In an unexpected twist that is
sure to shake up the school week, the
administration has announced that
starting next Wednesday, the school will
begin at its regular time instead of the
usual forty-five-minute late start.
Late-start Wednesdays were
implemented into the schedule shortly
after the Covid-19 pandemic. The late
starts gave students an opportunity to
get more sleep, and provided a time for
teachers to have meetings together.
However, after many discus-
sions between the school board and the
faculty, they have come to the conclu-
sion that removing late-start Wednes-
days will ultimately restore order to the
schedule and encourage a more pro-
ductive atmosphere. Ildiko Miller, the
Upper School Dean of Students, says,
“Things have been too relaxed around
here for a while. The students are be-
coming too soft. It’s time to get back on
track and implement a more structured
routine for our students.”
One factor that kept the admin-
istration from removing the late starts
sooner was the fact that the faculty
uses those extra forty-five minutes on
Wednesdays to have important meet-
ings. However, after some thoughtful
planning, teachers have decided that
every Wednesday they will all go out
to breakfast at seven in the morning
and have their meetings while enjoying
some delicious food. Rodrigo Saldaña
says, “Most mornings, I usually go out
and grab a few coffees before school
starts, so it will be very convenient for
me to have my faculty meetings at the
same time. It may even allow me to be
able to drink a few more coffees than
usual, which is great.”
Another thing
that the administration
thought long and hard
about was how these
extra forty-five minutes
will be spent. Ultimate-
ly, they decided that
on Wednesdays, from
eight to eight forty-five,
the entire upper school
will participate in “Just
Dance” competitions.
These competitions will
foster a competitive and
motivating environment,
allowing students and
teachers to warm up and
lock in for the school day.
Many teachers
have already expressed
their excitement for
this new addition to the
schedule. For example,
Mrs. Butterfield says, “I
am a huge fan of these
new ‘Just Dance’ compe-
titions! As a performing
arts teacher, I believe that
creative exercise is just
as important as any class
you take.” She even of-
fered to DJ or lead some
of the dance contests.
To further incen-
tivize and motivate stu-
dents and teachers, there
will be weekly prizes for
the winners of the “Just
Dance” competitions.
These prizes cannot be
disclosed now, as they
will change every week to
keep things interesting.
The removal of
late-start Wednesdays
will definitely take some
time to adjust to, but the
administration ultimately
believes that it is the best
decision to develop a
more positive and driven
community. They strict-
ly encourage everyone
to practice their dance
moves.
