BY CLAUDIA TOVAR, Editor
I am not in favor with the new schedule because it brings chaos to the hallways every day. On the block schedule we had four classes every day. Now, we have eight. Students have to rush from class to class, and freshman have the stress of getting lost.
By the end of the first day, I realized that you have to cram homework from every class every day, and the stressful part for me is that most of all that homework is due the day after you receive it.
For example, Junior Justin Diddell, who is on the varsity football team, has to juggle school work, along with practice and games.
“Nothing has actually changed, but you do have to be out in the field faster, or better said, you have shorter time span than usual. With homework, I have study hall during the day and if I don’t get done with it then, I go home and stay up later than usual, and sometimes it’s hard for me to wake up early for school. But when I don’t have that much to do, it gets easier for me,” said Diddell.
It’s not only the students who are feeling the frustration. The schedule change new for everyone, even the school staff. English teacher Brooke Simon had to adjust to this schedule.
“Change is difficult for anybody. It’ll take some time to get used to and to work out all the bugs and glitches, but once I’m comfortable with the routine, it’ll be enjoyable,” said Simon.
But I guess the only upside of this arrangement is that students have more study hall time during the day to get some work done.
Students will need to use this time wisely or they will stress throughout the year, thinking how to get work done at home, especially those who have after-school activities.
The “smart start” schedule which is every Thursday, has its ups and downs because of those who drive to school get to wake up later than usual as opposed of those who take the bus and get to school early, but they also have valuable study hall time to get unfinished work done before school officially starts.
The downside is that classes are shorter than the rest of the week, and staff members like Deborah McMullan saw students’ difficulties.
“The first time through was kind of confusing for some, but like everything else, you don’t know what the issues will be until you go through it. I think the students did an awesome job,” McMullan said.
I think we are all wondering why the administration office chose to change the schedule this year, well according Jill Maras, assistant principal, it was a three- year process with a lot of committee investigation on best practice.
“The new schedule will provide more opportunities to support students for college preparation,” Maras said.
Right now, when I had a little bit more experience, I began to think that the new schedule isn’t so bad. I don’t hate it, but I also don’t like it either. I have thought more of the pros than the cons of this whole situation, having acknowledged.