Early Classes Mean Extra Hours of School Time
The new schedule is giving zero period more than 11.5 extra hours of class time each year.
By Jisela Negrete
The new schedule is giving zero period more than 11.5 extra hours of class time each year.
By Jisela Negrete
Zero period is a period of students and teachers who begin school before the start of the instructional day. Students who take zero period may have the opportunity to get out earlier, after fourth or fifth period, but still be in school for the same amount of time as other students. However, zero period students and teachers end up being in school for additional hours.
Without a zero period class, students typically have 258 minutes of each of their classes every week, two 55-minute periods, one 100-minute block period and one 48-minute Social Emotional Learning period on Fridays.
But zero periods meet every day, including both block days and SEL Fridays, so those classes end up meeting for 275 minutes a week, for a difference of 17 minutes extra a week. Over the course of a 16-week semester, that is 272 minutes, or almost a week of class extra.
The classes also meet for their full amount on shortened days like the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and along with Finals Week meetings, further creating an imbalance in the class times between zero and non-zero students.
“It matters in regards to payment, somebody who doesn’t teach zero is getting paid the same as somebody who does and is working 12 extra hours,” said math teacher JennieRae Paker. “It’s also unfair for the students who are having to come 12 extra hours, so it’s just a fairness. Everybody should be equal, we should be working the same amount.”
Even though the schedule does not have evenly distributed hours in class, there are still good things that zero period brings to our campus.
“I totally think it's beneficial for me. I'm a morning person since leading to the afternoon I’m dragging. So I would much rather get up early and be done early and I feel some students are the same,” said Paker.
Aside from allowing students to begin school earlier it also allows them to end early, which gives more time for outside of school activities.
“It opens up schedules so we don’t require kids to do zero periods, it's based on choice. We don’t require teachers to teach zero period,” said principal Brad Craycroft. “Sometimes if students have work in the afternoon or they have sports they sign up for a zero period so that they can be done earlier in the day so that gives them more flexibility.”
This extra time created by zero periods not only allows for students to have more time for social activities but can also allow for students to go above and beyond in regard with their education.
“It depends because sometimes it's worth it in the end when you have the extra class cause you need to get all the credits, so it’s worth it,” said Maya Ortiz, 10.
Efforts are underway to address the time imbalance but at press time no decisions had been made.
“To anyone with extracurriculars after school that wants to join, do it,” said Cole Murdock, 10. “Have faith that the schools will figure something out and even with the extra hours, getting out earlier is so worth it.”
Without a zero period class, students typically have 258 minutes of each of their classes every week, two 55-minute periods, one 100-minute block period and one 48-minute Social Emotional Learning period on Fridays.
But zero periods meet every day, including both block days and SEL Fridays, so those classes end up meeting for 275 minutes a week, for a difference of 17 minutes extra a week. Over the course of a 16-week semester, that is 272 minutes, or almost a week of class extra.
The classes also meet for their full amount on shortened days like the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and along with Finals Week meetings, further creating an imbalance in the class times between zero and non-zero students.
“It matters in regards to payment, somebody who doesn’t teach zero is getting paid the same as somebody who does and is working 12 extra hours,” said math teacher JennieRae Paker. “It’s also unfair for the students who are having to come 12 extra hours, so it’s just a fairness. Everybody should be equal, we should be working the same amount.”
Even though the schedule does not have evenly distributed hours in class, there are still good things that zero period brings to our campus.
“I totally think it's beneficial for me. I'm a morning person since leading to the afternoon I’m dragging. So I would much rather get up early and be done early and I feel some students are the same,” said Paker.
Aside from allowing students to begin school earlier it also allows them to end early, which gives more time for outside of school activities.
“It opens up schedules so we don’t require kids to do zero periods, it's based on choice. We don’t require teachers to teach zero period,” said principal Brad Craycroft. “Sometimes if students have work in the afternoon or they have sports they sign up for a zero period so that they can be done earlier in the day so that gives them more flexibility.”
This extra time created by zero periods not only allows for students to have more time for social activities but can also allow for students to go above and beyond in regard with their education.
“It depends because sometimes it's worth it in the end when you have the extra class cause you need to get all the credits, so it’s worth it,” said Maya Ortiz, 10.
Efforts are underway to address the time imbalance but at press time no decisions had been made.
“To anyone with extracurriculars after school that wants to join, do it,” said Cole Murdock, 10. “Have faith that the schools will figure something out and even with the extra hours, getting out earlier is so worth it.”