Reactions to the Schedule Change
Photo Credit: Max Pixel
September 27, 2017
Every SHS member is familiar with the new schedule that was adopted at the start of this school year. Both students and teachers have found several ways to try to cope with the sudden change. “I’ve realized that the two minutes added are not that serious. Many of my teachers have let me out early or just ended lessons early rather than working right up to the bell,” stated Rishabh Gharekhan ’20. While coping strategies vary from student to student, the majority of students from all grades still prefer the old schedule over the new schedule. The different times that periods end have proven to be a hassle that students are struggling with. “I still check the time of the schedule constantly even though by this point in freshmen year, I knew the times by heart,” noted Sophie Gross ’18.
One of the most significant schedule changes is the switch from having homeroom for five days a week to only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Gharekhan, a member of the Sophomore Class Government, has already noticed the impact that less homeroom has had on the student government. “We can no longer go to homerooms to spread information because we now spend those homerooms trying to catch up and stay on the same page,” observed Gharekhan, which makes the government feel disconnected and off track. Currently, the government relies on class facebook groups to distribute information, hoping that students see the posts. The groups most notably affected by the schedule change are not limited those who rely on homeroom to spread information. “Homeroom is one of the few times we are all together to hear a quick message. As seniors, we have lots of college things going on and now it’s difficult to remember everything we have to do on specific days,” said Gross. Students are now lacking a break in the school day, often going through up to five straight periods without a single minute to relax.
SHS English teacher George Olivier, who is on the wellness and scheduling committees, revealed that the new schedule was not the only schedule suggested. “We created and proposed another schedule that was much better for students than this, so to end up with this schedule is really sad, since the students deserve better,” sympathized Olivier. Since the schedule adds two minutes to each period, the times of the start and end of periods are different each day, adding more confusion and stress to already stressed students. “The new schedule is one of the worst things that has happened in my sixteen years of teaching at SHS,” declared Olivier.
