Schedule Shuffle

As the first month of school draws to a close and the students readjust from hours spent basking in the sun to hours studying why an author chooses to use a semicolon instead of a period, students must also adjust to the new bell schedule. While most teachers are approaching the new bell schedule with an open mind, many students appear to be less enthusiastic about the drastic change.

From seniors to freshmen, the consensus seems to be almost unanimous: the new bell schedule is inconsistent and confusing. Many complaints about the new schedule stem from the lack of advisory, the fact that it is a seven-day rotational schedule, and the hour and five-minute classes at the end of the day. Senior Julia Skeen personally “struggle[s] with the lack of consistency” and finds that while the new schedule was well intended, “the execution was flawed.” Junior Paul Sawyer compares the new schedule to a puzzle with “too many pieces” and freshman Olivia Zettervall bemoans that the new schedule is “like Dory remembering where she is: it makes no sense.”

Although it appears as though everyone despises the new schedule, some students are keeping an open mind, with some students praising it for the longer lunches, lack of double bells, and the randomness their classmates despise. Junior Aedan Somers said that while the new schedule is “pretty confusing,” it is possible that he’ll like it once he becomes more accustomed to it. On the other hand, senior Nathaniel Thomas is excited about the new schedule stating that, unlike last year, “it’s not boring.” Junior Landon Clay finds that the new schedule is “a good change” and likes that all the bells “get to experience different times of the day.”

On the other hand, teachers and faculty seem to agree that the new schedule is beneficial to students and teachers alike. English teacher Mr. Koeze believes that under the new schedule “each class has roughly equal class time” which will “make a huge difference” and allow the students to “get a lot more done this year.” Koeze, like many of the students, celebrates the demise of the dreaded double bell. Middle School teacher Ms. Frasher is having a hard time getting used to the new schedule, but she likes the fact that she gets to “see [her] classes every 6 out of 7 days as opposed to every 4 out of 5” and Mrs. Self praises the new schedule saying that now “time is spent much more efficiently than it used to be” and says that the office hours at the end of the day has given teachers the option to really aid their students.

While many students are pessimistic about the changes to the schedule, it still is only the first month of school. With at least six months ahead of us, there is still plenty of time for students to adjust to the new normal.