by Lori Ricks and Alyssa Swaney
A countywide change in the bell schedule for schools has caused students, teachers and administrators to make adjustments.
The school day for high schools begins at 9 a.m. instead of 8:45 a.m., and ends at 3:55 p.m. instead of 3:45 p.m. The overall instructional day has been reduced by five minutes.
The Henrico County Public School Board voted last March to change school schedules in order to save money and improve transportation. The changes affect all elementary, middle and high schools.
Administrative intern Gena Jones, who is in charge of transportation at Varina, said bus problems occurred at the beginning of the year.
“The first few days of the bus arrival and departure times were horrible because of the new schedule; however, it has evened itself out, so that we have no late buses anymore,” Ms. Jones said.
Ms. Jones said she sees many teachers and students taking advantage of the later start time in the morning.
Senior Tyler Rinehart said he likes starting the school day later because he feels more alert.
“I enjoy getting to school later because that’s more time to sleep in the morning,” Tyler said. “When I sleep in, I’m not only just alert, I just feel better throughout the day.”
According to the School Counseling Department, early bird enrollment is up from last year.
Biology teacher Melinda VanDevelder said the schedule changes have impacted her early bird class in a good way.
“I think I have a more awake crew in the morning,” Mrs. VanDeveldver said.
Junior Brittany Landess, an early bird student, said she is reaping the benefits of the later start time.
“When I signed up for the early bird class, I didn’t know about the schedule change, but I think it helps because I don’t have to be at school as early as I would have if the time stayed the same,” Brittany said.
Center for Communications students who ride the hub bus to and from school were affected by the change more than other students. Junior Dejah Winston said it impacts the amount of time she has to do homework in the evening.
“I think it’s better that it starts at nine, but they should have kept the end time because last year I got home about five. Now I get home at 5:30,” Dejah said.
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