For the week of PARCC testing, all high school students and teachers were required to follow block scheduling, a schedule where students wouldn’t have to attend the same classes everyday, but had to adjust to a minimum of 82 minutes per class. While this allowed freshman and other students to complete testing and gave teachers more time to teach, the responses from the students to the schedule change were mixed, some positive, some negative, and others wishy-washy. Unfortunately for those who despise or are on the fence about the switch, principal, Mr. Brand announced for the rest of the year, Wednesday’s and Thursday’s, we would go on block scheduling.

Guidance counselor, Mr. Zender, explained that while the original and only purpose of the schedule change was for testing purposes, it may become a possibility that students would follow a block schedule two days a week this upcoming school year, depending on the feedback from students and teachers by the end of this year.

The block schedule for the remaining of this school year serves as a “test” to determine whether to continue with the possible plan, or to remain with the normal schedule. There are several pros to switching to block scheduling, one being gaining more time in class to complete labs and projects, another being given more time to work on homework, and a final being to switch up the students’ daily schedules. Downsides include adjusting to the schedule in general, sitting in one class for an extended amount of time, and teachers losing their prep periods on a certain day.