For the fourth time in four years, the graduating class of 2024 has returned once again to a completely different schedule.

The removal of Grizz time was due in part to students not showing up to meetings to receive necessary help from teachers despite repeated requests. There were also struggles with taking attendance during Grizz time and meeting the ‘400 minutes of PE every ten days’ requirements for California. 

With Grizz time, “GBHS D/F rates ha(d) doubled, particularly the F rate,” GBHS Assistant Principal Jennifer Buschmann said.

The D/F rate is the total passing rate of all classes.

This switch aims to provide a lot more time in class for students to receive help from teachers by requiring students to stay in a certain class depending on the intervention period.

Grizz time, first implemented in 2017, was a daily 30 minute period, right after first period, where students could get help from any teacher, do homework, study or socialize.

Now, the re-dubbed ‘Intervention’ only occurs on Wednesdays, with restrictions on where students can go. After each period ends, students must stay in that class for intervention. These interventions are only 28 minutes long.

“We hope it’s easier for students to access their teachers since they are in the same room and with increased instructional time, it will provide teachers that time to support,” Buschmann said.

The new schedule was not made in haste. Since Grizz time was first introduced, a Grizz time staff committee composed of site representatives, teachers and administrators from all over the district, and Buschmann has reviewed data (namely, D/F rates) every year and discussed challenges. Last year, due to district-wide declining achievement data, a District Intervention Committee of teachers, administrators, and support staff met to discuss the Intervention periods. 

Yearly Grizz surveys were also sent out to students to demonstrate how Grizz time was being used and what would happen if it did not exist. Additionally, a teacher survey was sent out recently, which ended in a 2-1 favor of trying a new schedule.

“Our teachers really care about supporting their struggling students,” Buschmann said.