It feels as if it was only yesterday when the email was sent to all the parents from School District 51, notifying that we would all be staying home due to the outbreak of COVID-19. It also feels as though it’s been years since things were normal. However, school is back in session, and new rules have been set in place for the safety of this new year’s learning. A new block schedule has been made for students to limit interaction and to promote social distancing. It consists of seventy-five-minute classes with either a five or ten minute passing period, depending on which teacher is either labeled A or B. As with anything, people have mixed opinions of the new schedule.

Kayla Biddle says, “I don’t mind it too much, but I know how it can be inconvenient for others.”

The new block schedule seems to be unique to each individual. While the time length for the classes seems to be the perfect time for most, we are also losing valuable learning time in the long run.

For Emma Pinnow, she likes the new schedule because she gets burned out quickly if she does the same thing every day. It is essential to take into account everyone’s personal opinions because a student’s mental health relating to school should always be taken into account. But is there a way to make everyone happy? Is there a way to make the schedule even safer so that it’ll reduce the risk of contracting the disease?

Overall, the school seems to have the students’ best interest at heart when it comes to creating a safe environment for everyone to learn in. The staggered passing periods make it so that students are less crowded and free to walk without running into each other. This can create less anxiety when it comes to those who fear the disease the most.

We all have our personal opinions whenever it comes to the aspect of the illness, but it’s safe to assume that the school has planned out the schedule to take into account our safety and preferences.