Students feel annoyed about bell schedule changes

By Morgan M. & Kameron B.

Since school started, students that attend AHS have stated on numerous occasions on the school campus that they dislike the new five minute policy added on schedule. This year, kids must be in class by 8:25 and are not dismissed until 3:35. More than anything, students are confused by the need for a minor change.

The most interesting part about the change of the schedule is that students are not getting enough sleep so whenever they get to school it reduces their memory and learning abilities . 

Another interesting aspect of this news event is that students are having trouble with transportation issues, and  changes to classroom structure.  For example, Bus 15, Bus 17, and Bus 21 have been chronically late to AHS, and many wonder if the 5-minute time change has anything to do with it. Some suspect that while the school bells changed, maybe the Transportation Department failed to reroute busses to get kids to school on time.

Early dismissals have been required for several sports already this fall.  Just this week, teachers have received notice that Tennis and Golf teams need to be let out early in order to get to their games on time.  If school ended earlier, this issue may not occur.  Additionally, later school dismissal times may require rescheduling practice which can be done with cooperation districts. Students who need to be at after school jobs on time have also been impacted.  

When interviewed about this news, a student named Benjamin G.  (a senior) said, “I feel that time should be kept the same because why get out later? It can mess up what you have to do for the rest of your day.” 

Mrs. Muller, the school librarian, states, “Other people are wondering why the time wasn't the same [as last year]. The time changes may effect students parents because of their work schedules in the morning since school starts at 8:25” 

According to the American Psychological Association,  when school starts at 8:30 am or later but it tends to improve grades and get better sleep.  The APA writes, “The American Academy of Pediatrics helped draw attention to the cause by publishing a position statement stating that middle schools and high schools should begin no earlier than 8:30 a.m. In 2019, California passed a law, enacted in 2022, mandating secondary schools start after 8:30 a.m. Florida passed a similar bill in 2023, and several other states are now considering such legislation.”

Also according to the American Psychological Association, “More than 200 school districts in the US have moved to later start times.”

In closing, consider the words of Theophrastus: “Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.”  Five minutes may not seem like much of a change, but it means a lot when time is our most valuable commodity.