The high school introduced a new district calendar and a new bell schedule for the 24-25 school year. This includes 1st period starting at 7:50 a.m. instead of 7:54 a.m, and 9th period ending at 3:23 p.m. instead of 3:20 p.m.
The high school started and will finish earlier compared to other years. It started Aug. 8. and the final school day will be May 15.
“We start school early to get students back into learning as quickly as possible,” principal Paul Weinheimer said. “We finish school and graduate a little earlier than most schools.”
Last year, each class period, except academic period and lunch, was 45 minutes. This year, each class period is 46 minutes long.
“We were falling short one minute per period, so we had to add eight minutes to the day,” assistant principal Ryan Race said. “That’s why we start five minutes earlier, and three minutes later, there’s eight minutes right there.”
Since the first bell now rings at 7:46 a.m, students who take the transfer bus in the mornings have less time to get and eat breakfast.
“It’s terrible,” junior Evan Herrington said. “The first day of school we got here on the buses, I had two minutes to eat before I had to go to class.”
As the school days passed, the bus situation improved. Students got to the high school earlier to have more time to eat their breakfast before first period.
“It’s gotten a little better,” Herrington said. “I had like 10 minutes today.”
With the new district calendar, there are also no more half-days listed. Previous school years have had the day before winter break, the day before spring break and the final day of school as half-days.
“I think it’s really not that huge of a change,” Race said. “I know some people were upset with it.”
Race said that overall the start of the school year has been fabulous.
“Not many wrinkles,” he said. “I’m just pleased as punch.”
