Imagine having to juggle eight different classes every day. That’s the new routine for students at RNE after a big schedule change. Before, students only had four classes a day. The schedule alternated daily, meaning they attended four classes on “A” days and a different four on “B” days. Now, students have all of their classes every day. Some students have eight 45-minute periods, while others are on block schedules with longer, 90-minute class periods. For students, the new schedule is more than just a change in class times; it changes how they learn.
Assistant Principal Dr. Melissa Myers prefers the new schedule. RNE was the only school in Richland Two with an A/B day schedule. It made it difficult for students who were transferring. If a student transferred to RNE during the school year and was previously taking a class that was taught every day, they would lose credit because of the differences in seat time requirements.
However, Myers has noticed some challenges. “Eight periods with two lunches can be difficult. There is reduced time in classes because of two lunches and pep rallies, and assemblies reduce it even more.”
Hall monitor Jacqueline Kershaw notices that even the hallways feel different. “In my opinion, the new schedule allows less student interaction and behavior issues in the hallways,” Kershaw stated. “During the block class change, student interaction was high. With individual period classes, there are now fewer students to interact with during class changes.” Students are less likely to congregate in the hallways because of the reduced time to get to each period.
Since A/B days are gone, every class meets daily, and that means juggling more subjects at once. Some students preferred the longer class periods because it helps them focus better.
“I prefer the old schedule, especially A/B days. I feel like it gave me more of a break and freedom to get more work done,” Amiya Foster, sophomore, said.
Students note that the new schedule also makes it more challenging to keep up with assignments.
Sophomore Melanie Jones-Miller said the old schedule allowed her more time to complete work. She also doesn’t like the amount of movement there is during the day. “It hasn’t really become more hectic with completing assignments, but my teachers have become more lenient with giving homework,” Jones-Miller said. “The new schedule is very different. I definitely prefer the A/B day schedule.”
Freshmen Amira Garcia and Brendan Palmer believe the transition in schedules from middle to high school has been difficult. Still, it has definitely changed their mindsets and helped them manage their priorities. Garcia and Palmer were later asked how they feel their relationships with their teachers impact their learning and relationships with their teachers. Garcia responded with “They really understand me, because I’m only a freshman, and they have to take more time to help me understand and adjust to new and harder topics.”
Teachers notice the shift, too. AVID teacher MaryAnn Sansonetti-Wood believes the new schedule works well because the previous A/B day system resulted in classes not meeting for a week or more due to weather or other reasons. “There would be days where A/B day classes wouldn’t meet, but now with the new schedule, classes are guaranteed to meet every day.” This creates a more consistent learning environment.
Science teacher Brooke Crigger has noticed that students seem more focused in her shorter classes.
“I think knowing there’s limited time helps a little. But since there are also my AP classes, it’s difficult to say for sure,” Crigger said. “Learning something every day helps reduce forgetting. It can also make students feel more comfortable with their teachers and their classes.”
Crigger added, “With the new schedule, lesson planning requires more time.” There are challenges in adapting lessons to fit a 90-minute lesson in a 45-minute class period. Teachers need to prepare lessons more frequently than just a few times a week.
While adjusting to this change, students are still figuring out how to manage their time and homework with the new schedule. While the schedule change may be to improve learning, it also means new challenges in staying organized and managing schoolwork.
Whether this new schedule will help students or make things more difficult, it’s still taking time to adjust to. However, for students, especially upperclassmen, this change has significantly reshaped their high school experience.
