By Claire Reinthaler
For the Clemmons Courier

Throughout the course of the past few weeks, the news has been swirling around about the possible change in schedule for high schools during the 2023-24 school year and what that will entail. Via a survey sent out by the WS/FCS, it was reported that the schedule would either change to a seven-period day, where each class was around 45 minutes long and were year-long or an entirely block schedule, where the four-period day would stay intact but you would have the same four classes every day for one semester and a different four the next. While there has been much discussion amongst students and staff as to which option would be better, in my mind, the seven-period day is 100 percent the only way to go.
Here’s the thing: I’m a huge fan of the hybrid schedule we have now. I love the versatility of being able to have some classes like electives and APs year-round and being able to have other core classes for only a semester. However, part of the problem is that keeping our current hybrid schedule is not even an option at this point in time. I’m not sure exactly why the district feels the need to change what has worked for so long, but since they do, it’s important at all costs to prevent against the fully block schedule.
Let’s start out with electives. I know for me, electives like newspaper and chorus are what make my school days less monotonous and more enjoyable. Most of my friends are in my elective classes, since we share the same interests, whereas my core classes are randomly assigned which period I’ll be in, so I’m not with many of my friends in any of them. More than that though, having those classes that I truly enjoy year-round allow me to have at least one class every day that I truly look forward to.
The next problem with the fully block schedule option is the scheduling of Advanced Placement classes. AP classes are always and have always been year-long classes, due to the fact that nationwide AP exams are held in early May every year. Making the schedule fully block would mean that students taking first semester AP classes would have to remember all the information they learned for almost three months, while still taking other classes, and students taking second semester AP classes would have fewer weeks to learn the information that the first semester students would. Either way, it’s a lose-lose situation. The fully block schedule would be punishing to those taking AP classes for no reason, and it’s crucial that we not allow it to happen.
This isn’t really about me preferring the seven-period day at all. It’s about picking the lesser of two bad choices. If there’s no chance of us being allowed to keep our current hybrid schedule, then the seven-period day, year-long schedule is the only way to go.

Claire Reinthaler is this year’s Titan Tattler.