Plenty of Free Time

By: Andrew Sheshunoff '27

The wide-eyed, nervous, yet excited class of 2029 are handed their name tags. On the front states their name, grade, and where they are from. They flip over the small 5 x 7 construction paper lanyard and see, on the back, their schedule. A 7-day rotation with M-Blocks cozily snuggled between a class and an awaiting lunch block, accompanied by a short break after their first period, filled by assembly, Servons speeches, or advisory. From one brief glance, the student can tell the finesse applied to this schedule, alongside hours of deliberation and careful consideration of students’ needs and concerns. Following this simple and elegant instruction manual on the back of their classic Cate lanyard, they head to their first-ever A-block class at Cate.

Cate’s updated schedule, designed for and by the students, will be welcomed next year alongside the Class of 2029. Every few years, the last time being in 2017, Cate assesses the current schedule and proposes new ideas and plans for moving forward. A rotation-based schedule will soon be implemented and is considered a fresh and simple way to increase students’ academic success. The new schedule splits academic periods with short “brain breaks” or other programming to best promote this success. These quick intermissions will be introduced with the intention of keeping minds more excited and rested throughout the day. Before creating the new schedule, students and teachers were asked what they would like to have changed or prioritized. This feedback is what helped form the latest timetable and ensure it benefits both students and teachers.

Priorities for the New Schedule:

• Rotational, so each day ends with a different class every week

• Starting at around 8:30 and ending around 3:00

• Protected M-blocks

  • M-Blocks currently tend to be skipped for appointments/sports

• Easier ability to make up canceled classes 

• No more “Overloaded Mondays”

  • Mondays were packed with academic classes, starting students’ weeks with often an “overwhelming” amount of homework.

• Predictability and consistency

• Sports games no longer force students to miss the same class(s) each week

As is the Cate way, this process occurred through much deliberation and careful thought. Student academic representatives, the bridges between their classmates and teachers regarding academic concerns, were significant contributors during the process. They met with faculty regularly, bringing key student insights to the forefront of conversations. In addition to meeting with the Dean of Academics, Annalee Salcedo, every other week, the academic representatives also met with the academic leadership team and discussed the pros and cons of several possible schedules. 

So, what is so exciting about this new schedule? Many things, including:

• Due to their rotation, every block appears as the first period and as the last period every 7-day cycle.

  • This means that every student will have at least one first-period free each week.

  • Students who regularly have to miss their last period for a sports game will not be skipping the same class every week.

• No more “first” or “second” lunch - Everyone has the same lunch period, and M-block comes before lunch every day.

  • Students without an M-block can go to lunch at any time. 

  • Students can eat lunch together every day instead of having to coordinate schedules.

  • Teachers can easily plan to meet with students because they all have the same lunch period.

• On Day 1 and Day 6 of the cyclical rotation, every student has a free period during the usual M-Block because of faculty meetings during this time.

• No more “overloaded Mondays,” Every day has four letter blocks and 1 M-Block (except for Day 1 and Day 6).

• When a day of school is canceled, that day of the cycle simply starts again the next school day.

  • No classes will be missed, and all students will have the same number of periods for each given subject every week - no one block will get behind schedule.

Chemistry teacher Ms. Sonderleiter noted, “I am really excited that the same period won’t get hit for sports dismissals every week. This year I had someone miss last period lab 7 times in one semester, making it really hard for them to stay caught up.”

While students have certain concerns, the schedule is exciting and prioritizes students’ well-being. Although Senator for the Class of 2027, Tori Kim fears that it may “make things unpredictable,” she also believes, “The schedule will really help balance the distribution of free periods.” Serena Ratcliff ‘26 is apprehensive, explaining, “Since the new schedule is varying, [it] will be hard to schedule repeated appointments far in advance” because her free periods are during different times each week. However, Salcedo shared an important pro, “It’s a big deal that kids will get a first period free every cycle, an extra chance to sleep in.” Harper Halbardier ‘26 exclaimed that she is “excited to have more variety in my schedule and not have the same seven days every week.” She is also looking forward to “having my M-blocks aligned with lunch,” giving her and her friends “more time to spend together.” Of course, no schedule is perfect, and small adjustments will surely be made after the schedule is formally implemented at the start of the next school year. Nonetheless, the majority of the student body is quite jazzed and looking forward to all of the new enhancements.