FALLS VILLAGE – Some sentiment for rejecting the Region 1 school district’s 2017-18 budget in Tuesday’s referendum has surfaced.

Earlier this year, Assistant Superintendent Pamela Vogel proposed that a 4 x 4 block schedule be installed at the high school. It called for four 80-minute periods a day with full-year courses compressed into semesters. Eventually, that proposal was changed to a modified schedule that had 80-minute period days alternating with days of 40-minute periods.

Four years ago, it took seven tries to get a budget passed. At that time, opponents were concerned about the operations of the central office and repeatedly said money was not the reason they cast negative votes.

This year, parents and students attended packed meetings to express their concerns that block scheduling was being pushed through too quickly and that teachers, who had no professional development for such a change, had not been part of the decision. A “Stop the Block” blog also was established.