JGMS School News

The Schedule Change: Helpful or Harmful? 

By Reagan Puhak and Mila Maricic

As many of us know, there has been a change in the schedule this year. While the schedule change was undoubtedly meant to help our students and teachers, people have conflicting ideas on whether or not it is actually beneficial. Of course, there will be pros and cons with any schedule that is put in place, but its important to look at how it will affect everyone.

There are certainly positives of the new schedule. For many, one of the main benefits is going to each class every day and the positive effects that has on organization. When asked about this, 8th grade civics teacher, Mr. Casey said, “I think it's good for kids to see their classes everyday. It keeps them organized and it keeps me more organized.” Seventh grade student Za’Riah Caruthers also said, “I feel like the best part of the new schedule is that now we have our classes everyday, instead of having a float block that we had to remember which period it replaced.”  The schedule of the previous years often left students confused on which class they were supposed to go to, and teachers struggling to balance their classes. This new schedule definitely simplifies things for everyone and makes sure that every class is on the same page. 

Several challenges have also arisen from the new schedule. A lot of students are struggling with the lack of break periods, such as team block or directed study. An 8th grade student said, “To be honest, I really miss the schedule where we had a team block and directed study so I could catch up on work. I feel like team block was very helpful for when you didn’t finish a quiz or test or if you needed to get extra help from a teacher.” Without a set time to do homework or make-up work, students who may not have much free time after school can feel very overwhelmed. There is a constant, heavy workload and no extra time to complete any work. As previously stated, it also makes it harder to find time to meet with your teachers. A seventh grade student added to the discussion, saying, “With team block it would help us not feel stressed out about doing our homework all in one setting. But we don’t have that anymore.” The lack of variety in the schedule has also been brought up as an issue. About this topic, Mr. Casey said, “The reality is, studies show that most kids learn best in the 9:00 to 11:30 range. I see certain classes at the end of the day and everyone’s a little tired.”  

The shorter blocks are proving to be a positive for some and a negative for others.  Seventh grade English teacher, Mrs. d’Entremont said, “I think the most challenging part of the schedule is having shorter classes, it feels more rushed.” Other teachers and students have mentioned that they actually enjoy having shorter periods. If you find it harder to focus for longer spans of time, these new class times may be beneficial to you. However, they do often feel rushed, and lessons often end up being interrupted. Others may not notice the shorter class times at all. It’s definitely an issue of perspective and personal preference. 

Many people have made suggestions for improvements to the schedule. Some have suggested adding back a break period, so students have time to make up work, see their teachers, and  do homework. Others have suggested switching up the class times so there is more variety for students and teachers. There are always changes to be made for the benefit of everyone at our school. 

8th-Graders Participate in Team Building Day

By the Newspaper Staff

On Wednesday, October 19, 8th-graders participated in Team Building Day. The day consisted of team-building stations in the morning and a kickball tournament later on. Although the grass was wet and the air was cold to start, students seemed to really enjoy themselves as they moved through Capture the Flag, Frisbee Golf, Trivia, Sheet Dragging, and Bodyguard. Based on a survey, the most favorite stations were Capture the Flag and Bodyguard. 

During kickball, the students played three games in a tournament to find winners to play in the championship game. The Green team won, and their photo is above. When asked about the purpose of the day, 8th-graders wrote "it's all about building community" and "working with kids who you might not always get a chance to work with."  Thanks to all the 8th-grade teachers for putting this together for their students, it was a fun day!

Please click into the document below to read the report on having bells at JGMS