With COVID-19 hitting this year, Ripon High has adopted a new block schedule in order to make distance learning easier for students. RHS has kept this block schedule since returning back to school to make the transition easier and smoother for students and teachers alike. The want to get all of our students back at school next year, for a somewhat more normal year, means the possibility of another schedule change. 

“I think the block schedule has been beneficial for students because it gives them more time to focus on each individual class. Only having to worry about homework for a maximum of 4 classes, in preparation for the next day, is a lot easier than worrying about all 7 at once,” sophomore Bella Franco said. 

With the block schedule that RHS is currently using, students only have up to four of their seven classes a day, meaning that they usually do not have to worry about homework for their other classes until the next day, giving them less stress. Not only this, but students get more time in each class than they usually would on a traditional schedule, furthermore, teachers can get longer lessons in just one class period.

“I love block because I love the long breaks in between and I like how we can not waste time. I like how in block we don’t waste so much time getting set up for class and packing up” Spanish teacher Mr. Giedd said. 

Mr. Giedd along with other teachers likes how each class period is a longer amount of time so that students do not waste as much class time at the beginning and end of class, getting ready, and cleaning up. On the other hand, a lot of teachers have never taught a block schedule and find it difficult to come up with lesson plans that take up the 80-90 minute periods. 

“If I could choose, I would just do block all day every day,” Giedd says