The most notable campuswide change entering the new school year was the adoption of the new block schedule on the first day of school, Monday, Aug. 25.
In years past, the middle school had a nine-period schedule, with classes meeting five out of six days a cycle. This left a block of time where classes did not meet, more commonly known as an “X” period. The nine-period schedule provided free time for students to complete homework, check in with teachers, or simply hang out on the field with their friends.
The previous schedule featured 40 minutes of class each day. Teachers often reported being unable to delve into the depth of study they would have liked, as classes often ended before all material was covered. Homework was typically due the following day.
Head of Middle School Jon Wimbish said the first week of the new schedule has been largely positive, with students and teachers beginning to see the benefits of the careful planning that went into its design.
“The majority of feedback that I’ve gotten has been positive,” Wimbish said. “We’ve been hearing from students that it is nice for them to not have all their classes in one day. It’s nice to only have three classes that require homework.”
The new block schedule allocates 55 minutes of teaching time to each class, meeting five out of eight days a cycle. The schedule has a cut-out 45-minute advisory and affinity group block in place of last year’s break, and a set lunch time, with an hour and 15 minutes for students to eat lunch. This change gives students free time to do what they would have done during their “X” periods the year prior. Classes meet on two consecutive days only twice a cycle, allowing for students to have an extra night to do homework.
Wimbish said he has personally seen the benefits of the extended periods in his teaching role with students in his student leadership course.
“You can let students explore,” Wimbish said. “They can turn and talk to their partner, turn and talk to their group, and generate ideas, as opposed to needing to get through material because there’s an end place we have to get to. With 55 minutes, you can incorporate a little more variety in your teaching. There’s a positive trade-off to the amount of learning that you’re actually doing in class.”
Students have seen positive results in the effects of the changes made to their daily routines. Ninth grader Knox Yoon ‘29 said that this schedule has been great so far in terms of the school day’s speed and the fluidity of teaching.
“I think it’s a nice change of pace,” Yoon said. “Last year, I thought we were still going strong with the schedule that we’ve had for two years, but it is really refreshing to have a new one. I really like only having five classes a day, I think that it is really good for students’ homework load.”
When asked about the changes in his routine, Yoon said he had already seen these changes beneficial in the first week of school.
“Well, I’ve gotten a lot more time,” Yoon said. “Time to do homework and learn new material. The longer blocks help me focus on certain core subjects and learn the material rather than just focusing on what the teacher has assigned that night.”
New ninth grader Leilani Patterson ’29 said that she is content with the latest schedule and thinks its advantages outweigh the disadvantages. She also said having enough time to complete assignments has not been a problem.
“As a new student, I’m very happy with the schedule,” Patterson said. “However, I do think it’s complicated not having passing periods. I’m always a few minutes late to every class, but it’s fine because my teachers understand. The schedule also gives me more than enough time to get all my homework done. I think with the long lunches we have this year, it makes it perfect.”
The block schedule has now been in effect for three school weeks, and students have begun to acclimate to their new ‘flow’ and routine. Faculty will continue to monitor the schedule’s impact on instruction and workload throughout the school year.
