Shreya Reddy ’13: While Episcopal Academy strives to maintain its academic rigor through its unique schedule, it must reevaluate the efficacy of such a demanding schedule that provides very little flexibility. By building in more time for students to manage their heavy work loads and to organize class trips that promote experiential learning, EA can work to create a more student-friendly schedule.
The schedule is especially demanding for students who wish to pursue a second language or take an additional math or science. With six of their seven class blocks already fulfilled, they must work extra hard to not only handle a schedule in which free periods are a scarcity but also struggle to fulfill their graduation requirements.
These classes often take up the seventh block, leaving the student only with a handful of drop blocks. This lack of free time can overwhelm students and may prevent them from taking electives that truly interest them.
With regards to chapel, there have been a number of times this year when chapel speeches extended past the time dictated for the period. Though these speeches are certainly meaningful in that they provide different setting for students to learn, when they cut into class time, it is often difficult to compensate for the lost time within that same class period.
Moreover, the fact that students frequently have assessments directly after chapel may disorient their attention or pose unnecessary burdens on their own schedules should chapel exceed the time allotted.
It is often difficult to plan events, especially ones pertaining the arts, cultural awareness, and diversity, given that the typical school day mandates teachers to use time efficiently so as to ensure students learn the materials.
While these events can provide a different setting for learning, they also serve as an alternative to the otherwise monotonous school day. However, in the Middle School, students are able to incorporate days dedicated towards diversity and take class trips so as to learn experientially.
Some may argue that Activity periods are built in for that very reason, to ensure some degree of flexibility for students. However, students cannot always depend on these blocks, given they are often switched around with chapel and it may be difficult to plan out a particular week ahead of time when weekly schedules are never the same.
The thirty-minute period allotted during Activity is certainly beneficial, but it is more than a stretch to say that amount of time is enough to be substantially effective.
Although Episcopal prides itself on “challenging” its students academically, athletically, and spiritually as it rightfully should, the school must also be mindful that a schedule such as our own has the capability of being a detriment more than an advantage.
Not only can it be mentally taxing on students, but it can also be physically and emotionally exhausting. Furthermore, it would be highly impractical to essentially scrap the schedule we have now and create a different one, since the one we have right now does have its benefits.
That being said, Episcopal should work to try and incorporate more time or more days during which students can essentially learn something meaningful without someone lecturing them for 45 minutes.
When the Middle School is able integrate class trips and more creative ways for students to learn and interact despite the fact the Middle School schedule is very similar to that of the Upper School, we must find ways to keep students engaged in the things that truly interest them.
As of now, our schedule prevents this and therefore requires a second look so as to ensure that each student can receive the most out of his or her Episcopal educational experience.

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