John Jay High School is planning a shift in scheduling for September 2025 designed to allow more time for learning and make school more manageable for students. JJHS is moving to block scheduling, with four 82-minute blocks each day and a 60-minute common lunch.
"This is a significant change aimed at enhancing our educational approach,” said Principal Steven Siciliano. “We believe it will greatly benefit our students and staff.”
Students will continue to take eight courses, which meet every other day. Some classes, such as gym and resource room, will be shorter, 40-minute blocks.
Principal Steven Siciliano said that the transition to block scheduling is important for students’ learning and well-being. The decision was based on years of research by a committee that involved administrators, teachers, students and parents, as well as in-depth feedback from many schools in our area that follow a block schedule.
The District presented a webinar on block scheduling on December 18, hosted by Dr. Siciliano and Assistant Principal Samir Biswas. They were joined by students and staff who shared their perspectives on how this shift will benefit the entire JJHS community.
The presentation includes a comprehensive overview and examples of block scheduling, why John Jay is moving in this direction, the advantages to teachers and students, and how the school community will navigate these changes.
