The arrival of the new school year delivers fresh faces, new memories, and, after much anticipation, a revamped rotating schedule. Our new schedule, carefully developed by Ms. Romero and a team of faculty members, was designed with two main goals: improving the student experience and reducing issues surrounding lunch blocks. With the shift, both Middle and Upper schoolers are adjusting well to the new routines.

The most notable changes for the Upper School are a new lunch system and changed time periods for flex. The former early/late lunch system (which was, sometimes, understandably stressful for all) was removed. Now, there is a fixed first lunch block for freshman and sophomores, followed by the junior and senior lunch, similar to the lunch schedule from the 2022-2023 academic year. This change has eased the stress surrounding lunch periods, creating a calmer cafeteria environment. After both lunches have ended, students benefit from a convenient flex period to meet with teachers, attend club meetings, or catch up on work. By restructuring already existing lunch and free periods, students have better opportunities to recharge throughout the day and are more likely to be productive while leaving necessary time for breaks and socialization.

Additionally, our middle schoolers’ schedule has also experienced a few significant changes. Previously, students had a Period 8 study hall built into their rotating schedule, where they could quietly catch up on individual assignments. After its removal, middle schoolers have a short collaborative period every day after their third period, offering time for group projects, meeting with teachers, or engaging in focused academic work. The change in lunches for the upper schoolers also affected the middle school, with students now heading out for recess before they eat their lunch. While this does mean that middle schoolers are the last group to eat lunch (sorry!), the trade-off results in a more structured day that allows for increased free time and a greater focus on academic and social improvement. So far, middle schoolers have adjusted well to the new schedule changes and have been enjoying the addition of more free time. 

Our faculty hoped to create a new system that not only reduced student stress but also created a more efficient, organized school day. According to general feedback from various middle and upper schoolers, the added balance of academic and free time has led to a more satisfied student body, and therefore accomplished the school’s goal. 

So, after all, how would you rate our new schedule?