Rise and Shine: Vashon’s New Bell Schedule

The bell rings at 8:00 AM sharp. Students flood the halls and rush to class in a hurry to arrive on time. The beginning of school has shifted from 8:30 AM to 8:00 AM which marks a huge difference for all kinds of students, whether they live on island, or commute.. Students are still learning to adjust their morning routine to follow the schedule of the bells.

“In the morning, I already have to get here early because my brother works at the school, so I have to wake up earlier than I did last year,” Freshman Amelie Wiegner noted.

Commuters are definitely feeling the heat with the new start time. For those who rely on the ferry, mornings become a whole lot busier and rushed.

“It makes me wake up another 30 minutes early, and now I have to take the 7:05 boat,” senior Caeden Miller explained.

The eight minute break between second period and homeroom is something students do not enjoy. Many students prefer the time be allocated somewhere else in the school day.

“I’d rather that time be somewhere else because an eight minute break isn’t doing much for me,” stated Wiegner.

“I feel like it should go in the morning again, because I liked when we got to be late to school,” senior Arabella Polo Bunch remarked.

Not only does the bell schedule impact morning routines, it also makes a difference in the day. Feelings are split on whether or not lunch should be after 4th period or before 4th period.

“I do not like it. I like it when it’s after third period,” Wiegner said.

On the other hand, some students enjoy having lunch after 4th period, as they benefit from having just two more classes left to attend.

“I like having two classes at the end of the day instead of three because it just seems shorter for me,” Polo Bunch shared.

Fridays have a different schedule which switches things up to give everyone a breather for completing the week of school. For most, the late start schedule hasn’t had a great affect on students' routines.

“Not really, It’s mostly the same,” Polo Bunch noted when asked if the late start schedule impacted her daily routine.

Some students enjoy the new schedule and some of the benefits that come along with it.

“I kind of like the new one, It’s not the worst thing in the world. I definitely like having lunch after fourth instead,” Polo Bunch mentioned.

Sacrificing sleep can be difficult, and after years of building up a routine, it can be hard to make a sudden switch. For some, going back to the old schedule would be more beneficial to their morning routine.

“I would probably prefer going back to the old one because we got to come in later and ten minutes at the end of the day doesn’t change much,” Wiegner noted.

The new bell schedule has everyone feeling all kinds of ways. Some students don’t mind it, while others are struggling with early-wake up calls and must rush to be at school on time. It all comes down to personal preference and what works best with students’ schedules. Overall, students seem to feel a mix of excitement and adjustment.