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Increasing Passing Periods for the Benefit of the

Students
Prepared for: Jennifer Amis, Principal of APECHS and APMA
Prepared by: Hadassah Bustamante, Senior of APECHS
Hannah Zapien, Junior of APECHS
October 22, 2015

Abstract
Increasing the Passing Period for the Benefit of the Students
Prepared by: Hadassah Bustamante, Senior of APECHS
Hannah Zapien, Junior of APECHS

Ever since the opening of the Arrowhead Park Medical Academy, students of both the
academy and of Arrowhead Park Early College High School have been able to participate
in classes on either campus. While this opportunity has been greatly appreciated, the
scheduling of class periods and passing periods does not allow students to get to classes
on time if they are walking across campus. It also does not allow students to use the
restroom if they need to, nor are they able to get to class on time if they have an offcampus class at NMSU or DACC. It is a common consensus among both students and
faculty that the passing period should be increased. While this may be so, increasing the
passing period may cause a conflict by shortening the length of class. To make up for
this, we propose that both APECHS and APMA begin classes earlier in the morning in
order to allow student time to get to their classes faster.

Introduction
Problem: Passing periods between classes are too short. The Arrowhead campus is
spread apart and most classes are usually more than three minutes away from each other,
which can cause students to be late to class. There are students with classes from both
Arrowhead Park Early College and Arrowhead Park Medical Academy and walking from
the medical academy to one of the buildings on the other side takes more time than is
given. This can cause students to be unable to do other things they need to do, such as use
the restroom or have a quick chat with an instructor. Many students leave classes with
questions unanswered because they have to rush all the way across campus for their next
class. By extending the passing period, students can be given an equal opportunity to get
to class, or do other things that need to be done and still be able to get to their next class
on time without being late.

Response:
Essential:
- Some classes are far apart; it is essential to have an extended passing period to make it
to them without being late.
- Some students have off-campus classes or go off campus for lunch; they cannot make it
to class in the small amount of time allotted and miss lectures.
Desirable:
- Three minutes isnt enough to use the restroom and get to class on time.
- Some students need to talk to teachers about grades or missed work and they cannot
because they would be tardy to their next class, or they have a class across campus.

Criteria: The main reason passing periods at APECHS and APMA have not been
increased is due to the fact that increasing them would cause the length of class periods to
be cut short. The method proposed for extending class periods must not compromise the
length of classes as a whole.

Options: In order to meet the criteria posed, it is proposed that we begin classes at
APECHS and APMA earlier.

Methods
APECHS and APMA begin classes at 9:00am. This is nearly thirty minutes later than the
other high schools in the LCPS district. It should also be noted that, of the high schools in
the LCPS district, APECHS and APMA have the shortest passing period.

Presented below is the schedule of APECHS.

APECHS and APMA

Period

Time Span

9:00am-10:18am

10:21am-11:38am

12:18pm-1:38pm

1:41pm-3:00pm

Total Minutes

78

77

80

79

Even though the schedule of a student of a normal LCPS high school student is much
more packed than a student of APECHS, the students of schools such as Mayfield are
still allotted a 7 minute passing period. The passing periods for APECHS and APMA are
only 3 minutes.

Presented below is a table that depicts a possible schedule to be adapted by APMA and
APECHS. In the schedule, classes begin at 8:45am rather than the current time of 9:00am

APECHS and APMA (Revised)

Period

Time Span

8:45am-10:03am

10:08am-11:25am

12:15pm-1:35pm

1:40pm-3:00pm

Total Minutes

78

77

80

80

Not only will this schedule provide students with a 5 minute passing period, it will add a
little length to the students lunch period, which is another concern on campus.

Conclusion
While APECHS has not been around for as long as the rest of the high schools of LCPS,
and APMA has not been around even as long as APECHS has, the two schools have done
well to make a name for themselves. However, these schools could take a note from the
other high schools of LCPS. Since these schools have been around for much longer than
APECHS and APMA combined, the faculty and students are very flexible and adapt well
to change.

APECHS and APMA do not adhere to the same schedule that the other high schools of
LCPS do, and APECHS has maintained the same schedule since the beginning of the
school in 2011. However, with the creation of the Arrowhead Park Medical Academy, the
schedule seems to create tiny inconveniences. With students taking classes on both
campuses, getting to class is getting harder each semester.

If APECHS and APMA were to begin classes only 15 minutes earlier than they are now,
the students would be allowed 5 minutes to get to class rather than the current 3 minutes.
In the table created, the length of classes would not be compromised and students would
even be allowed the benefit of a longer lunch period.