As students begin to return to in-person learning on March 2, a new bell schedule will be implemented in an effort to practice social distancing and follow health and safety protocols.
This schedule will be followed by students in the hybrid model as well as those in solely virtual learning.
The new bell schedule will include multiple lunch periods to try and space out students in the cafeteria. Lunch periods will be scheduled based on room number, and not by department like previous years.
In the proposed schedule, most classes are 80 minutes, while R5 and W6 will be slightly over 90 minutes. This is to allow more time for lunches.
Passing periods will be shortened to eight minutes. W4 is now only 20 minutes and Pride Time is only 52 minutes.
“I think that having multiple lunches will allow for more effective spacing amongst students in the lunch room and will help ensure that Covid-19 protocols are followed,” sophomore Olivia Cruz said.
With the implementation of the new schedule, this will be the second time in the past month that the bell schedule has changed.
The previous change on Feb. 16 shortened the time in between periods to ten minutes and pushed back the start of the opening bell to 8:20 a.m. and the closing bell to 2:50 p.m.
“I am glad that we are going to be safer in our new bell schedule when we begin to go back to school on the second,” sophomore Evan Newton said. “It’s also a little confusing why the bell schedule from Feb. 16 is only lasting two weeks.”
Freshmen and seniors will return to in-person learning on March 2 if they chose to do so. In the following week, sophomores and juniors will return in a limited capacity as well.
“Honestly, I’m just happy we get the opportunity to go back to school,” sophomore Shalini Vlcan said. “Whatever the plan is to keep our staff, students and families safe, I’m all on board.”
With teachers being vaccinated or in the process of doing so, the new bell schedule to distance students and all other in-class precautions, many look to return to the classroom out of harm’s way.
As with every new plan this year, everything is subject to change. Visit fcps.edu for updated information.