When returning Winchester Thurston Upper School students received their new schedules in August, they noticed there was something different about them; the 1:10 ensemble block and the 2:10 class block had been switched around. In switching these two blocks, the administration believed that this schedule would allot time for early dismissals so that students wouldn’t have to miss class time in order to attend athletic games or other obligations.

However, there are clear consequences to adopting this new system. For instance, students may still lose ensemble practice and class time if their class is scheduled in the 2:10 block. This is the case with Economics class whose teacher, Mr. Hallas, has missed multiple periods due to golf practices. Yet, there is a more serious, far-reaching consequence of this switch up that has been a cause for concern among students and teachers.
Officially, students are allotted 30 minutes to eat lunch. But due to lines and other delays, this is not always the case. The new schedule affects students’ lunch experiences by mandating their on-time appearance at their 1:10 class, right after lunch. This can make it impractical to eat in the cafeteria because a student could have to spend a significant portion of their lunch time waiting for their food or preparing for their next class across the street.  

The new schedule has accomplished its main purpose of lessening the impact of athletic dismissals, but its unintended consequences could spell trouble in the future.