It’s that time of the year again when school leaders look ahead to the next school year. They are considering their year data, the master schedule, and the needs of their students and staff. Often during this time of year, school leaders are looking for ideas to better meet the needs of their students, and provide their teachers with more time to work with students. A strategy growing in popularity among middle and high schools is adding a flex period to their daily bell schedule. Flex periods are becoming commonplace in secondary bell schedules because they offer time during the school day where students receive intervention, enrichment, lesson extensions, reteaching, extracurricular activities, club opportunities, SEL lessons, and many other activities that don’t easily fit into the rest of the schedule.
We know there is a lot on school leaders’ plates this time of year, so we wanted to provide several examples of bell schedules that include a flex period into it in case it saves you time. Check out the examples below in case they help save you some time as you consider what a flex period schedule might look like on your campus.
Schedule 1 - 1 Flex, 4 Classes, + 3 Lunches (Block Schedule)
This particular high school based in Utah follows a hybrid block schedule comprising four regular classes. Out of these four classes, three classes follow a block schedule that alternates between A and B days, and each class lasts for 95 minutes. However, the first block is only for 55 minutes and remains the same daily. The school also has a single 30-minute Flex Period. Additionally, the school has three lunch periods that are 30 minutes each and coincide with their 4th and 5th block.
Schedule 2 - 1 Flex, 4 Blocks (8 Classes), + 1 Lunch
At this California-based high school, Monday is known as articulation day where each block lasts for 70 minutes with a 20-minute brunch break scheduled behind the 2nd block. After brunch, the 3rd and 4th blocks follow, and students are released at 2:00 pm. From Tuesday to Friday, the schedule remains consistent with four 80-minute blocks. The first block is followed by a break, and then a 35-minute FLEX period. Blocks two and three follow, and then a 30-minute lunch period. The last block concludes each day after lunch, with a 3:40 pm release time.
Schedule 3 - 1 Flex, 1 SSR, 5 Classes, + 1 Lunch
This California-based high school students have five 60-minute class periods. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, there is a 45-minute Flex/Advisory period, a 25-minute (sustained-silent reading period, and a 35-minute lunch. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, a 50-minute intervention period replaces the Flex/Advisory period and finds the day starting with Period 5 and ending with Period 1. The intervention period has students receiving supplementary instruction without interrupting the core curriculum, meeting the social-emotional and advisory needs of the school. During this time social-emotional learning, life skills, or enrichment lessons occur. Comparably, the flex period is shorter and more fluid for reviewing and reteaching and aligns with the school’s academic goals.
Schedule 4 - 1 Flex, 5 Classes, + 3 Lunches
This Minnesota high school holds a daily flex period that follows the first period of the day. Periods 2 and 3 follow the flex time and lead into three separate lunch periods with class times for each group of students in the coinciding lunch times. Periods 4 and 5 end the day. This schedule has each of the five class periods lasting 65 minutes with a 30-minute flex period.
Schedule 5 - 1 Flex, 1 “Zero” Hour, 6 Classes, 1 Break + 1 Lunches (Block Schedule)
This California high school starts its day with a 53-minute “Zero” period. Their “Zero” period is an optional elective period for students. The remaining periods in the day are 50 minutes. Periods one and two are back-to-back followed by a 10-minute break. Period three follows and then a 30-minute FLEX period. Period four is next, followed by a 40-minute lunch break. The day concludes with a fifth period followed by a sixth period ending at 3:30.
Schedule 6 - 1 Flex, 6 Classes, + 4 Lunches
In this high school example, we see a schedule that has six periods with a FLEX time and four 30-minute lunch periods. Each class period is 45 minutes in length. The day starts with periods one and two, followed by a 30-minute FLEX period, and then period three. The fourth period follows with the lunch periods coinciding. Periods five and six round out the day, leading to dismissal.
Schedule 7 - 1 Flex, 7 Classes, + 3 Lunches
This Wisconsin-based middle school has a daily schedule comprising seven regular classes. Each class is 47 minutes, except the first period which is extended by four minutes for any announcements or school business, and period 5 which is 62 minutes due to the three 30-minute lunch periods coinciding with this period. Additionally, this school has a single 30-minute Flex Period.
Schedule 8 - 1 Flex, 7 Classes, + 2 Lunches + 1 Break
This junior high school in California starts the day with a 30-minute FLEX period. It is followed by two 48-minute class periods and a 10-minute break. The third period follows the break and then the first of the 45-minute lunch periods begins at 11:33. The lunch periods coincide with 4th and 5th periods which are held for 48 minutes. Periods six and seven conclude the day, and school is released at 2:51.
Schedule 9 - 1 Flex, 8 Classes, + 2 Lunches
This Texas high school has eight periods in the day, plus two 30-minute lunch periods and a 28-minute FLEX period. Each class period is 45 minutes long, except the 3rd period which is 50 minutes.
Schedule 10 - 1 Flex, 8 Classes, + 3 Lunches
One New Mexico middle school holds eight periods a day with 3 lunch periods, one for each grade level (6th, 7th & 8th grade) respectively. Mondays are a shortened schedule with class periods 27 minutes in length and the remainder of the day for PLCs and PD for staff. Tuesday through Friday have 50-minute class periods, a 31-minute FLEX period at the end of the day, and 30-minute lunch periods.
Scheduling can be difficult, and we know that examples can spark a vision into reality. We hope you find these ideas helpful and that they can springboard your vision for incorporating a Flex period into your master schedule. If you are looking for additional support, download our free Flex Period Planning Tool here or schedule a demo here to learn more about our software and bring your questions to our team of flex period experts.