Students and staff began the new semester on Jan. 28, 2025, and for 86% of students, that means starting new 4×4 classes, according to assistant principal Amanda Malbon.
Some students believe the schedule change helps them balance academics and sports.
“For my busy schedule, being a student-athlete, this truly benefits me,” freshman August Bridges said. “I feel that it is more efficient for me [rather] than six to seven classes full-year classes and stressing with studying for every class every night.”
However, others believe that having six to seven year-long classes would give more instructional time.
“I do believe it would be more efficient for students to have six to seven classes for a full year,” math teacher Tara Yurik said. ”From a teacher’s perspective, it would give us a few more days to teach material.”
However, switching 4×4 classes each semester helps students meet new people.
“I feel that it gives me a chance to get to know some more people from different classes and get new experiences,” August said.
The 4×4 classes allow teachers an opportunity to fix what they are doing for the next semester. Teachers can reflect on what worked and what didn’t, allowing the incoming classes the opportunity to learn from those mistakes.
“I like that switching classes for a semester allows me to more easily reflect on what I have just done with students in a particular course evaluation,” Yurik said.
