A new bell schedule will begin on Tues., Feb. 16 where the school day will begin at 8:20 a.m. and end at 2:50 p.m., making it 15 minutes shorter than before. 

This time has been taken out of passing periods where there are now only 10-minute breaks in between classes instead of 15-minute ones.

In terms of adjusting to this schedule, the start times of most classes are pushed back (R1/W2 and R3/W4) or kept the same (R5/W6). The only exception is that R7/W8 start five minutes earlier than usual. It may be helpful for students and teachers to set alarms for classes’ new start times as they get used to the bell schedule.

In the Annandale Community Insider, Principal Shawn DeRose stated that this new bell schedule will maximize instructional time while providing one lunch period. This amended bell schedule will only be in effect until Fri., Feb. 26. 

Yet another new bell schedule will take effect on March 2, when freshmen and seniors who opted in for in-person learning will be returning to the building. 

That new bell schedule will have multiple lunch periods to accommodate social distancing and mitigation strategies in the cafeteria. The exact details of this bell schedule have not been released yet but will be sometime in February.