Seneca Valley, a school who prides themselves on change and improvement, has recently made the decision to switch to block scheduling, starting with the class of 2022. Instead of a nine-period day of forty-two-minute classes, the school board has decided to have nine-period days on Mondays, even-numbered classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays and odd classes Wednesdays and Fridays.

Feeling positive about the change, Principal Ceh made it clear block scheduling is for the student’s benefit.

“You can never learn anything complicated just by being told- with block scheduling, communication between student and teacher will become more efficient, and hopefully, the student’s depth and engagement increases on the knowledge they are being taught,” Ceh said.

Although block scheduling presents itself as an amazing learning opportunity, SV students still have their concerns. In an Instagram poll of both Intermediate and Senior High School students, around 76% of students disliked the idea of this major switch. They raised worries around the concepts of a restructured curriculum and the teaching style multiple teachers use while conducting class.

“With so much going on in students’ days, they already have trouble focusing for forty minutes,” Senior Norah Seibel said. “How are they going to focus for almost twice that?”

Students’ concerns have not gone unnoticed by administration, though.

“We have already started talking about that…students are right to question their quality of education, but our teachers are planning to adapt. The major point I would want to get across to these students, however, is that we as a school would like to quit racing the clock. We want to focus on student-centered learning.” 

Block scheduling, although raising questions, is a new concept to the school that will change the way students gain their high school education. Change, while scary to many, often is the catalyst for new and better ideas. Only time will tell how this change will impact students.