News

Is Hall’s new block scheduling effective?

Nathan Shreckengast, Journalist • April 29, 2026

Entrance to guidance counseling (Nathan Shreckengast)

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William H. Hall High School is establishing a block type schedule in 2026, But is it for the better or worse?
Picture of Hall’s current schedule (Kelly Fransen)

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“I was one of the people that went every day, so I didn't really get the full experience of block scheduling. But at the beginning, I kinda did, and I kinda liked it. Like, it was, it was annoying 'cause we had to go one day this and one day that.” - Nevaeh Bellon, Hall High School student
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Hall High School has decided to change their schedule to block scheduling. Right now, students have 45 minute periods, and will be changed to 90 minute periods. This will go into effect next school year (2026-27). “This report proposes transitioning West Hartford high schools to an A/B Block schedule with a ‘Skinny Wednesday’ to resolve the scheduling constraints of our current model.” said Anne McKernan, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction. With the current schedule, 27% of students give up lunch to get enough credits. This improvised schedule helps students be able to pursue their courses without giving up their midday breaks. Students seem to be indifferent about this decision, as performance with both schedules are roughly balanced.
Graph comparing different types of schedules to 7th grades student performance. The A/B and traditional schedules have better scores than the other schedules, with A/B having the slight edge. (Nathan Shreckengast (Graph generated with gemini))

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“my children went to school where they had block two days a week, and the other three days were a straight through schedule, and they didn't seem to mind it.” - Janelle Griffin, Hall High School teacher
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Buls, Lauren. "Around the Block: Evaluating School Schedules." UConn Today, University of Connecticut, 25 Jan. 2024, today.uconn.edu/2024/01/around-the-block-evaluating-school-schedules/.

McKernan, Anne. “High School Schedule Exploration.” Google Drive, 3 Feb. 2026, drive.google.com/file/d/1qfjuf4O0I4wN1MjQ83AbJMDsv4Gz-7r0/view . Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.

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Hall Record

Is Hall’s new block scheduling effective?

Hall Record

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