Among the many changes brought forth by the 2025–2026 school year, this year’s Upper School schedule change is perhaps one of the most prominent – second, of course, to the highly contentious phone ban. The modification includes one fewer class period per school day, a longer lunch period, and a later start time of 8:45 a.m. While the perks of this new schedule appear numerous, it does indeed have its downsides. 

For example, students participating in fellowships such as ISR, IHR, and Art Scholars are now required to arrive at school at 7:45 a.m. each week – an unprecedented start time for Upper School students. Additionally, student athletes have found it increasingly difficult to manage academic work in conjunction with their sportive commitments. 

“Because the new schedule has one less carrier, l’m not able to get as much work done during the day, so I have so much more [to do] after games and practice. Compared to previous years, it’s more work than I used to have.” Norah Ripperger ’27 stated. 

The new schedule also replaced the four-period-per-week science classes of previous years with a three-period-per-week schedule that includes an extended lab period. Students have described this 80-minute block as tiresome, and Ripperger continues on to point out that “the biggest thing I don’t like about the new schedule is that because of the extended lab periods for science, I can no longer be in a club I’ve been in for two years.”

For some students, the lab period cuts into Collab, while for others, it cuts into lunch, overall limiting the number of clubs students can commit to. This predicament is exacerbated by the removal of Monday club blocks, leaving students without a designated time for club meetings during the school day. Generally, students argue that the new schedule jeopardizes those who apply themselves to sports, clubs, and extracurriculars by limiting their time during the school day to complete schoolwork.

Taking a less polarized stance, however, are the freshmen, who introduce a slightly different perspective. “I wasn’t here last year in high school, so I don’t really have a comparison for the new schedule or old schedule,” Shona Mishra-Linger ‘29 said. Indeed, the newcomers to Upper School life have little to compare the new schedule to, and are instead adapting to it alongside the many other adjustments that come with the transition into high school.

It seems the verdict on the schedule change is subjective, opinions lying on a scale influenced by personal commitments and numerous pros and cons. “I don’t think that the new schedule has really affected how much time I have to do schoolwork, but sometimes I do feel less tired at the end of the day compared to last year,” Indira Mishra-Linger ’27 said. 

Across students, the later start time seems to be the most appreciated change, allowing for a few more minutes of valuable sleep, with the seemingly second best perk of the new schedule being the extended lunch block. “Now I actually have time to see my friends and eat and even do some homework,” Mishra-Linger ‘27 explained, “whereas last year I spent half my lunch period waiting in the line.”