By Suzanne Pogorelec and Ariana Rowe

Schedules have been a topic of discussion for the past several years– and for a good reason! The number of days in a cycle changed in both the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years. Before the pandemic, new Winsor students typically adjusted to a seven-day schedule, which for many was different from the structure of their previous schools. Then last year, the concern that students would be spending an excessive amount of time on their electronic devices forced administrators to rethink how students’ days were organized. Thus, the five-day schedule was created! And this year, the six-day cycle was introduced to students.

Despite how the schedule has helped manage homework loads, students have found that the long class periods can be tiring. For many, the 15 minutes that have been added on to the original hour-long class periods feel much longer. Most students have a day where they have three classes in a row. By the end of the third class period, many say they find it difficult to stay focused on taking notes or participating in an activity. And lastly, lunch has been pushed back significantly. Many students have found it difficult to adjust to this new time as in prior years, lunch was scheduled to take place at 11:45 am.

While there are several downsides to this new schedule, it is a major improvement from other years. For instance, because students no longer have the same class two days in a row, they are able to have an extra day to complete a certain subject’s homework. Many have felt less stressed and overwhelmed and are even able to get more sleep. Audrey Copeman ’24 praised the new schedule and said “The long periods aren’t as terrible as I thought they would be, like I’m not staring at the clock. I think the new schedule works well if the teacher knows how to balance the homework load.” Stella McLean ’24 also said, “I like [the schedule]. I think it gives us more time to do our homework and not have to cram at night. However, it can be stressful with tests because we have less class time to prepare before a test.” 

 Winsor has certainly made improvements to allow for more time to finish assignments. Brenna Thomas, an eighth grader, echoed other students when she said, “I like the six-day schedule because it provides me with more time to complete my homework.” Overall, the consensus seems to be that this new schedule is both making a positive difference in the lives of many Winsor students and faculty members and is a stride in the right direction for Winsor’s “year of mental wellness.”