The first day of school is always an exciting time, but this year’s first day was slightly different than past experiences. In a controversial decision, the Upper School shifted to an eight-block schedule as opposed to the typical four-block rotation. The purpose of this shift was to help students locate all of their classes on the first day of school, but many students felt that the change was unnecessary. To make matters worse, this eight-block schedule wasn’t just used once: it was also implemented for the Thursday and Friday after fall break.
On a standard day in the Upper School, the average student will have three classes lasting an hour and a half, a thirty-five-minute lunch period, and an hour and a half-long study hall or free period. However, the dreaded eight-block schedule demands six forty-minute blocks of classes before a late lunch at 1:10.
Sophomore Bailey Tomlinson recalled, “It felt like such a long day, and we couldn’t get anything done.” Students are forced to rush across campus between short passing periods, and many voiced frustration with having to carry eight classes’ worth of textbooks, binders, and additional supplies.
When asked about his take on the schedule, Andrew Caldwell stated, “I have more homework as a result of the eight-period day. Tests are too long for the forty minutes allotted to us.”
Evidently, this schedule is a disputed topic. Kallie Pendergast, a sophomore, did a great job of summarizing the general view of students, claiming, “I feel like everyone hated it.”
From shortened class time to increased homework to added stress, the eight-block schedule has a wide variety of negative effects on Upper School students. However, Upper School director Mrs. Zalac brought a different perspective to the debate, stating, “The eight-block schedule came from us trying to think of ways of having contact with all eight teachers.” She pointed out that the administration has constraints (such as sharing the Tillman Center and sharing teachers with other divisions) that prevent the school from crafting new schedules. While she admitted that using the eight-block schedule on the first day of school “wasn’t the best,” she emphasized its benefits on days when seeing all eight teachers is imperative, such as days before an exam or a shortened week.
While there may be times in the future when this schedule is implemented again, students can rest assured that the official integration of this schedule is nowhere in sight.
