Seventy Barrington High School seniors will participate in a new flexible learning program during the next academic year, which starts next month, according to Barrington High School District 220 officials.
The program is the district’s strategic step into personalized learning with flexible schedules for the BHS class of 2024, including in-school senior seminars and out-of-school internships. BHS administrators provided a program update to the school board at its June 20 meeting.
“We’re really focused on maintaining a high level of rigor,” said BHS Principal Steve McWilliams. “We’re not sacrificing rigor for time, we’re looking at time differently.”
With a focus on not only academic but personal success skills, the flexible schedule option is structured to accommodate students for internships and career pathway programs. For example, students participating in the teaching/education pathway may need to be off campus for half a day more than once a week in order to engage in classroom observations at other schools. The same may be true for students participating in the certified nursing assistant program looking to begin acquiring clinical hours during the school day.
“This will allow us some opportunities during the school day to get our students out there to see different things that are happening during the weekday work session,” said Superintendent Craig Winkelman. “It’s a real benefit for us.”
Officials explained that students will be grouped in cohorts, allowing them to meet their graduation requirements but also make time for independent learning. Five to six teachers have been selected to teach specific content areas, with the instructors chosen from among the 50 who volunteered to participate in the program.
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