When I first laid eyes on the bell schedule, I was super confused. I literally had a dream about it before everything made sense. But after spending my first quarter at Riordan, I realize the schedule has many pros and cons.
At first glance, the Purple and Gold Day system makes the new schedule confusing. Purple and Gold Days have different dropoff and pickup times for students with classes in Blocks 1 or 5, making it much harder for families. Families now have to remember which day is which, and this could potentially increase the chance of being tardy (causing detention) if students get the days mixed up. Additionally, students with siblings in different divisions also have to arrive or leave an hour before or after their academic classes start or finish.
Lunch and passing periods are quite short, so students have to arrive at the right time, rush to class, and quickly refuel to keep up with the hectic schedule.
On the more positive side, however, this system does include a few benefits. Donatella Cirelli ’28 said, “The new schedule adds some variation in our class orders. It’s nice not always getting out at 3 or not always having the same class first.”
Ponette Chen ’26 said late start days “… mean I can sit down and eat breakfast with my family without worrying whether I’ll be late to school or not.”
Upper and lower divisions have different lunch times as well; while underclassmen are at lunch or have Block 5, juniors and seniors have block 3 or free block, respectively, and vice versa. In other words, only two grades have class while the other doesn’t during these periods.
Because of this, these staggered schedules, along with 30-100 students having open periods, adds more available classrooms, makes arriving and leaving school easier with less car traffic (due to alternating start and end times for the lower and upper divisions), and the additional block provides more time for academics, athletics, and extra shut-eye.
While the new bell schedule does have its challenges of navigating different pick up and drop off times, it offers some flexibility and advantages in reducing traffic, inside and outside the classroom.
