ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
The USD 480 school board heard more about Liberal High School’s FlexMod scheduling to help kick off the board’s 2025 meetings Monday evening.
Up first to speak in favor of FlexMod was LHS junior Arilyn Rich.
“I know there has been a lot of conversation around whether LHS should continue with the FlexMod scheduling format or switch to a more traditional block scheduling, so I would like to share how FlexMod has been beneficial to me in my high school career,” Rich said. “For the past three years, I’ve been under the FlexMod schedule at LHS, and I’m a first-generation student. My mother did graduate from high school here, but my father dropped out of high school. I’m the first in my family to be on track to be a high school graduate and get my associate’s degree when I graduate, and I firmly attribute my ability to do that to FlexMod scheduling. My parents never made it to college, and to be able to have FlexMod scheduling at LHS and being able to take those courses at Seward County Community College has been amazing for my family in terms of not only being able to not worry about the financial burden, but also in terms of being enrolled in these classes without having to do any extensive traveling since everything is in town. I started taking the college courses my sophomore year, and those were primarily after school, but for my schedule this year, I have multiple college courses integrated into my regular schedule, which is only possible through FlexMod scheduling. If we were to switch over to block scheduling, that would mean it would have to be a form of block scheduling that would fit in with the college’s scheduling already, which would cause multiple problems. The only major downside I’ve seen with FlexMod scheduling is the overlaps, which do cause issues if there’s not really any room for flexibility with the student and the teacher(s) they’re working with. FlexMod scheduling has helped me progress a lot not only toward getting my diploma but also getting my associate’s degree while still being in high school, which is amazing to me and my family. If we were to switch to a block scheduling situation, that would hinder my progress in school and how I’ve been working through everything.”
Up next to speak was LHS junior Klaire Anderson, who read a letter from former LHS student Nathalie DonJuan Roman, who is currently studying mechanical engineering at Wichita State University.
“The FlexMod scheduling format was active for my entire high school career. Transitioning from a block scheduling format in middle school to FlexMod scheduling was, understandably, a big change because I was held to higher responsibility for my academic track, and I had additional responsibility when it came to showing up for class on time and communicating with my teachers,” Anderson read. “Although I can admit there were times when I didn’t improve or make the best decisions handling my academic freedom, FlexMod improved my communication skills, independence, and decision-making skills, all of which prepared me for postsecondary education. Sometimes, I had to choose between classes and weigh my priorities, or when I missed class time for a test in another class, I had to communicate with my teacher(s) and gather missing materials. There are several instances when FlexMod required me to develop other skills that helped enrich me as a student and young adult. Not only do I believe the FlexMod scheduling helped improve me as a student, but I also believe it’s been extremely beneficial to my family’s finances. Because of FlexMod, I was able to complete 37 credit hours through Seward County Community College by the time I graduated, most of which were financed by the school. I was able to fit in as many classes as I desired while also pursuing dual credit options to further both my high school and college coursework. LHS saved my family thousands of dollars compared to what a traditional college schedule could have offered. In comparison, I have two older brothers who are also engineers who graduated from LHS in 2006 and 2011. They both had the traditional block scheduling and ultimately decided to study at SCCC to save money, which is the only option for a lot of LHS students. My brothers completed their degrees in 11 semesters, and I’m on tract to complete mine in eight semesters. The significance of completing a degree in a shorter amount of time is not just a point of pride, it’s also for the convenience of those supporting the well-being and education of these students. With the huge financial demand it takes to be at a university, completing even just a few credit hours can be hugely impactful, and there are multiple fellow LHS students who would say the same thing. FlexMod might not be right for every school everywhere, but it’s definitely making a positive impact on students at LHS.”
Up next was LHS senior Bentley Fitzgerald.
“One way the FlexMod scheduling has benefited me is I’ve been able to take on internships and go to SCCC,” Fitzgerald said. “FlexMod can definitely be hard for some students to manage in terms of overlaps and the schedule being different every day, but I feel like it can benefit those students because they’ll learn responsibility and communication skills, which I’ve seen in some of my classes. I also think, if there is ever any serious effort toward eliminating FlexMod scheduling, for the opportunity to still be there for students to also graduate with their associate’s degree. There are so many benefits to FlexMod, especially with the demographics of the community, and it saves a lot of people money and gives a lot of chances to graduate with not only that high school diploma but also your associate’s degree.”
LHS junior Ethan Compoon then spoke to the board.
“I think FlexMod is the better scheduling option because it’s easier to be prepared for college and career,” Compoon said. “FlexMod also makes it possible to take multiple different classes, unlike a block schedule, which has more limited options.”
LHS senior Janaya Devorce then shared her thoughts with the board.
“The way FlexMod scheduling helps me is by giving me more time to try new classes and other new opportunities,” Devorce said. “A particularly big thing for me for this year was having time before and after class to talk with my teachers about getting more work done and communicating more since I’m also an athlete. The only aspect about FlexMod I don’t like is the overlaps, because if you have a lot of those, it can be hard keeping everything straight and keeping ahead of everything. However, I still think FlexMod is really helpful because now, I’m taking fewer classes at LHS and focusing more on my college career at SCCC and completing those credit hours, and I’m also taking on an internship. If students take the time to be organized, FlexMod can be really beneficial for them and they’ll be able to take on more opportunities.”
The final LHS student to speak was Lindsey Morlen, who also read a letter from fellow student before sharing her own personal experiences with FlexMod scheduling.
“I’m currently a sophomore, and sophomore year is when you get to start taking college classes, which is a great opportunity for me since I come from a family of dropouts,” Morlen said. “For me, graduating high school is a really big accomplishment, and so is going to college. As of right now, I’m on track to get my CNA by the end of the year, and because of that, I’ll be in very good standing with my family and my own personal health. I think FlexMod scheduling is a very good way for students to be able to take college classes, and it’s also a great way for teachers to not have to worry about how a student is doing in their class. I’m thankful for the chance to speak to the board tonight not just for me, but for my fellow students.”
In the meeting’s old business, the board voted unanimously to approve a proposed Canvas stipend for USD 480 staff upon receipt of required documentation. For the meeting’s new business, the board voted unanimously to approve a bill from Southwest Roofing in the amount of $15,360 for repairs to the roof of Sunflower Elementary School and also voted unanimously to approve staff travel in the amount of $51,345.00 to attend the PLC Institute in Tulsa, Okla. in May.
