Silver Spring middle school parents fight elimination of class period

Parents at Silver Spring International Middle School worry the school’s plans to cut its eighth period will worsen the school’s achievement gap.

The school plans to go from eight periods — a block schedule with four classes a day — to seven periods beginning in fall 2014. School leaders will spend the next year deciding how those seven periods will be arranged — whether in a single, seven-period day or in blocks — and which class will be cut, said Principal John Haas.