Timeline
While creating our timeline there were obstacles that we had to take into consideration. The following are a few examples of the things we would take into consideration or adjust as needed.
- During the year the state may add more requirements. For example, this year they decided that the class of 2014 would be required to take a personal finance class. During the first step of our time line, re-evaluating current master schedule, we would take these requirement changes into consideration.
- Review program of studies would allow us to review the instructional focus, if changing, and update our program of studies as necessary.
- During the January meeting with the guidance department, planning for parent night would begin. Parent Night would allow teachers, counselors, and administration to be available to parents to offer help throughout the scheduling process.
- During the student registration in February and April our counselors will be available, but one week they would offer flex hours. Flex hours would allow counselors to come in late and stay later than normal, so that they are available for parents.
- During rising 9
th grade registration, Horizon High School’s guidance department would give a presentation to the 8
th graders about classes. Special education (including the middle school case manager, high school SPED coordinator, and an assistant principal) will schedule transitional meetings for SPED students moving into the high school.
- On May 27, 2011 we will run a simulation of the schedule to see if there are any conflicts. You want to make sure that students who are on a certain track are able to take all courses they desire without hindering their progress.
- We made sure that on our timeline we mailed the teachers their schedules BEFORE students’ schedules are mailed. That way the teachers would be aware of the students in their courses before the students approach them.
- Horizon High School’s first day of school is September 6, 2011. The last day to withdraw from a class without penalty is September 27, 2011.
Budget
The budget was calculated using the average per pupil expenditure for a school in the Roanoke Valley (Virginia). This number was approximately $7,000 per student, giving us a budget of $5,760,000. Our expenditures are as follows: 88% or $5,068,800 of our budget was spent on employees’ salaries/ benefits; 7.63% or $439,488 was spent for purchased services; 4.01% or $230,976 of the budget was spent on supplies for the school; and 0.36% or $20,736 was used for capital or all expenditures classified as “other”.
While developing our budget we designed our financial allotments for Employees Salaries/Benefits in accordance with one principal, two assistant principals, one athletic director, 77 teachers, 8 instructional aides, and 18 support staff personnel.
Additionally, the purchased services, supplies, and capital are divided accurately in the pie chart below.
Explanations for decisions
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BUDGET: Because the purpose of this assignment was not to set up a budget, but to develop a master schedule, we did not focus much on the budget. We took a very general number as the average for the Roanoke Valley. Once we had a total number for our budget we broke it down into a very simple framework. We realize that in our future schools, our budgets will be much more developed and detailed. Our simple budget in this case served our purposes.
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ART: Since we only had 800 students and we wanted to put our instructional focus on the environment, we decided to combine the art classes. Our art courses are now survey classes. For example, instead of offering a number of specific art courses, we decided to streamline these courses into one. Students who take art will still receive instruction on pottery, drawing, painting, etc., but it will be incorporated into one course rather than registering for these courses separately.
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SPECIAL EDUCATION: We realize that in most schools a full inclusion model would not be the mode of services students with special education needs. For this project we decided to choose the full inclusion model because of the time constraints and obstacles that might otherwise be created.
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ADVANCED COURSES: We realize that our advanced course offerings are slim. However, for Horizon High School we push our students to a higher level. All students will be required to write papers, do projects, and many of the other assignments normally required of an advanced course. In a larger school system with a different focus, more advanced classes may be available, however we feel we have justified our choices to limit those offerings.
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DIRECTED STUDIES: This course will be offered to students at risk of failing SOL courses. Students will be placed into this course based on multiple criteria such as teacher recommendations, benchmark tests, students’ grades, etc.
