers have raised significant concerns about the proposed schedule changes. Mooney highlighted that reducing class periods without increasing staff will not solve underlying issues: “The only true solution is to get more staff. The more staff we have, the more electives we offer.”
Tivnan teaches four classes: AP US Government and Politics, Mock Trial, US History II, and semester courses American Law and Justice and Examining Criminal Justice. If the schedule were to be reduced by one period, he may lose the ability to teach one or more of these courses. “Every kid in high school should take a government class… whether they’re new to the country or established citizens,” Tivnan believes. If he were to lose a period, students may have even fewer opportunities to take these classes, if at all.
Electives and the Arts
Moreover, reducing the number of class periods would disproportionately affect students’ access to electives, particularly in the arts, such as Mock Trial, Band, Choir, Play Production, and Journalism, among others. These electives often require multi-year commitment, and some courses—such as digital art—have a course progression or prerequisites.
“Students who attend better-funded, fully-staffed schools in other districts have access to all sorts of enriching electives, and our students should too.”
– nierika nims
With only six class periods available per year, students would be limited to a maximum of six electives throughout their high school experience, assuming they do not take a third year of a language or a fourth year of science or history. This reduction would further restrict students’ ability to explore different subjects and pursue their passions, especially in the arts. “I would always rather have a lot of electives,” Mooney commented.
Even if initially students are not interested in elective courses, “by the end, students may think ‘this is kind of cool,’” noted Mooney. She suggested creative additions, such as sound-based language or cultural arts classes, to engage diverse student interests.
As it stands, students are already balancing core requirements such as math, science, English, history, and a second language, alongside mandatory classes like gym and health. With fewer electives available, students may be forced to prioritize one subject over another, potentially missing out on opportunities to broaden their horizons and develop new skills.
This reduction would significantly hinder students’ ability to explore different subjects and pursue their passions, especially in the arts. For example, at Malden High, electives like Play Production, Choir, Band, and Ceramics are staples of the creative curriculum, but they already face the challenge of requiring dedicated time, often limiting the ability of students to branch out and take other electives.
Engaging in the arts is not only a means of creative expression but also a critical tool for developing essential life skills, especially in adolescence. According to an analysis by The Princeton Review, arts education fosters creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities, which are foundational for academic success and personal growth. Moreover, participating in the arts can help students develop self-confidence, resilience, and a growth mindset by providing opportunities for success and failure in a supportive environment.
These benefits extend beyond the classroom, as students equipped with artistic skills are often more adaptable, innovative, and well-rounded, traits that are highly sought after in college admissions and the workforce. In this sense, the arts contribute not only to academic development but also to shaping individuals who are prepared to navigate a rapidly changing and complex world.
MLL and IEPs
Shifting schedules could also have a significant impact on Multi-lingual learner (MLL) students and students with IEPs, particularly in terms of their ability to access both necessary support and elective opportunities. Nims noted that “students with IEPs… many have additional Special Education courses built into their schedules, as well as MLLs, whose schedules may include ESL (English as a Second Language) courses.”
With fewer class periods, these students would face even fewer opportunities to explore electives, which presents an equity issue. For MLL students, changes that disrupt access to ESL courses would hinder their academic growth and limit their ability to engage in a well-rounded education.
These inequities can form in any schedule, as Mooney described. “When we’re creating new electives, we need to be very mindful of how those electives are going to be accessible for our MLL students.”
This critique stems from the idea of language-based learning in non-language classes. “The old way of looking at language learners was deficit-based, whereas it should be viewed as an asset,” Mooney added. This shift in perspective requires a reevaluation of how schedules could best support these students, allowing them to access both language support and opportunities to thrive in electives.
For students with IEPs, Mooney also highlighted the challenge of balancing necessary specialized support with core academic requirements. “If students with IEPs are going to meet MassCore [requirements] and also have a language class, they couldn’t also have courses necessary to meet the needs of their disabilities,” she emphasized.
Potential Schedules
The superintendent acknowledged that resolving these issues may require multiple approaches. “I don’t think that there’s one root cause,” he said. “I think it could be in some subjects that we might need to hire additional staff. However, I think that it’s also likely that there are some ways that our current staff are scheduled that make things more difficult than they should be.” This underscores the complexity of the issue and the need for both staffing adjustments and scheduling efficiencies.
Currently, Malden High operates on an 80-minute class schedule, with four periods per day in an alternating-day structure. To transition from a seven-period schedule to six, the administration has proposed three potential options: extending the length of class periods, increasing the number of Flex blocks, or scheduling all classes every day. However, none of these options appear to offer a balanced solution.
Pre-COVID, Malden High taught on a waterfall schedule: a scheduling system where classes meet every day, but the schedule rotates each day. For example, one day, students may have classes in the order of 1-2-3-4-5-6, while period 7 does not meet. The following day, classes would start with the dropped period, following the schedule of 7-1-2-3-4-5. To fit six classes into one day while retaining a 2-hour period for lunch blocks, each class would have slightly different period lengths.
Tivnan has been vocal in his support for the waterfall schedule since the switch: “Everyone learns differently, and different kids learn better at different times.” With this schedule, students would have a more fluid schedule, with each day slightly different from the last. While with the current schedule, periods 1 and 5 are always first thing in the morning, students would have each class at each time, rotated throughout the week.
The main issue he finds in the current schedule is the length of each block: he finds 80 minutes is difficult for both students and faculty to do any one thing. While he conceded that it may be more helpful to have long blocks in science classes to host labs and English classes to write essays, in his experience, these blocks are too long. “We had one block that length for lunch, but it wasn’t every class every day. It’s too much.”
Nims advocated for retaining the alternating-day schedule with longer blocks, explaining its benefits for student learning: “I taught with the waterfall schedule, and I did not find it conducive to best practices for student learning.” In her perspective, longer blocks give students and teachers time to delve deeper into the material, facilitating more effective instruction and engagement.
“If it were up to me, we would collectively put more pressure on the city to fully fund our schools,” Nims furthered, highlighting how reallocating resources toward hiring additional staff could create a more sustainable solution that maintains opportunities for students to explore diverse subjects.
“The status quo is not tenable.”
– nierika nims
Working Contracts
As the district explores potential changes to the schedule, ongoing contract negotiations with the Teachers Union have become a pivotal element in shaping the future structure. “Anecdotal conversations I’ve had with members and leaders in the Teachers Union have indicated that they are very interested in seeing us settle on a new contract before the end of the school year, if not earlier in the spring, if possible,” explained Sippel. A finalized contract would clarify staffing availability, directly impacting the feasibility of maintaining or restructuring the current seven-period schedule.
One of the key concerns in determining a schedule is balancing staff workloads with student needs. Currently, teachers are limited to teaching five classes, which creates logistical challenges in providing all students with a full schedule. However, any significant changes to teacher workloads, class sizes, or periods offered would require careful negotiation and agreement with the union.
Sippel also noted that the timeline for these decisions is tight, as course requests for the next academic year depend on how many classes students must take. “Once we have clarity about [the master schedule] within the next few weeks, then everything else is going to start happening pretty quick,” he highlighted. Settling the contract before the summer would allow the district to finalize staffing assignments and create a schedule that aligns with student and staff needs, as well as union agreements.
The superintendent also acknowledged that formal proposals for the contract are still in development: “We just started bargaining yesterday… we haven’t formally exchanged [any proposals related to the high school schedule] yet.” Despite this, the district’s collaborative approach with union leaders and staff highlights a shared commitment to finding a solution soon.
The outcome of these negotiations will directly impact the administration’s ability to address long-standing challenges with the current schedule. Whether through hiring additional staff, reconfiguring existing schedules, or exploring alternative structures, the finalized contract will be instrumental in determining the future of student and staff schedules.
